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                                          ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO. 5364

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Metcalf, DeJarnatt, Bluechel, Kreidler, Owen, McMullen, Talmadge, Lee, Bailey and West

Read first time 1/23/89 and referred to Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to plastic in the marine environment; adding a new chapter to Title 79 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that the public health and safety is threatened by an increase in the amount of plastic garbage being deposited in the waters and on the shores of the state.  To address this growing problem, the commissioner of public lands appointed the marine plastic debris task force which presented a state action plan in October 1988.  It is necessary for the state of Washington to implement the action plan in order to:

          (1) Cleanup and prevent further pollution of the state's waters and aquatic lands;

          (2) Increase public awareness;

          (3) Coordinate federal, state, local, and private efforts;

          (4) Foster the stewardship of the aquatic lands of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     As used in this chapter:

          (1) "Department" means the department of natural resources.

          (2) "Action plan" means the marine plastic debris action plan of October 1988 as presented to the commissioner of public lands by the marine plastic debris task force.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The department shall have the authority to coordinate implementation of the plan and to promulgate, in consultation with affected agencies, the necessary rules to provide for the cleanup and to prevent pollution of the waters of the state and aquatic lands by plastic and other marine debris.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The department may enter into intergovernmental agreements with federal or state agencies and agreements with private parties deemed necessary by the department to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     The department is the designated agency to coordinate implementation of the action plan and is authorized to hire such employees as are necessary to coordinate the plan among state and federal agencies, the private sector, and interested public groups and organizations.  The department is authorized to contract, through an open bidding process, with interested parties to act as the information clearinghouse for marine plastic debris related issues.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     The department is authorized to accept, receive, disburse, and administer grants or funds or gifts from any source including private individuals, public entities, and the federal government to supplement the funds hereby appropriated to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.     If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill number, is not provided by June 30, 1989, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act shall be null and void.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8.     If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10.    Sections 1 through 6 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 79 RCW.