The Board regulates the commercial harvesting and
distribution of molluscan shellfish under
Chapter 246-282 WAC. On December 13, 2006,
the Board delegated authority to the Department of
Health to revise
WAC 246-282-005 to reference the latest
(2005) National Shellfish Sanitation Program Guide
for the Control of Molluscan Shellfish (NSSP guide).
On May 9, 2007, the Board adopted an emergency rule,
WAC 246-282-006, which will require commercial
harvesters of oysters to follow stricter handling
provisions during summer months of 2007 than otherwise
required by the NSSP guide to control Vibrio
parahaemolyticus. The emergency rule became effective on
June 1, 2007. The Department is evaluating the
effectiveness of the emergency rule during the summer of
2007. The Board initiated development of a proposal for
a permanent rule to control Vibrio parahaemolyticus in
October 2007.
Statutory Authority: RCW
43.20.050(2)
SBOH Contact: Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact: Dorothy Tibbitts, 360-236-3361
Return to index
Drinking Water Laboratory Certification
The Board’s
chapter 246-390 WAC, Drinking Water Laboratories,
and the Department of Ecology’s
chapter 173-50 WAC on environmental laboratory
certification overlap. The Board filed a CR-101 in
November 2006 to consider a revision to its rule,
primarily to remove duplication with Ecology’s rule. The
Board expects to receive a briefing on the proposed rule
revision in early 2008 and hold a public hearing later
in 2008. For additional information on this rule
revision, please go to the DOH Web page at
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/RULES/lab_regula.htm.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH
Contact:
Theresa Phillips, 360-236-3147
Food Service
The Board adopted comprehensive revisions to the food
service regulations,
Chapter 246-215 WAC, in September 2004. For
more information, visit the
DOH Rule Development Web Site. The Department will
be meeting with stakeholders in 2008 to solicit input
about whether to ask the Board to open the rule for
consideration of updating provisions to correspond with
the most recent FDA Food Code.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact: Dave
Gifford, 360-236-3074
Return to index
Human Remains
The Board adopted amendments to chapter
246-490 WAC, Vital Statistics, and a new
chapter 246-500 WAC, Handling of Human Remains, in
July 2006. This rule revision makes the Board’s rules
consistent with 2005 changes in laws for funeral
directors resulting from the passage of
Substitute Senate Bill 5752. Other goals of the rule
changes are to provide regulatory flexibility that
respects cultural and religious mourning practices;
update the rule language for clarity; and provide
authority for local health officers to add provisions or
suspend provisions during emergency situations. The
Board is now soliciting input about any problems
encountered during the implementation of the revised
rule.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact:
Philip Freeman, 360-236-4330
Return to index
Onsite
Sewage Systems: Smaller
The Board adopted comprehensive revisions to
chapter 246-272 WAC in July 2005, which became
completely effective in July 2007. For additional
information, visit the
Onsite Wastewater Rule Development
Web site. In
September 2005, the Board adopted an emergency rule
revising the protocol for bacteriologic testing of
treatment devices in
WAC 246-272A-0130 and delegated rule making to the
Department of Health on that date for a "permanent"
revision of
WAC 246-272A-0130 for this provision. The Department
of Health briefed
../Meetings/2007/10-10/materials.htm#Item_05_
the Board on implementation of this rule chapter in late
2007.
In
2004, the Board filed a CR-101 for the combination
activities of revising rules for large on-site sewage
systems and developing a rule for septic tank
construction standards. In 2006, the Board filed a
CR-101 to develop a new chapter 246-272C WAC for septic
tank design and construction standards. In May 2007, the
Department released a draft guidance document that will
serve as the basis for further development of a septic
tank rule proposal. For additional information, visit
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/WW/default.htm.
In the 2007 legislative session, the Board’s authority
for adopting rules for large on-site systems was
transferred to the Department.
In
March 2006, the Board received a petition for rule
making from the Lt. Governor and members of the Select
Committee on Hood Canal regarding approving aerobic
bacteria generator proprietary technology for
remediation of drainfields. The Board asked the
Department to initiate development of a rule, but to
expand the scope to include all types of technologies
that might be used to remediate drainfields.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact:
Maryanne Guichard, 360-236-3391
Return to index
Onsite Wastewater Sewage Systems:
Large
Comprehensive revisions to
Chapter 246-272B WAC are currently on hold. The
Board’s authority for the rules was transferred to the
Department of Health in the 2007 legislative session.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact:
Maryanne Guichard, 360-236-3391
Return to index
Primary and Secondary School Environmental Health and
Safety
Chapter
246-366
WAC
is the Board’s environmental health and safety rule for
primary and secondary schools. The Board initiated a
rule revision in October 2004. The Department convened a
School Rule Development Committee (SRDC) to provide
advice on rule changes. The committee included
representatives from public health, school agencies and
organizations, parent/teacher associations, parents, and
school staff. The SRDC recommendations were considered
by the Department in developing a first draft rule
revision proposal, which was released in March 2006. The
Department and Board received much public comment on the
first draft. The Board adopted
recommendations of its Environmental Health Committee in
December 2006 providing direction to the Department
regarding preparing a second draft rule proposal. The
Board was briefed by the Department in August 2007 on a
second draft of proposed rule revisions. The Department
is collecting cost/benefit information and developing a
final draft proposal for the Board’s consideration. The
Board expects to be briefed on the final proposal in
April 2008 and hold a public hearing on the rule
revision in June 2008.
Board
activities:
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact:
Nancy Bernard, 360-236-3072, or
Mark Soltman, 360-236-3366
More information about
this rule revision available.
Return to index
Public Water
Supplies: Group A
The Board has rules for large public water supply
systems in chapter 246-290 WAC. The Board received a
request from the Department of Health in 2007 for
delegation to revise this rule chapter to adopt new US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provisions for
groundwater source protection. The Board had already
delegated authority to the Department to revise these
rules to be consistent with the 2003 Municipal Water Law
and to adopt the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water
Treatment Rule as required by EPA. The Department of
Health has formally adopted the Municipal Water Law,
Planning and Engineering portions of chapter 246-290 (WAC)
to be consistent with the 2003 Municipal Water Law. At
the same time, it adopted the federal Long Term 2
Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (also known as
LT2), and made minor technical modifications to the rule
to correct errors and clarify requirements. The
Department is currently developing a proposed rule to
adopt the EPA groundwater provisions. For additional
information, view the Department’s Web site:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/our_main_pages/regula.htm.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
43.20.050
SBOH
Contact:
Ned Therien,
360-236-4103
DOH
Contact:
Theresa Phillips, 360-236-3147
Public Water
Systems: Group B
In 2002 the Board filed a CR-101 to consider revising
chapter 246-291 WAC, the Group B public water system
rules, primarily to update arsenic standards. However,
in 2004, the Board asked the Department to begin an
evaluation of the need for a more comprehensive revision
of these rules. The Board re-filed a CR-101 in 2007 to
consider revision of the rules.
For additional information on this rule revision,
please go to the DOH Web pages at
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/our_main_pages/arsenic.htm
and
http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/RULES/grp_b_cr-101_7-9-07.pdf.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact:
Theresa
Phillips, 360-236-3147
Return to index
Transient Accommodations
The Board adopted revisions to
chapter 246-360 WAC, the rules for transient
accommodations, in September 2004. The possibility of
regulating homeless shelters separately was discussed
with stakeholders during this process. The Board
initiated formal consideration of special rules for
homeless shelters in 2007.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050 and
Chapter 70.62 RCW
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact:
Yvette Fox, 360-236-4606
Return to index
Water Recreation Facilities
The Board has rules for water recreation facilities
in
Chapter 246-260 WAC.
In 2008, the Board expects to be briefed by the
Department on implementation of the rule and whether
opening the rule for additional revisions should be
considered.
-
CR-103 filed September 1, 2004 as
WSR
04-18-096.
-
Effective October 31, 2005.
Statutory Authority:
RCW 43.20.050
and
Chapter 70.90 RCW
SBOH Contact:
Ned Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact:
Vicki Bouvier, 360-236-3011
Return to index
Zoonotic
Diseases
The Board filed a CR-101 in April 2007 to initiate a
revision of its rules (WAC
246-100-191 and
246-100-201) to help prevent the transmission of
diseases of pet animals to humans, particularly rabies
and psittacosis. The Board identified the need to
update these rules in its 2004 report, Zoonotic
Diseases and Exotic Pets: A Public Health Policy
Analysis.
Statutory Authority: RCW
43.20.050(2)
and
RCW 16.70.040(1).
SBOH Contact: Ned
Therien, 360-236-4103
DOH Contact: Dorothy
Tibbitts, 360-236-3361
Return to index
