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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Dec. 18, 1998
98-216
Contact: Curtis Dahlgren, Toxics Cleanup Program, (360) 407-7187
OLYMPIA - Cleaning up toxic contamination could be completed quicker and cheaper in Washington state under new regulations being proposed by the Department of Ecology (Ecology).
Ecology spent the past two years revising its regulations that govern toxic cleanups. The regulations help interpret and implement the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), the state cleanup law that voters adopted in 1988.
New scientific information, regulatory-reform requirements, and recommendations from a legislatively mandated advisory committee all led Ecology to propose changes to the MTCA regulations. One purpose is to make the law more flexible, predictable, understandable and consistent for those who are attempting to clean up contaminated sites.
"We've tried to maintain the strength and integrity of the citizens' initiative while streamlining the regulation to make it easier for people to read and make wise environmental decisions," said Jim Pendowski, manager of Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program. "The new rule should make it easier for those who are trying to clean up pollution, and ultimately benefit our air, soil, water, plants and wildlife."
Changes are being proposed to the regulation that guides cleanup standards, site-specific risk assessments, remedy selection and petroleum cleanups. Owners of contaminated sites would have greater flexibility in using site-specific information to make cleanup decisions.
Ultimately, Ecology believes the changes will lead to more cleanups being completed in less time, said Pendowski.
A new section would be added to ensure that cleanups protect plants and animals that may be exposed to contaminated soils. Additionally, more resources would be available to involve the public in cleanup decisions.
Another change would affect how cleanup remedies are selected for each contaminated site. Where permanent cleanups are not technically feasible or are too costly, the new rule would more clearly describe the process for evaluating cleanup alternatives, including how cost, risk assessment and other factors are used in deciding how much cleanup needs to be done at those sites.
Cleanup standards and risk assessment are other elements of the revision. The new rule would allow certain assumptions of risk assessments to be changed to reflect specific-site situations.
The rule revision is available for public comment through the end of January 1999. Ecology will host workshops in Seattle on Jan. 5 and in Spokane on Jan. 6. A final rule is expected to be adopted next summer.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
