H-1466              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1997

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives McLean, Rayburn, Chandler, Haugen, Schoon, Grant, Moyer, Day, Smith, Prince, Hankins, Cantwell, Doty, Bristow, Brumsickle, Nealey, Ballard, Walk, R. Meyers, Hine, Baugher, Ferguson, Dellwo, Rector, Fuhrman, Brough, Bowman and Inslee

Read first time 2/15/89 and referred to Committees on Trade & Economic Development/Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to the air cargo opportunity study; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that:

          (1)  The shipment of goods and products by air is growing at a phenomenal rate and is part of the explosive growth in international trade;

          (2)  Air cargo capacity is a major competitive factor in international trade and investment decisions;

          (3)  Washington state is strategically located for business and trade with North America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, and is currently involved in importing and exporting goods and products;

          (4)  Washington must continue to maintain its competitive position in air cargo facilities if it is to continue to benefit from growing international trade and investment.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.                 (1)  The department of trade and economic development shall direct a study to examine the opportunities for expanding the state's air cargo capacity.  The study shall include:

          (a)  The examination and analysis of air cargo trends worldwide to identify particular opportunities or minimum thresholds for Washington state, focusing on:

          (i)  Data on goods and products;

          (ii) Air cargo facility locational issues;

          (iii) Intermodal connections to water and highway transportation;

          (iv)  Proximity to manufacturing centers; and

          (v)  Special trade zones;

          (b)  Identification of present and planned air cargo capabilities and capacities of the state's existing air cargo facilities for both domestic and international use, including potential factors that may limit expansion of current facilities;

          (c)  Identification of potential air cargo facilities or facility locations around the state, including:

          (i)  Estimates of public and private development costs;

          (ii)  Potential markets or product sectors served;

          (iii) Intermodal connections; and

          (iv)  The potential for associated regional development, particularly value-added production and processing;

          (d)  Analysis of the economic feasibility of planned and potential air cargo facilities with respect to transport shipping costs.  The analysis shall be limited to selected goods and product examples and shall take into account alternative shipping modes and proximity to production and processing; and

          (e)  The development of alternative policies for state and local government action to help ensure that Washington continues to maintain its competitive position in air cargo facilities, highlighting the roles of the private sector and the federal government as appropriate.

          (2)  The department shall coordinate with and seek the active participation from other agencies, including the department of transportation, the Washington public ports association, the state's existing air cargo facilities, representatives of potential facilities or facility locations, private sector associations involved with air cargo, and federal agencies.

          (3)  The department shall submit the final report from the study to the legislature not later than January 15, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The sum of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the department of trade and economic development for the purposes of this act.