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01/23/2012: "Ranker Introduces Legislation"

(Ranker official photo)

Senator Ranker -and senators Litzow; Fain; Hargrove;, Kilmer; Hill; Nelson; Keiser, and Conway- have introduced Senate Bill 6211 that “authorizes a greater emphasis in the allocation of state resources toward the cleanup and reuse of brownfield properties.

If passed the bill will change the department of ecology’s allocation of staffing, financial assistance, disbursement of funds, remedial action grants, and establishment of trust funds.

It will also allow a county, city or a port district to designate an area as a brownfield renewal area and a renewal authority implement the cleanup and reuse of properties within a designated brownfield renewal area.
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According to the Department of Ecology, there are 56 sites throughout the state that could commence cleanup within 4 to 24 months, creating 620 direct jobs and 517 indirect jobs immediately. If the bill passes the number of sites can be expected to increase, with a corresponding increase in a need for additional funding to staff and for the implementation of renewal projects.

"There are hundreds of sites in communities across the state with such high levels of contamination that they are currently unusable. This bill significantly reforms the site approval process allowing more sites to be cleaned-up now, creating hundreds of jobs and healthier communities." said Ranker.

(3) A brownfield renewal authority must be a separate legal entity and be deemed a municipal corporation. It has the power to: Sue and be sued; receive, account for, and disburse funds; employ personnel; and acquire or dispose of any interest in real or personal property within or outside a brownfield renewal area in the furtherance of the authority purposes. A brownfield renewal authority has the power to contract indebtedness and to issue and sell general obligation bonds pursuant to and in the manner provided for general county bonds in chapters 36.67 and 39.46 RCW and other applicable statutes, and to issue revenue bonds pursuant to and in the manner provided for revenue bonds in chapter 36.67 RCW and other applicable statutes.

The OFM (Office of Financial Management) determines the ten-year cost to taxpayers of any proposed legislation that would raise taxes, impose new fees, or increase current fees. A review of state records by the Citizens Action Network (CAN) indicates that Senator Kevin Ranker is number one on the list of senators who have supported legislation that will increase the cost of government.

The bill is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment on January 25, at 1:30 PM