HB 2634 — Hazardous substance releases

Summary

Concerning the safe management of radioactive waste and cleanup of hazardous substance releases into the environment.

Bill Text

Compared against the Revised Code of Washington as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 3 section(s) of the Revised Code of Washington: RCW 70A.305.180; RCW 70A.380.020; RCW 70A.384.110.

• RCW 70A.305.180

  and → (g) Oil and hazardous materials spill prevention, preparedness, training, and response activities; (h) Water and environmental health protection and monitoring programs; (i) Programs authorized under chapter 70A.135 RCW; (j) A public participation program; (k) Development and demonstration of alternative management technologies designed to carry out the hazardous waste management priorities of RCW 70A.300.260; (l) State agriculture and health programs for the safe use, reduction, recycling, or disposal of pesticides; (m) Funding requirements to maintain receipt of federal funds under the federal solid waste disposal act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901 et seq.); (n) Air quality programs and actions for reducing public exposure to toxic air pollution; (o) Petroleum-based plastic or expanded polystyrene foam debris clean-up activities in fresh or marine waters; (p) Expenses related to the investigation, remediation plan, and tribal response required under section 2 of this act; and (q) (6) During the 2023-2025 and 2025-2027 fiscal biennia, the legislature may direct the state treasurer to make transfers of moneys in the model toxics control operating account to the state general fund.

  amended

• RCW 70A.380.020

  adhere → read as follows: The person designated as the Washington representative to the committee as specified in Article V shall : (1) Adhere to all provisions of the low-level radioactive waste compact. In considering special conditions or arrangements for access to the state's facilities from wastes generated outside of the region, the committee member shall ensure at a minimum, that the provisions of Article IV, Section 3 are complied with. After 1992 the Washington representative may approve access to the state's facility only for the states currently members of the Rocky Mountain compact or states which generate less than one thousand cubic feet of waste annually and are contiguous with a state which is a member of the Northwest compact. (2) Represent that it is the policy of this state, and vote accordingly, to require that the facility on the Hanford nuclear reservation not accept waste from any new commercial nuclear reactors that are not in operation as of the effective date of this section until such time as: (a) An investigation of all released and potentially released hazardous substances as defined in RCW 70A.305.020 or 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601(14), an environmental impact statement, and a remediation plan are completed in consultation with the federally recognized tribes with reserved treaty rights potentially affected by releases from the facility on the Hanford nuclear reservation pursuant to section 2 of this act; (b)(i) Remediation is completed for all releases and potential releases which are measured or projected to exceed drinking water standards, soil clean-up standards pursuant to chapter 70A.305 RCW, or standards utilized for the federal comprehensive environmental response, compensation, and liability act cleanup on the Hanford nuclear reservation, whichever is most protective of human health and the environment. In determining such clean-up levels, a tribal exposure scenario must be utilized; or (ii) An alternative disposal facility for waste from new nuclear reactors is developed, fully permitted and operational in another state which is a member of the Northwest interstate compact; (c) The fully burdened costs for the investigation and remedial actions required by section 2 of this act are incorporated into the disposal surcharges under RCW 70A.384.110 and are determined to be adequate for remediation, monitoring, and closure of the site. The Washington representative shall support policies which allocate a greater proportion of those costs to wastes disposed from new or existing commercial nuclear reactors based on the relative greater contribution of risk, half-life of radioactive wastes disposed from reactor operations, and potential for disposal of reactor components than is allocated to either medical or other commercial radioactive waste sources; and (d) The studies and public vote required by chapter 80.52 RCW for any proposal for new electrical generating facilities in this state have occurred, and the voters have approved the issuance of debt for any such proposal, including for any proposal for new nuclear reactors or other generation which is proposed or contemplated to be implemented in phases for which the total of potential phases may exceed 350 megawatts.

  amended

• RCW 70A.384.110

  read as follows: (1) The director of the department of ecology shall require that generators of waste pay a fee for each cubic foot of waste disposed at any facility in the state equal to six dollars and fifty cents. The fee shall be imposed specifically on the generator of the waste and shall not be considered to apply in any way to the low-level site operator's disposal activities. The fee shall be allocated in accordance with RCW 70A.384.120 and 70A.384.130. Failure to comply with this section may result in denial or suspension of the generator's site use permit pursuant to RCW 70A.388.060. (2) In addition to the fees required under subsection (1) of this section, the director of the department of ecology shall assess on all generators of waste from commercial nuclear reactors and disposed of at the commercial radioactive waste disposal facility operated by the department a fee for each unit of waste which is adequate to fully fund the investigation, development of a remediation plan and impact statement, and to complete all remedial actions adopted for the facility. This fee may be reduced by the department to the extent which all such response costs are funded by the commercial operator and other potentially liable parties pursuant to chapter 70A.305 RCW. All fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in the model toxics control operating account established in RCW 70A.305.180 to be used for expenses related to the requirements of section 2 of this act. --- END ---

  amended

Action History

1. January 22, 2026

   First reading, referred to Environment & Energy.

Sponsors

• (Pollet) · Primary

Subjects