Olympia Planning Commission gets update on transportation and energy bills passed

Olympia’s lobbyists met with the city’s City Planning Commission April 18 to provide updates on legislation they describe “would revolutionize the trends in the transportation and energy systems in the state.”

Debora Munguia, of Capitol Consulting   and Carl Schroeder, Deputy Government Relations director for the Association of Washington Cities, presented an overview of climate budget and legislation to the commission.

Appropriations in energy and transportation total $160 million

Munguia said the state put $57 million into solar energy projects, with $37 million to be allotted for publicly owned infrastructure. 

Under Senate Bill 5975, Munguia said the government also put $103 million in electric vehicles transitioning, increasing to $250 million next biennium. 

“The governor’s office is convening a clean energy workforce group to look at additional clean energy transition,” Munguia said.

She added, “there was a proviso in the budget that the legislature, along with multiple other agencies, will be working with cities to update their comprehensive plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a model of climate change and resiliency element.”

Gov. Inslee signed other legislation, including House Bill 1280, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in leased and public facilities. 

Munguia said HB 1280 identifies the public-owned and leased facilities as 25,000 square feet or more usable floor space.  

The governor also signed HB 1663 and HB 1799. 

Munguia explained that both bills aim at reducing methane emissions from landfills. They require landfills of specific sizes that emit a certain level of methane more potent than other types of gases to install landfill gas capture systems.

Inslee also signed HB 1814 which creates a new solar incentive program. “There is a statewide total cap of $100 million under that bill,” Munguia informed the commissioners. 

However, other house bills did not pass, including:

• HB 1766 - limiting gas companies’ ability to provide new gas service and install new gas equipment
• HB 1767 – accelerating targeted electrification 
• HB 1770 – strengthening energy codes
• HB 1838 – new riparian buffers