Statewide emissions data

AN ACT Relating to strengthening Washington's leadership and 1
accountability on climate policy by transitioning to annual reporting 2
of statewide emissions data; amending RCW 70A.45.005; and reenacting 3
and amending RCW 70A.45.020. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 70A.45.005 and 2021 c 316 s 44 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
(1) The legislature finds that Washington has long been a 8
national and international leader on energy conservation and 9
environmental stewardship, including air quality protection, 10
renewable energy development and generation, emission standards for 11
fossil-fuel based energy generation, energy efficiency programs, 12
natural resource conservation, sustainable forestry and the 13
production of forest products, vehicle emission standards, and the 14
use of biofuels. Washington is also unique among most states in that 15
in addition to its commitment to reduce emissions of greenhouse 16
gases, it has established goals to grow the clean energy sector and 17
reduce the state's expenditures on imported fuels.18
(2) The legislature further finds that Washington should continue 19
its leadership on climate change policy by creating accountability 20
for achieving the emission reductions established in RCW 70A.45.020, 21
S-0034.1
SENATE BILL 5036
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Boehnke, Chapman, Dozier, Fortunato, Harris, Hasegawa,
Short, and Wellman
Prefiled 12/13/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Environment, Energy & Technology.
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participating in the design of a regional multisector market-based 1
system to help achieve those emission reductions, assessing other 2
market strategies to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, 3
maintaining and enhancing the state's ability to continue to 4
sequester carbon through natural and working lands and forest 5
products, and ensuring the state has a well -trained workforce for our 6
clean energy future. Climate policy leadership and full 7
accountability for achieving emission reductions includes consistent 8
tracking and annual reporting of statewide emissions in a greenhouse 9
gas inventory as required under RCW 70A.45.020.10
(3) It is the intent of the legislature that the state will: (a) 11
Limit and reduce emissions of greenhouse gas consistent with the 12
emission reductions established in RCW 70A.45.020; (b) minimize the 13
potential to export pollution, jobs, and economic opportunities; (c) 14
support industry sectors that can act as sequesterers of carbon; and 15
(d) reduce emissions at the lowest cost to Washington's economy, 16
consumers, and businesses. 17
(4) In the event the state elects to participate in a regional 18
multisector market-based system, it is the intent of the legislature 19
that the system will become effective by January 1, 2012, after 20
authority is provided to the department for its implementation. By 21
acting now, Washington businesses and citizens will have adequate 22
time and opportunities to be well positioned to take advantage of the 23
low carbon economy and to make necessary investments in low carbon 24
technology. 25
(5) It is also the intent of the legislature that the regional 26
multisector market-based system recognize Washington's unique 27
emissions and sequestration portfolio, including the:28
(a) State's hydroelectric system; 29
(b) Opportunities presented by Washington's abundant forest 30
resources and the associated forest products industry, along with 31
aquatic and agriculture land and the associated industries; and32
(c) State's leadership in energy efficiency and the actions it 33
has already taken that have reduced its generation of greenhouse gas 34
emissions and that entities receive appropriate credit for early 35
actions to reduce greenhouse gases. 36
(6) If any revenues, excluding those from state trust lands, that 37
accrue to the state are created by a market system, they must be used 38
for the purposes established in chapter 70A.65 RCW and to further the 39
state's efforts to achieve the goals established in RCW 70A.45.020, 40
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address the impacts of global warming on affected habitats, species, 1
and communities, promote and invest in industry sectors that act as 2
sequesterers of carbon, and increase investment in the clean energy 3
economy particularly for communities and workers that have suffered 4
from heavy job losses and chronic unemployment and underemployment.5
Sec. 2. RCW 70A.45.020 and 2020 c 79 s 2, 2020 c 32 s 4, and 6
2020 c 20 s 1398 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:7
(1)(a) The state shall limit anthropogenic emissions of 8
greenhouse gases to achieve the following emission reductions for 9
Washington state: 10
(i) By 2020, reduce overall emissions of greenhouse gases in the 11
state to 1990 levels, or ((ninety million five hundred thousand )) 12
90,500,000 metric tons; 13
(ii) By 2030, reduce overall emissions of greenhouse gases in the 14
state to ((fifty million)) 50,000,000 metric tons, or ((forty-five)) 15
45 percent below 1990 levels; 16
(iii) By 2040, reduce overall emissions of greenhouse gases in 17
the state to ((twenty-seven million )) 27,000,000 metric tons, or 18
((seventy)) 70 percent below 1990 levels; 19
(iv) By 2050, reduce overall emissions of greenhouse gases in the 20
state to ((five million )) 5,000,000 metric tons, or ((ninety-five)) 21
95 percent below 1990 levels. 22
(b) By December 1, 2008, the department shall submit a greenhouse 23
gas reduction plan for review and approval to the legislature, 24
describing those actions necessary to achieve the emission reductions 25
in (a) of this subsection by using existing statutory authority and 26
any additional authority granted by the legislature. Actions taken 27
using existing statutory authority may proceed prior to approval of 28
the greenhouse gas reduction plan. 29
(c) In addition to the emissions limits specified in (a) of this 30
subsection, the state shall also achieve net zero greenhouse gas 31
emissions by 2050. Except where explicitly stated otherwise, nothing 32
in chapter 14, Laws of 2008 limits any state agency authorities as 33
they existed prior to June 12, 2008. 34
(d) Consistent with this directive, the department shall take the 35
following actions: 36
(i) Develop and implement a system for monitoring and reporting 37
emissions of greenhouse gases as required under RCW 70A.15.2200; and38
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(ii) Track progress toward meeting the emission reductions 1
established in this subsection, including the results from policies 2
currently in effect that have been previously adopted by the state 3
and policies adopted in the future, and report on that progress. 4
Progress reporting should include statewide emissions as well as 5
emissions from key sectors of the economy including, but not limited 6
to, electricity, transportation, buildings, manufacturing, and 7
agriculture. 8
(e) Nothing in this section creates any new or additional 9
regulatory authority for any state agency as they existed prior to 10
January 1, 2019. 11
(2) By December 31st of each ((even-numbered)) year beginning in 12
((2010)) 2026, the department and the department of commerce shall 13
report to the governor and the appropriate committees of the senate 14
and house of representatives the total emissions of greenhouse gases 15
for the preceding ((two years)) year, and totals in each major source 16
sector, including emissions associated with leaked gas identified by 17
the utilities and transportation commission under RCW 81.88.160. The 18
report must include greenhouse gas emissions from wildfires, 19
developed in consultation with the department of natural resources. 20
The department shall ensure the reporting rules adopted under RCW 21
70A.15.2200 allow it to develop a comprehensive inventory of 22
emissions of greenhouse gases from all significant sectors of the 23
Washington economy. 24
(3) Except for purposes of reporting, emissions of carbon dioxide 25
from industrial combustion of biomass in the form of fuel wood, wood 26
waste, wood by-products, and wood residuals shall not be considered a 27
greenhouse gas as long as the region's silvicultural sequestration 28
capacity is maintained or increased. 29
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