S-2412               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5978

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Madsen, Metcalf, Rasmussen and von Reichbauer)

Read first time 3/1/89.

AN ACT Relating to sludge; adding new sections to chapter 70.95 RCW; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Beginning June 1, 1989, no new disposal site approvals will be issued by local governments for land application of municipal sewage sludge originating from class AA or class A counties until alternative methods or technical and scientific supportive data are presented to ensure that the public health is protected and environmental concerns are addressed.  Applications for sewage sludge permits will be accepted but no final decision shall issue on that permit.  Permits subject to renewal for land applications on existing sites are exempt from the provisions of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     A sludge study task force is formed of representatives of the department of ecology, natural resources, fisheries, wildlife, and social and health services, a representative of the Puget Sound water quality authority, a representative of a metropolitan municipal corporation, two representatives from any affected cities appointed by the association of Washington cities, two representatives from any affected counties appointed by the Washington state association of counties, a representative from the forest industry, two representatives of the environmental community, and three representatives from the general public of each affected county in the state.  The president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall jointly appoint the members of the task force not otherwise appointed under this section.  The department of ecology will coordinate the activities of the task force.  The chair will be elected from among the task force members.  The task force shall:

          (1) Conduct a technology review of:

          (a) Alternatives to land application; and

          (b) Air pollution control technology safeguards for increased incineration;

          (2) Review and evaluate current project data for:

          (a) Water quality monitoring data;

          (b) Effects of metals based on different soils where sludge is applied; and

          (c) Immediate and long-term impacts on wildlife and fisheries resources;

          (3) Conduct technical and scientific analysis and:

          (a) Identify effects and levels of toxic organics in sludge;

          (b) Identify impacts on ground water quality;

          (c) Establish criteria based on review of hydrological data to identify land application sites with the least amount of environmental risk; and

          (d) Identify best potential sites in the state based on hydrological data criteria in (c) of this subsection;

          (4) Review current rules and regulations to ensure that local zoning and health concerns are adequately protected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The task force shall report its findings and a set of recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 1993.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     This act expires June 30, 1993.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     Sections 1 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 70.95 RCW.