S-2087               _______________________________________________

                                          SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 8016

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senator Bailey

Read first time 3/1/89 and referred to Committee on Education.

TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, Since 1986 local school districts have been the focal point of federal mandates regarding the serious environmental concerns of asbestos; and

          WHEREAS, Federal laws and regulations currently in effect regarding asbestos have greatly underestimated both the existence of a service industry prepared to address the problem and the costs required of local school districts; and

          WHEREAS, Congress intended in enacting the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, to protect the safety of students and employees of school districts; and

          WHEREAS, Congress has not provided the funding necessary to comply with federal law placing enormous hardship on local school districts; and

          WHEREAS, School districts share the concern expressed by Congress for the health, safety, and welfare of children but require resources in a true federal, state, and local partnership to achieve common goals; and

          WHEREAS, This beneficial intent, when combined with the lack of funding and the lack of qualified persons to perform the mandated tasks, has placed local school districts in Washington state into extremely unfortunate and unfair circumstances;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress provide some of the resources necessary to help school districts comply with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.