RCW 70.148.120
Financial assistance for corrective actions in small communities -- Intent. (Expires June 1, 2013.)

The legislature recognizes as a fundamental government purpose the need to protect the environment and human health and safety. To that end the state has enacted laws designed to limit and prevent environmental damage and risk to public health and safety caused by underground petroleum storage tank leaks. Because of the costs associated with compliance with such laws and the high costs associated with correcting past environmental damage, many owners and operators of underground petroleum storage tanks have discontinued the use of or have planned to discontinue the use of such tanks. As a consequence, isolated communities face the loss of their source of motor vehicle fuel and face the risk that the owner or operator will have insufficient funds to take corrective action for pollution caused by past leaks from the tanks. In particular, rural communities face the risk that essential emergency, medical, fire and police services may be disrupted through the diminution or elimination of local sellers of petroleum products and by the closure of underground storage tanks owned by local government entities serving these communities.

     The legislature also recognizes as a fundamental government purpose the need to preserve a minimum level of economic viability in rural communities so that public revenues generated from economic activity are sufficient to sustain necessary governmental functions. The closing of local service stations adversely affects local economies by reducing or eliminating reasonable access to fuel for agricultural, commercial, recreational, and transportation needs.

     The legislature intends to assist small communities within this state by authorizing:

     (1) Cities, towns, and counties to certify that a local private owner or operator of an underground petroleum storage tank meets a vital local government, public health or safety need thereby qualifying the owner or operator for state financial assistance in complying with environmental regulations and assistance in taking needed corrective action for existing tank leaks; and

     (2) Local government entities to obtain state financial assistance to bring local government underground petroleum storage tanks into compliance with environmental regulations and to take needed corrective action for existing tank leaks.

[2005 c 428 § 1; 1991 c 4 § 1.]

NOTES:

     Severability -- 1991 c 4: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1991 c 4 § 10.]