S-968                 _______________________________________________

                                           SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 107

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators Talmadge, Kreidler, Williams, Hansen and Lee

Read first time 1/30/85 and referred to Committee on Parks and Ecology.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, 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:

          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, There are a substantial number of confirmed cases of grievous human health consequences in this nation and throughout the world resulting from the release of chemical contamination on land and in air and water; and

          WHEREAS, Washington state has identified more than five hundred sites contaminated with hazardous chemicals that may require cleanup as soon as possible; and

          WHEREAS, Washington state has twenty-three chemically contaminated sites identified for the federal Superfund National Priorities List, more than do forty other states; and

          WHEREAS, These sites threaten drinking water supplies or Puget Sound; and

          WHEREAS, Without stable, long-term, and expedient funding to clean up these sites, the contamination will spread, the extent and cost of cleanup will increase, and alternative municipal water supplies may be required for many of the state's citizens;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the President and Congress of the United States authorize ten billion dollars for the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) for the next five years.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.