SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 6033

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

Terminating the powers and duties of the nuclear waste board and the nuclear waste advisory board.

Senate Committee on Energy & Utilities

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 24, 1989; February 28, 1989; March 1, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6033 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Benitz, Chairman; Bluechel, Vice Chairman; Metcalf, Owen, Stratton.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

      Signed by Senators Sutherland, Williams.

Senate Staff:Phil Moeller (786-7455)

                  April 13, 1989

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 15, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In response to consideration of the Hanford site as the nation's first repository for high-level nuclear waste, the Legislature created the Nuclear Waste Board in 1983.  Legislation which passed Congress in 1987 eliminated Hanford as a candidate for the first high-level waste repository.

Defense materials production at Hanford has resulted in an accumulation of a large volume of stored radioactive waste.  The state is now in the position of asking Congress to appropriate funds for the cleanup of these wastes.

SUMMARY:

The powers and duties of the Nuclear Waste Board are terminated on June 30, 1990.  The Nuclear Waste Board is subject to the sunset review process in RCW 43.131.  The Nuclear Waste Advisory Council reports to the Department of Ecology and is directed to hold its meetings at different locations within the state.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 21, 1989

Senate Committee - Testified: Sarah McCoy, Washington State Save/Freeze (con)

HOUSE AMENDMENTS:

The House adopted a striking amendment.

The membership of the advisory council is changed to consist of 19 members, 11 citizen members and eight legislator members.  The council advises the Department of Ecology on all aspects of the radioactive waste management program, and is directed to hold its meetings at various locations throughout the state.  The advisory council is scheduled to terminate June 30, 1994.

The Nuclear Waste Board is scheduled to terminate June 30, 1990, or the date when the tri-party agreement related to defense waste cleanup is signed by the state, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy, whichever date is earliest.

Obsolete references to the federal nuclear waste repository program and the Nuclear Waste Board are deleted.