BILL REQ. #:  H-1293.2 

Read first time 01/29/2007.   Referred to Committee on Select Committee on Environmental Health.

     AN ACT Relating to monitoring pesticide drift and its impacts on environmental health; adding a new section to chapter 70.104 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.104 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds that discussion of public policies, enforcement activities, and educational programs related to pesticides should be based on sound science and must include data on the types and concentrations of pesticides in the air. The legislature also finds that workers, business owners, and other people have the right to know about pesticides in the air with which they and their children may come in contact. The legislature therefore directs that a pilot air monitoring project be initiated that supports the collection of pesticide drift data for use in evaluating the human health implications to workers and the public from pesticide drift.
     (2) The department shall, in cooperation with state agencies, Washington State University, and the University of Washington design and implement a scientific-based pilot project to monitor and collect data on the concentrations of pesticides in the air in agricultural areas of the state resulting from pesticide drift. The department shall:
     (a) Design the air monitoring project;
     (b) Implement sample collection and analysis;
     (c) Analyze the resulting data with respect to risks to human health;
     (d) Make monitoring results accessible to the public; and
     (e) Report the results of the monitoring to policymakers and the public in conjunction with the annual pesticide incident reporting and tracking (PIRT) report and through other forums.
     (3) The department shall consult with and is authorized to negotiate interagency agreements as appropriate with the department of ecology, the department of agriculture, the University of Washington, and Washington State University to assist in carrying out the project.
     (4) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (a) "Department" means the department of health.
     (b) "Pesticide drift" means off target migration of pesticides, during or after applications, including migration that occurs through volatilization and through winds transporting dust contaminated with pesticides.
     (5) The department shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by April 1, 2009, including a summary of the air monitoring project findings and recommendations for public policies and program activities to protect human health from pesticide drift.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2007, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.