[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6373427,"mediaKeyId","2145918-1590fdd476c39c667f011f237c146000","parentId",2145918,"title","Committee considers HB 1329 to clarify short‑term power purchases under Clean Energy Transformation Act","audioSeconds",1696,"startMs",44000,"endMs",1740000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145918-1590fdd476c39c667f011f237c146000&start=44&end=1740","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145918-1590fdd476c39c667f011f237c146000/thumbnail_44000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6373427/Washington/Committee-considers-HB-1329-to-clarify-shortterm-power-purchases-under-Clean-Energy-Transformation-Act","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373427-41c4fba4c09513d0cc343e6c6865353e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770897081&Signature=TMpiqtmeDKen9KMERRHX7dVSyhmzyeZL3eL5RXzimZAYYI2AWmiuhnjo4A8XFYlfCy9c-n~SxMrg7UHHmOFSCZXbvxr15qZlHhkxyXUc5ZeyIrC~IA9Jk47qX6~HmVST9TEPfvPMPE4ZKVBbWFMxEY7K-z00UOEMchiU~apSqQg3VrD7LfGlmWHwgXt-B-isp0odrOlKZzG3g1IV3wXPZLgigXo~50bPBAwRS3mhCPVawNgnsu~~CLzn8UVwy-iu6igzFYHI-iiE3VsaU8VrR0G1c2NlbOzqnhqcd9rsHQGZ13SMM2NdimeSaszm0QbF-UY~AzfzbtvbP0aHF~zSJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Environment & Energy","date","2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","article","The House Environment & Energy Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1329, a narrowly scoped amendment to the Clean Energy Transformation Act that would change how short‑term, unspecified wholesale power purchases are treated under the state’s coal‑elimination standard.

The bill, introduced by Vice Chair Victoria Hunt (Rep., 5th Legislative District), would increase the contract duration that may be excluded from the definition of a “coal fired resource” from 30 days to 90 days, and allow terms up to six months when necessary to meet utilities’ seasonal resource adequacy requirements. It also clarifies that long‑term contracts with the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) would be treated as excluded unless BPA knows at the time of contracting that a portion of the electricity comes from a coal‑fired unit.

Supporters told the committee the changes are technical and intended to make CETA implementable while preserving the law’s coal‑elimination intent. Matt Sterling, staff to the committee, summarized the bill’s mechanics: “For the purposes of the coal elimination standard, a coal fired resource does not include any electric generation facility that is included as part of a limited duration wholesale power purchase of up to 1 month if the source of the power includes electricity that is unspecified,” and HB 1329 would extend that duration and add the resource adequacy exception.

Bill Clark, representing Grant County Public Utility District, said the bill “is not about Bonneville buying coal. This is about ensuring that the state's existing no‑coal standard can actually be implemented.” Logan Barr, state relations manager for Tacoma Public Utilities and Tacoma Power, said the bill “provides us with clarity, ensuring that utilities can procure unspecified power under specific limited circumstances when included in long term BPA contracts, when contracts are 90 days or less, or when purchased to comply with the resource adequacy program.”

Mary Winke, executive director of the Public Generating Pool, told the committee unspecified contracts are a standard industry product used for hedging and managing reliability; she also said the portion of BPA energy that comes from unidentified purchases is “very small,” and that the bill is intended to avoid unintended consequences that would raise costs or reliability risks for utility customers.

Some stakeholders signaled implementation concerns. Glenn Blackman, director of the Energy Policy Office at the Department of Commerce, said the bill contains a resource adequacy phrasing — that a contract be “necessary” for participation in the resource adequacy program — that may be hard to apply after the fact and suggested alternate wording for enforceability. Blackman also warned that a blanket exemption for BPA in one section could conflict with a more narrowly tailored BPA exemption elsewhere in the bill.

Climate Solutions’ Leah Missick said the organization is “extremely invested in the success” of CETA and flagged a concern that the BPA exemption could create a larger loophole allowing coal‑derived electricity into the state if BPA’s future contracts included coal. Charlie Thompson of the Northwest Energy Coalition said the bill addresses a narrow implementation issue and does not change the requirement to phase out specified coal purchases.

There were several committee questions about the amount of unspecified energy BPA currently uses. Witnesses repeatedly said the share is very small but gave differing approximations; Mary Winke characterized it as “a very small amount” and suggested the committee consult BPA’s publicly available data for precise figures.

The committee closed the hearing after questions and stakeholder discussion; no vote or committee action was recorded at this hearing. Sponsors and stakeholders said they expect continued technical work with the Department of Commerce, BPA and utilities before any final language is adopted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Environment & Energy - 1/23/2025 8:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Environment & Energy Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1329, a narrowly scoped amendment to the Clean Energy Transformation Act that would change how short‑term, unspecified wholesale power purchases are treated under the state’s coal‑elimination standard.","taxTitle","Environment & Energy, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20260,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373422,"Committee hears HB 1303 (CURB Act) to add environmental justice review to SEPA and restrict some permits in overburdened areas",3768,1742000,5510000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145918-1590fdd476c39c667f011f237c146000&start=1742&end=5510","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145918-1590fdd476c39c667f011f237c146000/thumbnail_1742000.jpg","/articles/6373422/Washington/Committee-hears-HB-1303-CURB-Act-to-add-environmental-justice-review-to-SEPA-and-restrict-some-permits-in-overburdened-areas","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373422-7a8baf81d9ba37d10dc48a3ac1d75af6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770897081&Signature=LQEQSS-tLTp6DspNF5i4U6jwL7ZjCtNQbty0bW3h9-FHmGJGFno3rOzjE8gyzq-zJlC6SJ9itjQEg49GN-vMCKb1n9xq~cVrQ5o14~~YLo7epx6tL4Zk~wRGm-OeOcKOBkFBjN-Vs-lKRuIT9eRmtpOQfEyJuMZMTNVsvuG98FsYjoTD-vLW8XbXZMm3UlovxPSsWliHqAxjAkM-68-OjjihU3B8x3jm0DoG6TqHIYKNaDlHrzpo5A2WUuMb9oTrDKInzCG0V5vTJVXNdpsWUEJK0Klb1VoXmZuuaYhOKFeo7F2ewzf0HPDgIb-fwMw6wHOfhlio5YSaq8Jk83JxoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Environment & Energy Committee heard House Bill 1303, the Curb Pollution Act (sponsored by Rep. Charlotte Mena), which would add environmental justice requirements to Washington’s State Environmental Policy Act and restrict certain Clean Air Act permits in the state’s most pollution‑burdened communities.

Under the bill’s three main components, the Department of Ecology would be required to adopt rules to explicitly include environmental justice among SEPA’s elements; certain covered projects in communities ranked 7 or higher on the state’s environmental health disparities map (or adjacent to them) would require an environmental justice impact statement (EJIS) before a SEPA threshold determination; and construction orders or approvals for certain large air sources in census tracts ranked 9 or 10 would be prohibited for specified types of facilities, including major sources and incinerators.

Sponsor Representative Charlotte Mena (29th Legislative District) framed the bill as a response to long‑standing disparities: “In the 29th district, the vast majority of the census tracts are ranked 9 and 10,” she said, and noted local health outcomes including a reported 10‑year shorter life expectancy in parts of her district. She described the EJIS as a tool to assess cumulative impacts, take public input, and require mitigation or allow denial of projects when identified harms cannot be mitigated.

Proponents from community and advocacy groups said the bill would make cumulative impacts visible and give frontline communities a formal role in permitting. Mia Ayala Marshall, with the Duwamish River Community Coalition, said the Duwamish Valley faces “cumulative health disparities” including an estimated eight‑year shorter life expectancy than the Seattle average and high rates of childhood asthma hospitalizations. Front and Centered representatives and Earthjustice urged passage and pointed to similar policies enacted in other states.

Local governments, ports, business groups and some developers expressed concerns about scope, timing and cost. Carly Michaels of the Washington Public Ports Association said the underlying policy goal is important but warned the bill “is duplicative and burdensome” for port projects and asked that economic benefits and community investments be considered. Peter Godlowski of the Association of Washington Business cautioned the bill’s definitions could reach a broad set of permits across large geographic areas. Kelsey Hulse of the Washington Association of Counties urged more stakeholder work to integrate EJ into SEPA without creating extensive new layers that could delay projects.

State agencies and technical witnesses flagged implementation and legal conflicts. Carrie Sessions of the Department of Ecology said some timelines in the draft EJIS could conflict with SEPA threshold determination timelines, and the department raised concerns that a statutory prohibition on issuing certain air permits in 9‑ and 10‑ranked areas could jeopardize federal delegated permitting obligations if it prevents legally required upgrades or modifications. Other witnesses urged clarification on how the bill interacts with the Climate Commitment Act and the HEAL Act (Senate Bill 5141).

Committee members asked detailed questions about scope and tradeoffs. Staff said the Clean Air Act‑type prohibition in the bill applies only in 9 and 10 areas, while the EJIS requirement applies to communities ranked 7 and above. The committee also discussed an explicit Department of Transportation exclusion for smaller‑value DOT projects (the transcript referenced a $15,000,000 threshold consistent with HEAL Act exclusions).

The hearing included dozens of community, industry, local government and technical witnesses. No committee vote or final action occurred; proponents and opponents said they expect further negotiations between the sponsor, state agencies and stakeholders on definitions, SEPA timing and specific exemptions.","The House Environment & Energy Committee heard House Bill 1303, the Curb Pollution Act, which would add environmental justice requirements to SEPA, require environmental justice impact statements for certain projects in pollution‑burdened communities, and bar specified large air permits in the most polluted census tracts.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373417,"Staff briefed committee on amendments to HB 1024 and HB 1154; no votes taken",109,5614000,5723000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145918-1590fdd476c39c667f011f237c146000&start=5614&end=5723","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145918-1590fdd476c39c667f011f237c146000/thumbnail_5614000.jpg","/articles/6373417/Washington/Staff-briefed-committee-on-amendments-to-HB-1024-and-HB-1154-no-votes-taken","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373417-556108dad8a7805208b19c5d18ef2980/orig.mp4?Expires=1770897081&Signature=XMkDz6oWhn3Gt5LM7jeNylka2o4291eXoqbzwlKAMtG-ceOemFf6SU18-8TvS9sgb4swvwbQ4rwxQrRL7hUwY5GPJn0HUTD-GAvJ9GJ6PpqEjUxk9kHSOBD1zpiRn60-Ut0cWYhK0hMYeMgFpZr-G2t-~gYgTZc4w7jZbc5WFKzyEU-WQd4Wg51TPs84v4Ar5D6cdjHSNfm75yf~QMs2BhIQ67gGHlPj8Hy9IQHOER7rGrCkKZQN1IfyYIG8-dspxF6jtjMtXz5kn0B57SUbjgoBnvMKyoJE4UQBqY4-qDnZgwwEYuldiZP0fVmdU02-JJxmhaKwzITN9Gy~S3uqvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee staff provided briefings on amendments to two bills during the Environment & Energy hearing.

An intern for the committee, Srinandan Ramachandran, summarized a proposed amendment to House Bill 1024. The underlying bill would increase the maximum lease length for St. Edward State Park from 62 years to 80 years; the amendment would restore a requirement limiting long leases at the park to specific structures and adjacent property (the main seminary building, pool building, gymnasium, adjacent parking lots and associated nearby property).

Matt Sterling, committee staff, then summarized House Bill 1154 and a proposed substitute (EHB H-0785.1). The bill would authorize the Department of Ecology to suspend permits and impose civil penalties on solid waste handling facilities operating in violation of requirements, and would require jurisdictional health departments (JHDs) to provide Ecology with a list of facility violations. The proposed substitute makes multiple changes: it delays a validation date for land‑filling permits to August 1, 2027; limits a JHD’s initial penalty authority to $5,000 per day for the first 14 days (rising to $10,000 per day thereafter if violations persist); directs where penalties are deposited (local treasuries for JHD penalties; the Model Toxics Control Operating Account for Ecology penalties); requires JHDs to attempt education and outreach before penalties and allows JHDs to defer enforcement to Ecology; allows Ecology to assume enforcement if a JHD’s response is inadequate; and sets appeal paths (local health officer for JHD penalties, Pollution Control Hearings Board for Ecology penalties).

Staff said the substitute seeks to harmonize relationships between local health departments and Ecology and to create clearer procedures and appeal routes. Committee members discussed the changes briefly; staff offered to provide any additional technical details in writing. No amendment votes or final committee action were taken during the briefing segment.","Committee staff summarized proposed amendments: HB 1024 would restore a limitation on St. Edward State Park leases while HB 1154’s substitute would adjust timing, civil penalty amounts and appeals paths for solid waste facility enforcement. Members asked clarifying questions; no committee action recorded.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee considers HB 1329 to clarify short‑term power purchases under Clean Energy Transformation Act

Committee hears HB 1303 (CURB Act) to add environmental justice review to SEPA and restrict some permits in overburdened areas

Staff briefed committee on amendments to HB 1024 and HB 1154; no votes taken