Energy and Climate Bills Tracked by the Association of Washington Business

Posted on by Tom Ranken

These are the Energy and Climate Change Bills that the Association of Washington Business is tracking.

This past week, both the House Environment Committee and the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications Committee held public hearings on several bills important to the broader business community.  Here are a few of the bills AWB was tracking:

  • HB 1221 and HB 1222 – dealing with coal transition power;
  • HB 1643 – provides reduced penalties for utilities that fail to meet energy conservation targets.  This bill allows the utilities to use excess credits from the previous biennium to lower a penalty.
  • SB 5438 – revises the Energy Independence Act to allow conservation achieved by a qualifying utility in excess of its biennial acquisition target to be used to meet its subsequent biennia target.
  • SB 5648 – creates additional flexibility under the Energy Independence Act to use energy conservation and eligible renewables to meet renewable energy targets.  The bill also removes provisions from the Act that require purchasing renewable energy beyond a utilities needs for service.
  • HB 1434 – deals with environmental decision making.  The bill would require permitting agencies to consider an expanded range of impacts, including social impacts, etc., when issuing any permit in areas that have an impact on minority populations or low-income populations.  In other words, the bill requires permitting agencies to consider environmental justice in their decision making.

This next week includes a hearing on SB 580, AWB is asking for members to provide additional insights, thoughts, and concerns with us as ASAP.

  • SB 5802 (Ranker) provides recommendations to reduce Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions.  The bill would, among other things, allow the Governor to contract with an independent organization to evaluate GHG reduction strategies, develops a work group to evaluate the GHG reduction strategies, and declares an emergency.  SB 5802 is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Energy, Environment & Telecommunications Committee at 8:00 AM on February 20th.  We have already received member feedback voicing concerns on the approach SB 5802 takes to evaluate GHG strategies, as well as produce recommendations.  This bill is part of Governor Inslee’s legislative package and has broad implications for the business community.  Also, if you would like to join AWB staff and testify on any of the listed bills please let us know.

Additional public hearings and/or executive action will be taken on the following bills:

2/19/2013 1415 Hydroelectric generation Environment 8:00 AM HHR C
2/19/2013 1591 Agency rule review process Government Operations & Elections 8:00 AM HHR E
2/19/2013 1746 Municipal officers Government Operations & Elections 8:00 AM HHR E
2/19/2013 1826 Integrated resource plans Environment 8:00 AM HHR C
2/19/2013 1663 Hog fuel sales & use tx exem Technology & Economic Development TVW 10:00 AM HHR C
2/19/2013 1855 Generator load bank testing Labor & Workforce Development 10:00 AM HHR D
2/19/2013 5752 Solar energy systems/B&O tax Ways & Means 3:30 PM SHR 4
2/20/2013 5796 Emergency power/emissions Energy, Environment & Telecommunications 8:00 AM SHR 4
2/20/2013 5802 Greenhouse gas emissions Energy, Environment & Telecommunications 8:00 AM SHR 4
2/20/2013 1374 Energy facil site eval cncl Environment 1:30 PM HHR C
2/20/2013 1826 Integrated resource plans Environment 1:30 PM HHR C
2/20/2013 S1017 Efficiency standards Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government 3:30 PM HHR D
2/21/2013 1105 Renewable energy cost recvry Environment 10:00 AM HHR C
2/21/2013 1106 Net metering of electricity Environment 10:00 AM HHR C