FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2644

                         C 243 L 00

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Restoring unfinished nuclear power sites.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology (originally sponsored by Representatives Delvin, Grant, Hankins, Linville and G. Chandler).

House Committee on Agriculture & Ecology

Senate Committee on Energy, Technology & Telecommunications

Background:

The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) developed recommendations for approving energy facility site certification agreements for several proposed nuclear reactor projects owned by the Washington Public Power Supply System during the 1970s.  These agreements were subsequently approved.  Once a site certification agreement is approved, any other provision of law regarding land use is preempted.  Only one nuclear plant was completed.

In 1996, the Legislature authorized the transfer of site restoration responsibilities for unfinished nuclear reactor sites from the Washington Public Power Supply System to a political subdivision or subdivisions of the state.  This authority only extended to nuclear power projects that are not located on federal property.

When all or a portion of a site is transferred from a certificate holder to a political subdivision of the state, the site certification agreement must be amended to release those portions of the site that are transferred.  If site restoration responsibility is transferred to a political subdivision, all responsibilities for maintaining the public welfare, including health and safety, are included as part of the transfer.

Summary of Bill:

The restriction on transferring site restoration responsibilities for unfinished nuclear reactor sites located on federal property to a political subdivision of the state is removed. 

If property is to be transferred to a political subdivision of the state, all portions of the site that are no longer intended for the development of an energy facility must be included in the transfer.  For sites located on federal property, all responsibilities for maintaining the public welfare are transferred to the political subdivision when the site restoration responsibilities are transferred, regardless of whether all or a portion of the site is released from the site certification agreement.

A definition of "political subdivision of the state" is added to clarify that it means a city, town, county, public utility district, port district, or joint operating agency.

Votes on Final Passage:

House970

Senate431(Senate amended)

House970(House concurred)

Effective:June 8, 2000