HB 2296 Expanding distributed energy resources.
This bill would enable balcony solar for residents, where feasible. Balcony solar installations are small solar arrays that can fit on a balcony, in the corner of a yard, or another appropriate location, and supply up to 1,200 watts to the home. In Europe and now in Utah, these systems are commercially available for installation by the resident. Some concern exists in some cases on the state of a home’s compliance with current standards affecting the safety of a plug-and-play system. Therefore, it may require a licensed electrician to install a compatible receptacle. This technology allows those without other options to benefit from the growing solar energy revolution.

HB 2338 Authorize community scaled weatherization projects.
Weatherizing the residences of low-income households will help conserve energy in this state and can reduce the need to obtain energy from more costly conventional energy resources. This bill expands the existing state policy by covering community scaled projects, multiple dwelling units that are located in the same neighborhood or area. Projects may include energy efficiency, repair, and rehabilitation improvements to maximize energy savings, extend the life of a home, and improve the health and safety of its residents. Project Sponsors can use various funding sources. The Department of Commerce will administer the program and will prioritize proposals serving low-income households. This bill has bi-partisan sponsorship.

HB 2373 Electric utilities to offer monthly bill assistance to low-income households.
Requires electric utilities to provide a monthly bill discount program to meet the energy assistance need for all low-income customers by January 1, 2028. Energy assistance includes, but is not limited to, weatherization, conservation and efficiency services, but must include at least a monthly bill discount program for all low-income customers.

HB 2515/SB 6171  Large energy use facilities – data centers.
Data centers serve an important role in the state's IT industry, but are also major users of electricity, water, and refrigerant chemicals. Information about data center resource use and environmental impacts is difficult if not impossible for the public to access. These companion bills intend to ensure that data center energy demands do not harm the reliability of the electric grid or increase the cost rates of other customers. This bill makes adjustments to our laws to ensure large energy users comply with clean energy requirements and that the energy demand does not overwhelm a local grid, drive up energy costs, and that the large energy users have the resources to meet their obligations.

SB 5439 Divestment of funds under management by the state investment board from thermal coal.
Burning coal is the dirtiest way to produce electricity. It releases several carcinogenic toxins and pollutants including particulates. To avoid investing in the degradation of public health and the environment, this bill directs the state investment board to begin orderly divestment from coal-based energy industry, from mining to coal-fired electricity generation. 

SB 5466 Improving reliability and capacity of the electric transmission system.
Establishes the Washington Electric Transmission Office within the Department of Commerce to, among other duties, support the expansion of and upgrades to the electric transmission system and be a state-wide resource for transmission capability. A seven-member advisory board will advise this Office on transmission needs, system enhancements, and other policies. Exemptions from the State Environmental Policy Act for upgrading or rebuilding an existing transmission line by reconductoring with advanced conductors or with grid-enhancing technologies (GETs). This is a step in the State’s implementation of the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA).

HB 2183 Requiring counties to develop and implement heat response plans.
As climate change increases the number of hot days in the summer and increases the high temperature of those hot days, vulnerable people and under-represented groups in our communities who don’t have access to reliable cool locations to find respite will suffer extreme discomfort and even negative health impacts. This bill adds a requirement to the Growth Management Act (GMA) for each county to create and adopt an extreme heat response plan that includes both immediate response and long-term adaptation strategies. The bill text describes specific aspects to be included in the plans. Local boards of health would be required to implement the plans.

HB 2285 Carbon capture and utilization.
This bill would allow natural gas systems to be used to satisfy Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) requirements, if the natural gas system is operated with a carbon capture and utilization, mineralization, or sequestration (CCUS) technology. But this technology cannot capture all the carbon dioxide in the combustion emissions. Systems must be well maintained, the storage technique must be robust and last for a long time, and methane leakage from the piping systems that bring in the fuel is much more greenhouse active than carbon dioxide over the following 20 years. With these risks and the additional energy consumption required, we could actually increase emissions.

HB 2245/SB 5982 Updating provisions for consumer-owned utilities, including port districts, and affected market customers under the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA).
The Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) was passed in 2019 to encourage the transition away from fossil fuels in our electrical generation system and define reporting to track that transition. Since then, some high electrical power demand customers have emerged such as data centers. This bill adjusts CETA requirements to ensure transparency in reporting, and is one of several bills anticipated this session to ensure data center resource demands (power and water, etc.) do not disrupt supplies and prices from residential and other industry needs.

HB 2367/SB 6172 Eliminating preferential treatment for coal-fired electric generating plants.
These bills remove the exemption from the Cap-and-Invest Program (Climate Commitment Act) for coal-fired electric generation facility after January 1, 2026, meaning they must purchase allowances to emit greenhouse gases if they operate after that date. Plus, sales and use tax exemptions for those plants will be reimposed. The state’s last coal-fired generation plant in Centralia was given an exemption from the CCA requirements if it permanently closed by the end of 2025. The plant was closed this past December. Eliminating special treatment for coal-based thermal generation of electricity is long past due. Burning coal creates air pollution that degrades health and quality of life. Mining and transporting coal degrades water quality, environment integrity, and worker health. While we are working hard to reduce greenhouse gas production in our state, we should not give breaks to the most polluting source of energy generation in the nation.

HB 2496/SB 6010 Tribal consultation conducted by the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.
The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) coordinates all evaluation and licensing steps for siting certain energy facilities and specifies the conditions of construction and operation. Current law requires the EFSEC to fully consult with affected federally-recognized tribes during energy site certification. These bills require the EFSEC to summarize the result of the consultation, and allow the tribe to amend the summary or submit its own summary, before the EFSEC submits the siting recommendation report to the Governor. Some meetings between Tribes and the EFSEC are exempted from the Open Public Meetings Act to protect sensitive information if no deliberations or commitments occur.

How To Be Involved

• If you do nothing else, please scan the Legislative Action Newsletter each week and respond to the Action Alerts.
  
  
• If you have more time and are interested in a particular topic, we always appreciate and can use your assessments of bills, law implementation, and future concerns. For climate and energy topics send your assessments of a few paragraphs to a few pages and include the sources of the facts you rely on.

• Local Leagues in Washington have action chairs who coordinate action teams. Some local Leagues have health care teams to take action locally. Contact your local League action chair to find out and join.

•  You may also express your opinion on legislation with the LWVWA issue chairs. We will take your perspectives into consideration as we determine our support for legislation and prepare testimony. Send them to Martin Gibbins, Climate Change and Energy Issue Chair.