issue area reports | environment & energy create and adopt a plan which would create incentives for homes and businesses in their jurisdiction to switch from natural gas to all-electric . Utilities considering a plan were required to delineate the costs and benefits of such a plan and offer them in their service area .
AWB opposed this bill due to concerns about the impact on grid reliability to the broader business community across the state should any utilities choose to offer such a program . Ensuring a continued supply of power to the state is a paramount concern as the state moves to implement the Clean Energy Transformation Act . Continued population growth and a push by the state to increase electrical vehicle availability all drive up electricity usage , while CETA makes it difficult to add new generating capacity to meet new requirements . This bill would have added another increased load requirement to the grid and make it even more difficult for utilities to meet needs . The bill passed out of House Energy but did not advance to the House floor .
SB 6135 concerning system reliability under the clean energy transformation act
Passed / AWB Supported
Senate Bill 6135 , sponsored by Sen . Tim Sheldon , D-Potlatch , created an extra layer of protection to ensure grid reliability as CETA implementation continues . The bill requires the Department of Commerce and the Utilities and Transportation Commission to hold a stakeholder meeting once a year to discuss how CETA is impacting the availability of energy in the region . The two agencies will then develop a report to the legislator and the governor .
Sen . Liz Lovelett , D-Anacortes , is vice chair of the Senate Environment , Energy & Technology Committee .
AWB supported this bill as it adds a further layer of protection to ensure that CETA implementation does not have negative impacts on power availability in our region . The bill passed the Senate 47-0 and the House 97-0 .
SB 5981 implementing a greenhouse gas emissions cap and trade program
Failed / AWB Opposed
Senate Bill 5981 , sponsored by Sen . Reuven Carlyle , D-Seattle , was introduced in the 2019 session and intended to be an introductory step to an involved stakeholder process over the interim to further refine it for the 2020 session . The stakeholder outreach meetings did not happen and no drafts of the bill were introduced for review before session . While there were some edits to the bill , they were not well-vetted with the stakeholder community . The bill did pass out of the Senate Energy Committee but did not advance further .
SB 6628 / HB 2892 / HB 2957 clean air rule response bills
Failed / AWB Opposed
One week after the state Supreme Court decided its ruling in the Clean Air Rule case in favor of AWB , Senate Bill 6628 and House Bill 2892 were dropped by Sen . Reuven Carlyle , D-Seattle , and Rep . Joe Fitzgibbon , D-West Seattle . While the Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Ecology ( DOE ) did not have the authority to regulate indirect emissions , the ruling did also say that it was well within the Legislature ’ s authority to give the department that authority . Both of these bills simply granted the Department of Ecology that authority . After hearings , comments from stakeholders drove the bills in different directions . Both bills passed out of their original committees and SB 6628 made it to the Senate Rules
Bill considered as part of AWB ’ s voting record
Favorable outcome for Washington businesses
Missed Opportunities
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