HOUSE BILL REPORT

2SSB 5993

BYSenate Committee on Energy & Utilities (originally sponsored by Senators Benitz, Stratton, Newhouse and Hayner)

Promoting the use of one thousand acres leased on the Hanford reservation.

House Committe on Trade & Economic Development

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Cantwell, Chair; Wineberry, Vice Chair; Doty, Ranking Republican Member; G. Fisher, Kirby, Kremen, Moyer, Raiter, Rasmussen, Rector, Schoon, Tate and Youngsman.

House Staff:Charlie Gavigan (786-7340)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (20)

      Signed by Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair;H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Brekke, Brough, Doty, Hine, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Rust, Spanel, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

House Staff:Paul Leistner (786-7663)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 1, 1990

BACKGROUND:

In 1964 the state entered into a 99-year lease of 1,000 acres of federal land located at Hanford.  The lease stipulates that the state should actively promote subleases of the land for nuclear-related industry on the site.  Original oversight of the lease was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce and Economic Development.

The Department of Ecology presently oversees the lease.  The state has subleased 100 acres to one firm that operates a commercial low-level radioactive disposal facility on the site.

The Tri-Cities area near the Hanford reservation contains a highly-educated and skilled work force and state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Fast Flux Test Facility and the Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories.  There is concern that a reduction of federal funding for Hanford-area projects could have a severe negative affect on the Tri-Cities economy.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Trade and Economic Development is directed to promote the existence of the lease and the possibility of subleases for nuclear related industries.  The department is also required to promote the existence of the highly skilled and trained work force in the Tri-Cities area, and the availability of such facilities as the Fast Flux Test Facility and the Pacific Northwest Laboratories.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Trade and Economic Development)  Senator Max Benitz, prime sponsor of original bill.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Trade and Economic Development)  No one.

(Appropriations) No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Trade and Economic Development)  This bill would allow the Department of Trade and Economic Development to promote the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) and other Hanford-area facilities that are being threatened by federal spending cutbacks.

(Appropriations)  None.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Trade and Economic Development)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.