Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law two new bills passed by the Legislature that are expected to significantly help restore and protect the environmental health of Puget Sound.
Senate Bill 6557 limits the amount of copper and other toxic metals in vehicle brake pads. The limit on copper will be set at 5 percent and go into effect in 2021.
The state Department of Ecology, with input from an expert advisory committee, will evaluate alternatives before a more stringent limit goes into effect. Copper in vehicle brake pad dust is toxic to aquatic life, including salmon. Brake pads are a significant source of copper. Rainwater runoff washes brake pad dust from roads into streams and rivers that flow into Puget Sound.
Washington is the first state in the nation to phase out copper brake pads.
Meanwhile, as a result of Senate Bill 6350, an interagency team will provide recommendations about how to use marine spatial planning, which seeks to coordinate economic, ecological and cultural uses of local waters.
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