Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 31, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke works for methamphetamine lab cleanup funding

OLYMPIA - Citing an explosive growth in the number of methamphetamine laboratories across the state, Gov. Gary Locke today called upon Congress to restore federal funding to help the state with cleanup costs. On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment to the supplemental appropriation bill for the current year to shift $15 million in unused law enforcement funds to help states with the costs of cleaning up meth labs.

"I want to thank the state's House delegation who supported the additional funding, and urge both our Senators to do the same when the bill reaches the Senate," Locke said. "We must work together at all levels of government - federal, state, and local - to fight the growing epidemic of methamphetamine in Washington. This continued federal funding, along with increased state funding I've asked the Legislature to provide, will help us meet the growing need."

In 1999, the Department of Ecology (DOE) provided initial stabilization and cleanup services in response to 789 meth labs across the state. In the first two months of this year, it responded to 218 labs - about a 65 percent increase from the number a year ago. The 1999 number was more than twice the 349 sites cleaned up in 1998.

In December, Locke asked the Legislature for $749,000 in state funds to help DOE keep up with the number of meth labs being reported. This funding is included in the supplemental budgets adopted by both chambers of the Legislature.

The state's biennial budget adopted last year included more than $1 million requested by Locke to establish a dedicated meth lab response team in the State Patrol, which provides the sole law enforcement response to meth labs in 37 of the state's 39 counties.

While the Patrol is focused on protecting lives and apprehending meth lab operators, DOE and local health departments work together to clean up the environmental damage of meth lab sites.

"Methamphetamine is a deadly and growing threat to our citizens," Locke said. "Each year it takes a greater toll on human health, public safety, and damage to property and the environment. We've doubled sentences for manufacturing meth and strengthened other laws against meth labs. We've expanded the State Patrol's meth lab response team. But we have to keep working together to stop the spread of this most dangerous drug."

Yesterday, Locke signed Senate Bill 6255, which prohibits the possession of anhydrous ammonia, one of the chemicals often used to manufacture meth, for that purpose. He previously signed Senate Bill 6260, which added two years to the standard sentence for manufacturing meth when children are present. In 1998, the Legislature more than doubled standard meth manufacturing sentences at Locke's request.

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