Sen. Ranker green jobs bill passes unanimously

Published 3:00 pm Monday, February 13, 2012

Clean-up of waste sites across Washington would be accelerated under legislation passed unanimously by the state Senate today.

Senate Bill 6211, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, reforms the State and Local Toxics Account law to begin cleaning up sites more quickly while protecting funds for the primary purpose of cleaning up toxic sites to create healthier communities.

“A healthy community is necessary for vibrant local economies,” said Ranker. “Too many sites across the state lay dormant, waiting to be cleaned up and fulfill a valuable purpose. This bill significantly reforms current law to speed up the process, allowing more sites to be cleaned-up faster.”

According to the Department of Ecology, there are 56 sites throughout the state that could commence clean-up within four to 24 months, creating 620 direct jobs and 517 indirect jobs immediately.

“While cleaning these sites will improve our ecological outlook, it also meets a pressing need felt within our communities by creating hundreds of jobs across the state,” said Ranker.

The bill was passed 49-0 and now heads to the House for further consideration.