BILL REQ. #:  H-1761.2 

Read first time 02/15/2007.   Referred to Committee on Select Committee on Environmental Health.

     AN ACT Relating to an evaluation of the state wood smoke reduction program; and adding new sections to chapter 70.94 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.94 RCW to read as follows:
     The legislature finds that there are communities in the state which exceed the national ambient air quality standards for particulate matter 2.5, primarily due to wood smoke emissions. The current strategies are not sufficient to reduce wood smoke emissions to levels which comply with the federal standards. The legislature finds that it is in the state's interest and to the benefit of the people of the state to evaluate additional measures to reduce wood smoke emissions and update the state wood smoke control program.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 70.94 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The wood smoke reduction work group is established. Members of the group must be appointed by the director of the department and must include representatives of the department, regional air quality agencies, hearth products industry, state, county, and local health departments, nongovernmental health organizations, natural gas utilities, electric utilities, and fuel suppliers. Staff for the work group must be provided by the department, with additional staff to be provided by other state agencies and the legislature, as may be required or requested.
     (2) The purpose of the wood smoke reduction work group is to update the state wood smoke control program. To achieve this purpose, the wood smoke reduction work group shall review, study, evaluate, and make recommendations on at least the following items:
     (a) Communities in the state that have elevated levels of particulate matter 2.5 pollution and the demographics of those communities;
     (b) Types of solid fuel burning devices that contribute to particulate matter 2.5 pollution problems, numbers of each device in use, and amount of pollution contributed by each type of device;
     (c) Strategies used in other states, regions, or cities to reduce contributions to particulate matter 2.5 pollution from wood smoke and the effectiveness of these strategies;
     (d) Current statewide rules related to solid fuel burning devices and the effectiveness of these rules in reducing levels of particulate matter 2.5 pollution;
     (e) Measures that may be needed to attain and maintain compliance with federal particulate matter 2.5 standards;
     (f) State laws, rules, tariffs, and policies that impact the ability to reduce emissions from solid fuel burning devices and encourage the use of cleaner burning devices;
     (g) Potential measures to reduce emissions from existing solid fuel burning devices, particularly fireplaces, and prevent emissions from new solid fuel burning devices; and
     (h) Potential financial incentives and sources of funding to change out older solid fuel burning devices to cleaner burning devices.
     (3) The wood smoke reduction work group must complete its work by December 1, 2007. The work group must submit a final report to the governor stating its findings, conclusions, and final recommendations by December 1, 2007.