Accelerating 100% Fossil-Free Energy
& Climate Action in WA
Contact your 23rd District Legislators, and the Governor
Governor Inslee: https://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/contact-gov-inslee
Senator Christine Rolfes: Christine.Rolfes@leg.wa.gov Office: (360) 786-7644
Representative Drew Hansen: drew.hansen@leg.wa.gov Office: (360) 786-7842
Representative Sherry Appleton: sherry.appleton@leg.wa.gov Office: (360) 786-7934
Here’s a quick follow up after Climate Lobby Day on Jan 22nd. These are my rather informal notes on some of the climate bills. Hopefully, you’ll find them useful.
Carbon Tax Senate Bills
See comparative matrix for these bills: 2018 carbon tax matrix
SB 6203 Governor Inslee’s Carbon Tax Bill – support this one.
SB 6096
SB 6335
NOTE: CarbonWA is asking people to call their legislators about the carbon tax bill (there are three in the Senate but Inslee’s bill is the one getting the most attention: SB 6203. If you call or email legislators, remind them climate change is happening and if they don’t pass a carbon tax in this session, which ends 3/9, there will be a carbon tax initiative.
There is a Senate hearing on SB 6203, Gov Inslee’s Carbon Tax Bill tonight 2/1.
HB 2338 Clean Fuel Standard
There is a public haring for HB 2338 – Clean Fuel Standard – on Monday Feb 5th in Olympia. It goes to the Transportation Committee next.
NOTE: Sierra Club supports this bill; it would finally undo the “poison pill” included by Senate Republicans in the 2015 transportation funding package. Sierra Club, Audubon, Climate Solutions, CarbonWA – everyone seems to like this bill.
HB 2402 Increases renewable energy requirement in EIA
Brief Description: Concerning the energy independence act.
Sponsors: Representatives Tarleton, Slatter, Macri, Pollet and Doglio.
NOTE: This bill made it out of committee today (2/1) but does not have support from republicans. While the timeline is more drawn out than we might like, is the only bill that is increasing the renewable energy requirement for large utilities. Right now the requirement caps out at 15% in 2020 and can be met with Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) instead of actually bringing more renewable energy online.
Brief Summary of Bill
• Extends the requirement to pursue all available conservation that is cost-effective, reliable, and feasible under the Energy Independence Act (EIA) to small utilities and natural gas utilities.
• Adds an additional annual renewable resource target under the EIA for consumer owned qualifying utilities of at least 15 percent of the average of their 2019 and 2020 loads beginning January 1, 2021, and each year thereafter.
• Adds additional renewable resources targets under the EIA for investor-owned
• qualifying utilities of: At least 20 percent of their load by January 1, 2025; at least 30 percent by January 1, 2030; at least 40 percent by 2035; and at least 50 percent by 2040.
• Eliminates an alternative compliance pathway under the EIA.
• Prohibits each consumer-owned qualifying utility, small utility, and market customer from meeting any new energy or capacity needs with certain generation resources.
PSE has pivoted and embraced carbon pricing, and these bills have the support of IOUs (Investor Owned Utilities): SB 6424 and HB 2839.
SB 6424 – Sponsors Carlyle, Fain, Palumbo, Saldaña
In Committee.
HB 2839 – Sponsored by Representatives Morris, Slatter, Doglio, and Fitzgibbon
House Technology & Economic Development
Brief Summary of Bill “carbon adder”
- Requires electrical companies, gas companies, and the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to use a carbon planning adder when evaluating and selecting conservation policies, programs, and targets.
- Authorizes the UTC to regulate an electrical or gas company under an alternative form of regulation.
