S-2096.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5067

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Environmental Quality & Water Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Morton and Brown)

Read first time 03/03/99.

Regulating reclamation and closure of uranium and thorium mills.

    AN ACT Relating to the reclamation, closure, or decommissioning of a uranium or thorium mill or tailings facility; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The Washington state institute for public policy shall conduct a study of the formal and informal administrative procedures used by the department of health in its most recent approval of the closure and reclamation of an 11e(2) low-level uranium mill site located in a county, east of the crest of the Cascade mountains, with a population of less than forty thousand.  The goals of the study are to recommend improvements to the agency's procedures and ensure that, when the state or federal government reviews the closure and reclamation of any uranium mines, public funds are not placed at risk due to inadequate licensing and bonding procedures.

    The study shall include:  A review of applicable federal and state laws and agency rules, policies, and procedures related to the closure and reclamation of uranium mill and mine sites; the process for establishing the amount of the closure and reclamation bonds for such sites; an examination of the relevant public notification and review process; and recommendations for improving the procedures and protecting public funds when the state or federal government reviews future closure and reclamation plans for uranium mill and mine sites.

    The study shall be completed and delivered to the governor and the legislature by September 1, 2000.

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