Source: http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.44&full=true
Timestamp: 2018-02-24 00:23:20
Document Index: 23253975

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 203', '§ 4', '§ 4', '§ 106', '§ 1', '§ 205', '§ 6', '§ 6', '§ 3', '§ 6', '§ 206', '§ 7', '§ 878', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 207', '§ 8', '§ 9', '§ 208', '§ 10', '§ 11']

Chapter 64.44 RCW: CONTAMINATED PROPERTIES
RCWs > Title 64 > Chapter 64.44
Chapter 64.44 RCW
64.44.005
64.44.010
64.44.020
64.44.030
Order declaring property unfit and prohibiting use—Notice—Hearing—Emergency order.
64.44.040
64.44.050
Decontamination, demolition, or disposal by owner—Requirements and procedure—Costs—Decontamination timeline.
64.44.060
Certification of contractors, supervisors, or workers—Denial, suspension, revocation, or restrictions on certificate—Penalties—Fees.
64.44.070
Rules and standards—Chapter administration, property decontamination.
64.44.075
Annual evaluation and inspection of decontamination projects.
64.44.080
Civil liability—Immunity.
64.44.900
Application—Other remedies.
The legislature finds that some properties are being contaminated by hazardous chemicals used in unsafe or illegal ways in the manufacture of illegal drugs or by hazardous drugs contaminating transient accommodations regulated by the department. Innocent members of the public may be harmed by the residue left by these chemicals when the properties are subsequently rented or sold without having been decontaminated.
[ 2017 c 115 § 1; 1990 c 213 § 1.]
(1) If after the inspection of the property, the local health officer finds that it is contaminated, then the local health officer shall issue an order declaring the property unfit and prohibiting its use. The local health officer shall cause the order to be served either personally or by certified mail, with return receipt requested, upon all occupants and persons having any interest therein as shown upon the records of the auditor's office of the county in which such property is located. The local health officer shall also cause the order to be posted in a conspicuous place on the property. If the whereabouts of such persons is unknown and the same cannot be ascertained by the local health officer in the exercise of reasonable diligence, and the health officer makes an affidavit to that effect, then the serving of the order upon such persons may be made either by personal service or by mailing a copy of the order by certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to each person at the address appearing on the last equalized tax assessment roll of the county where the property is located or at the address known to the county assessor, and the order shall be posted conspicuously at the residence. A copy of the order shall also be mailed, addressed to each person or party having a recorded right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the property. The order shall contain a notice that a hearing before the local health board or officer shall be held upon the request of a person required to be notified of the order under this section. The request for a hearing must be made within ten days of serving the order. The hearing shall then be held within not less than twenty days nor more than thirty days after the serving of the order. The officer shall prohibit use as long as the property is found to be contaminated. A copy of the order shall also be filed with the auditor of the county in which the property is located, where the order pertains to real property, and such filing of the complaint or order shall have the same force and effect as other lis pendens notices provided by law. In any hearing concerning whether property is fit for use, the property owner has the burden of showing that the property is decontaminated or fit for use. The owner or any person having an interest in the property may file an appeal on any order issued by the local health board or officer within thirty days from the date of service of the order with the appeals commission established pursuant to RCW 35.80.030. All proceedings before the appeals commission, including any subsequent appeals to superior court, shall be governed by the procedures established in chapter 35.80 RCW.
(2) If the local health officer determines immediate action is necessary to protect public health, safety, or the environment, the officer may issue or cause to be issued an emergency order, and any person to whom such an order is directed shall comply immediately. Emergency orders issued pursuant to this section shall expire no later than seventy-two hours after issuance and shall not impair the health officer from seeking an order under subsection (1) of this section.
[ 2006 c 339 § 203; 1999 c 292 § 4; 1990 c 213 § 4.]
(1) An owner of contaminated property who desires to have the property decontaminated, demolished, or disposed of shall use the services of an authorized contractor unless otherwise authorized by the local health officer. The contractor and property owner shall prepare and submit a written work plan for decontamination, demolition, or disposal to the local health officer. The local health officer may charge a reasonable fee for review of the work plan. If the work plan is approved and the decontamination, demolition, or disposal is completed and the property is retested according to the plan and properly documented, then the health officer shall allow reuse of the property. A release for reuse document shall be recorded in the real property records indicating the property has been decontaminated, demolished, or disposed of in accordance with rules of the state department of health. The property owner is responsible for: (a) The costs of any property testing which may be required to demonstrate the presence or absence of hazardous chemicals; and (b) the costs of the property's decontamination, demolition, and disposal expenses, as well as costs incurred by the local health officer resulting from the enforcement of this chapter.
(2)(a) In a case where the contaminated property is a motor vehicle as defined in RCW 46.04.320, a vehicle as defined in RCW 46.04.670, or a vessel as defined in RCW 88.02.310, and the local health officer has issued an order declaring the property unfit and prohibiting its use, the city or county in which the property is located shall take action to prohibit use, occupancy, or removal, and shall require demolition, disposal, or decontamination of the property. The city, county, or local law enforcement agency may impound the vehicle or vessel to enforce this chapter.
(b) The property owner shall have the property demolished, disposed of, or decontaminated by an authorized contractor, or under a written work plan approved by the local health officer, within thirty days of receiving the order declaring the property unfit and prohibited from use. After all procedures granting the right of notice and the opportunity to appeal in RCW 64.44.030 have been exhausted, if the property owner has not demolished, disposed of, or decontaminated the property using an authorized contractor, or under a written work plan approved by the local health officer within thirty days, then the local health officer or the local law enforcement agency may demolish, dispose of, or decontaminate the property. The property owner is responsible for the costs of the property's demolition, disposal, or decontamination, as well as all costs incurred by the local health officer or the local law enforcement agency resulting from the enforcement of this chapter, except as otherwise provided under this subsection.
(c) The legal owner of a motor vehicle as defined in RCW 46.04.320, a vehicle as defined in RCW 46.04.670, or a vessel as defined in RCW 88.02.310 whose sole basis of ownership is a bona fide security interest is responsible for costs under this subsection if the legal owner had knowledge of or consented to any act or omission that caused contamination of the vehicle or vessel.
(d) If the vehicle or vessel has been stolen and the property owner neither had knowledge of nor consented to any act or omission that contributed to the theft and subsequent contamination of the vehicle or vessel, the owner is not responsible for costs under this subsection. However, if the registered owner is insured, the registered owner shall, within fifteen calendar days of receiving an order declaring the property unfit and prohibiting its use, submit a claim to his or her insurer for reimbursement of costs of the property's demolition, disposal, or decontamination, as well as all costs incurred by the local health officer or the local law enforcement agency resulting from the enforcement of this chapter, and shall provide proof of claim to the local health officer or the local law enforcement agency.
(e) If the property owner has not acted to demolish, dispose of, or decontaminate as set forth in this subsection regardless of responsibility for costs, and the local health officer or local law enforcement agency has taken responsibility for demolition, disposal, or decontamination, including all associated costs, then all rights, title, and interest in the property shall be deemed forfeited to the local health jurisdiction or the local law enforcement agency.
(f) This subsection may not be construed to limit the authority of a city, county, local law enforcement agency, or local health officer to take action under this chapter to require the owner of the real property upon which the contaminated vehicle or vessel is located to comply with the requirements of this chapter, including provisions for the right of notice and opportunity to appeal as provided in RCW 64.44.030.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the local health officer has thirty days from the issuance of an order declaring a property unfit and prohibiting its use to establish a reasonable timeline for decontamination. The department of health shall establish the factors to be considered by the local health officer in establishing the appropriate amount of time.
The local health officer shall notify the property owner of the proposed time frame by United States mail to the last known address. Notice shall be postmarked no later than the thirtieth day from the issuance of the order. The property owner may request a modification of the time frame by submitting a letter identifying the circumstances which justify such an extension to the local health officer within thirty-five days of the date of the postmark on the notification regardless of when received.
[ 2011 c 171 § 106; 2008 c 201 § 1; 2006 c 339 § 205; 1999 c 292 § 6; 1990 c 213 § 6.]
(1) A contractor, supervisor, or worker may not perform decontamination, demolition, or disposal work unless issued a certificate by the state department of health. The department shall establish performance standards for contractors, supervisors, and workers by rule in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW, the administrative procedure act. The department shall train and test, or may approve courses to train and test, contractors, supervisors, and workers on the essential elements in assessing contaminated transient accommodations or property used as an illegal controlled substances manufacturing or storage site to determine hazard reduction measures needed, techniques for adequately reducing contaminants, use of personal protective equipment, methods for proper decontamination, demolition, removal, and disposal of contaminated property, and relevant federal and state regulations. Upon successful completion of the training, and after a background check, the contractor, supervisor, or worker shall be certified.
(2) The department may require the successful completion of annual refresher courses provided or approved by the department for the continued certification of the contractor or employee.
(3) The department shall provide for reciprocal certification of any individual trained to engage in decontamination, demolition, or disposal work in another state when the prior training is shown to be substantially similar to the training required by the department. The department may require such individuals to take an examination or refresher course before certification.
(4) The department may deny, suspend, revoke, or place restrictions on a certificate for failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter or any rule adopted pursuant to this chapter. A certificate may be denied, suspended, revoked, or have restrictions placed on it on any of the following grounds:
(b) Failing to perform decontamination, demolition, or disposal work using department of health certified decontamination personnel;
(c) Failing to file a work plan;
(d) Failing to perform work pursuant to the work plan;
(e) Failing to perform work that meets the requirements of the department and the requirements of the local health officers;
(f) Failing to properly dispose of contaminated property;
(g) Committing fraud or misrepresentation in: (i) Applying for or obtaining a certification, recertification, or reinstatement; (ii) seeking approval of a work plan; and (iii) documenting completion of work to the department or local health officer;
(h) Failing the evaluation and inspection of decontamination projects pursuant to RCW 64.44.075; or
(i) If the person has been certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health services as a person who is not in compliance with a support order or a *residential or visitation order. If the person has continued to meet all other requirements for reinstatement during the suspension, reissuance of the license or certificate shall be automatic upon the department's receipt of a release issued by the department of social and health services stating that the person is in compliance with the order.
(5) A contractor, supervisor, or worker who violates any provision of this chapter may be assessed a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for each violation.
(6) The department of health shall prescribe fees as provided for in RCW 43.70.250 for: The issuance and renewal of certificates, conducting background checks of applicants, the administration of examinations, and the review of training courses.
[ 2017 c 115 § 3; 2013 c 251 § 6; 2006 c 339 § 206; 1999 c 292 § 7; 1997 c 58 § 878; 1990 c 213 § 7.]
(1) The state board of health shall promulgate rules and standards for carrying out the provisions in this chapter in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW, the administrative procedure act. The local board of health and the local health officer are authorized to exercise such powers as may be necessary to carry out this chapter. The department may provide technical assistance to local health boards and health officers to carry out their duties under this chapter.
(2) The department shall adopt rules for decontamination of a property used as a laboratory for the production of controlled substances and methods for the testing of porous and nonporous surfaces, groundwater, surface water, soil, and septic tanks for contamination. The rules shall establish decontamination standards for hazardous chemicals, including but not limited to methamphetamine, lead, mercury, and total volatile organic compounds.
[ 2009 c 495 § 7; 2006 c 339 § 207; 1999 c 292 § 8; 1990 c 213 § 9.]
The department may evaluate annually a number of the property decontamination projects performed by licensed contractors to determine the adequacy of the decontamination work, using the services of an independent environmental contractor or state or local agency. If a project fails the evaluation and inspection, the contractor is subject to a civil penalty and license suspension, pursuant to RCW 64.44.060 (4) and (5); and the contractor is prohibited from performing additional work until deficiencies have been corrected.
[ 2006 c 339 § 208.]
Members of the state board of health and local boards of health, local health officers, and employees of the department of health and local health departments are immune from civil liability arising out of the performance of their duties under this chapter, unless such performance constitutes gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
[ 1990 c 213 § 10.]
This chapter shall not limit state or local government authority to act under any other statute, including chapter 35.80 or 7.48 RCW.
[ 1990 c 213 § 11.]