[{"_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",6322597,"mediaKeyId","2347209-6e7f7690048f7d736f689da56a419825","parentId",2347209,"title","Bill would bar state energy siting council from preempting local bans on battery storage in critical areas; sponsor cites safety and local rights","audioSeconds",5869,"startMs",697000,"endMs",6566000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347209-6e7f7690048f7d736f689da56a419825&start=697&end=6566","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347209-6e7f7690048f7d736f689da56a419825/thumbnail_697000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6322597/Washington/Bill-would-bar-state-energy-siting-council-from-preempting-local-bans-on-battery-storage-in-critical-areas-sponsor-cites-safety-and-local-rights","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322597-c7b14a5fd54a3f184b6a0101d2458400/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168533&Signature=LJUEZvnfj~p5wC4s79QA-JU4~6EkqD8l1doiPJ~pcJ2b7gRYBPR0RyeFG6eIzRe~3ByAFtmr4gGlOnt0fgIMOHJY7keD~3Rrwu3bmcUspen2f4Yf-H7tZ6paTCHpXRJ4dR9l9tQ5wbbY4GWbcLwNtBgLQpCwBIWNukanWYoV9AwDWbxPwSSo-ltmwzbLQlX1rA3u1Xzh4bY-OhMw4CgPhe22Mu1T6W6wSfB6kFSKqHptmDDaR2KKj99jUTjLoZ~~EQPDqyfli0eFbtLv~7vrH-d8f2xGIJQmcZZ-7hSil8H9jgvnWCBIFDH1gyq1LeEy8fP4WfG1iKzxmrRAMk0VWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Senate Environment, Energy & Technology","date","2025-02-19T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 5283, introduced to the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee, would prohibit the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (FSEC) from preempting local land‑use or zoning ordinances that bar siting certain electrical battery storage facilities in critical areas mapped under the Growth Management Act.

Kim Cushing, committee staff, briefed the panel that the bill targets FSEC preemption where battery storage projects have opted into FSEC’s permitting and certification process. \"The bill before you prohibits FSEC from preempting land use or zoning ordinances for siting electrical battery storage facilities in these critical areas,\" Cushing said.

Senator Keith Wagner, sponsor and state senator who identified Sedro‑Woolley as the jurisdiction of concern, urged the committee to protect local zoning and environmental resources. Wagner described a proposed lithium‑ion storage site he said was \"less than a mile outside a city of 12,000 people, within a mile and a half of 3 schools,\" and located near a salmon‑bearing stream. \"Picture an idyllic farmer's field next to a clear salmon bearing stream,\" Wagner said. He told the committee recent large fires at battery storage sites underscore safety concerns and argued siting should favor hardened industrial areas rather than small agricultural communities.

Committee members pressed staff and the sponsor on definitions and scope. Senator Wellman asked whether \"wetlands\" and other critical‑area terms are specifically defined; staff replied that the bill pulls in the Growth Management Act definition of critical areas and that more precise definitions can be provided from that chapter. Senator Harris and others asked about motives for specific site selection; Wagner said proximity to existing transmission infrastructure and a nearby PSE corridor likely informed developers' decisions.

Wagner and others, including Kurt Beckett (appearing later as FSEC acting chair nominee in the same hearing), acknowledged the technology's role in the power system but said siting rules should avoid routing projects into areas that are environmentally sensitive, near schools, or lack local emergency resources. Wagner proposed that industrial land and other less‑sensitive locations would be more appropriate for battery storage or emerging alternatives.

Public testimony included Matt Steinman, an organic farmer from Skagit County, who said a proposed site near Hansen Creek threatened farmland and local water supplies. \"This particular location has the potential to be flooded and just it it threatens the food source for many many Washingtonians,\" Steinman told senators.

The committee temporarily suspended the public hearing to consider gubernatorial appointments and later resumed; no vote on the bill was recorded during the session. Staff said a fiscal note was not yet available and that additional definition and mapping material could be provided to clarify how the Growth Management Act’s critical‑area categories would apply.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Environment, Energy & Technology February 19, 8:00 am","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 5283 would stop the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council from preempting local zoning that forbids siting certain electrical battery storage facilities in Growth Management Act critical areas, sponsor testimony and committee staff said at an Oct. 12 hearing.","taxTitle","Environment, Energy & Technology, Senate, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20502,"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},6322593,"Senate committee questions nominees for FSEC chair, Ecology director and state CIO on permitting, wildfire and digital modernization",3278,1342000,4620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347209-6e7f7690048f7d736f689da56a419825&start=1342&end=4620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347209-6e7f7690048f7d736f689da56a419825/thumbnail_1342000.jpg","/articles/6322593/Washington/Senate-committee-questions-nominees-for-FSEC-chair-Ecology-director-and-state-CIO-on-permitting-wildfire-and-digital-modernization","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322593-d7d118970462db192d1fb16ea4f25622/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168533&Signature=Di-zWZxE-6sm6DJVf-AVkVbBPffxuksYtL59Xdsbli4vJy3O2EIbhyrI5BoG9XWP9U7d4KNBsN3VvLCaCldw15d5~R1lBwt2xhIk6hQLVeDlEh9OMgYlqFbUht4x94WSBirnWSjTNGGXo1JdODwt3IoOGDfOyrtg8GH3-PHDMKPczDBjFuZYx083CydaV9ovuZhJBc0TakCapVE7bfzsC-JBbn7dypg2eVqpdxPjRVdhL5obI5bHZF~uBUQ2yCo5TgfjlYessu93FCM6~ZBnPSloMC7ZetY-KEDIKQD2C18hLW5YD4TXScpi251dM4ib8fJo3QXqMJFyvvypemk4hA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee held confirmation hearings for three gubernatorial nominations on Oct. 12, hearing extended discussion about energy siting, permitting culture, wildfire coordination, contaminated‑site redevelopment, and state information technology modernization.

Kurt Beckett, governor’s nominee to be chair of the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (FSEC), described his background in port operations and federal‑state relationships and said he seeks to improve FSEC’s engagement with local governments, tribes and partner agencies. Beckett told senators that once a project is formally before FSEC \"no one gets to talk to the council under adjudicative law,\" and he said the agency should expand pre‑application conversations and programmatic environmental reviews to avoid surprises and to build trust. \"I think pre application conversations are key,\" Beckett said, adding he supports more transparent and time‑certain reviews and continuing FSEC’s statewide programmatic EIS work for transmission projects.

Senators asked Beckett how FSEC can address cumulative impacts and distribute siting equitably; he suggested multi‑agency dashboards and early engagement with counties and tribes and said FSEC could help keep projects in local permitting pathways where feasible.

Casey Sixkiller, nominated as director of the Department of Ecology, emphasized collaboration with tribes and local communities and said he plans statewide listening tours. Sixkiller, who recently served as an EPA regional administrator, said Ecology should \"show up in a problem‑solving mode\" and strike a balance between environmental protection and predictable permitting. On contaminated‑site redevelopment, he said faster, clearer consultation and technical assistance can reduce time and cost without skipping required steps.

Sixkiller also discussed federal funding uncertainty and the agency’s role if federal partners shift responsibilities. He said Ecology is analyzing potential consequences of federal changes and emphasized partnerships with EPA and NOAA on science and grants. On wildfire and prescribed burns, Sixkiller said he and the Department of Natural Resources are discussing ways to coordinate more closely and to prepare communities for smoke and emergency response.

William S. Kehoe, nominee to lead Washington Technology Solutions (WATEC) and serve as state chief information officer, presented his experience as a long‑time public sector CIO and described priorities for cybersecurity, enterprise services and technology governance. Kehoe highlighted a State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program distributing roughly $18 million to local governments, tribes and higher education, and he said WATEC provides more than 60 enterprise services including network and telephony. He pledged to advance data management, resident‑facing portals, identity and access management, and a cautious, risk‑aware approach to artificial intelligence that emphasizes privacy and security.

Committee members pressed Kehoe on the troubled 1Washington modernization project and on transparency in evaluating IT investments. Kehoe said WATEC participates in the project's steering committee, has increased oversight and strategic advisory services, and believes the program can be brought to a successful go‑live after reassessment.

All three nominees said they would prioritize earlier engagement with stakeholders, clearer public communication, and process improvements to reduce delays. No confirmation votes were recorded during the committee session.","The Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee heard three gubernatorial nominees on Oct. 12 — Kurt Beckett to chair FSEC, Casey Sixkiller for Department of Ecology director, and Bill Kehoe to lead Washington Technology Solutions and serve as state CIO — pressing each on engagement, permitting culture, wildfire coordination and technology governance.",{"_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},6322603,"Senate bill would remove five-year sunset on agricultural fuel exemption; stakeholders debate remittance program",6379,39000,6418000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2347209-6e7f7690048f7d736f689da56a419825&start=39&end=6418","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2347209-6e7f7690048f7d736f689da56a419825/thumbnail_39000.jpg","/articles/6322603/Washington/Senate-bill-would-remove-five-year-sunset-on-agricultural-fuel-exemption-stakeholders-debate-remittance-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6322603-2bce64df66be6a9851e42919793c24fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168533&Signature=K1kbG26GvbZ-KO1e01yPg7~55k1JIMLXNYXAKE7J4c9Z9~MyN9ZfXVwcx18KGA1vEQnZKCjahdrSeceM-dlsYVorp2aMBOyXssGGBMNDjZNO585jSCsuPI44gMkgTFmQFQOOlllJG4b0cBkox0eTEQQP0tiMFIjVO3uWXyeY3Pimdg~ZUxUEJLTSyjBFOYcfDlDLy~I1p1e-ffsuS~glPG7bm8VHIkSGJ2-LM0fnvqwPo3llt6JRqHPF~Jvo5SlCMeZYaAUiy3XK4JfODxw~QTJ7c6F~TR6MJUMN6iEa1kcQb2WX1mucrOtxqXODvII~ODj5JsgcnfbLs3Ot1tBgyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A bill to remove a five-year limit on an expanded exemption for fuels used to transport agricultural products on public highways and to codify legislative intent to provide payments to farm fuel users drew mixed testimony at the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee on Oct. 12.

Senator Perry Dozier, sponsor of Senate Bill 5630 and a farmer from the 16th Legislative District, told the panel the measure is intended to ease input costs for growers. \"This is just another way to try to alleviate some of those input costs by extending that,\" Dozier said, adding that many farms buy bulk diesel in 10,000-gallon increments and that the current tiered refund design limits relief to the first 10,000 gallons.

The bill would remove the statutory five-year sunset on an expanded exemption created to cover fuels used to transport agricultural products, and it states legislative intent that payments be provided to farm fuel users and transporters for fuel exempt under the Washington Climate Commitment Act. Matt Sheppard, committee staff, summarized the proposal and noted a fiscal note had been requested but was not yet available.

Supporters of permanence included representatives of grower and fuel-distributor groups who testified the Department of Licensing (DOL) remittance program has been difficult for some farmers to use and that the current payment caps limited usefulness. Mark Strulley, representing multiple commodity organizations including the Washington Association of Wheat Growers and the Washington Potato and Onion Association, said some farmers would not file because the program capped payments at $4,500 although some had compliance costs far higher. Diana Carlin of the Washington Oil Marketers Association urged simplicity and warned against creating new complexity in the fuel distribution system.

Opponents and cautious stakeholders said making the exemption permanent would remove policy incentives to develop lower-carbon fuels and could reduce revenue for programs that accelerate the clean-energy transition. David Mendoza of The Nature Conservancy and Clifford Traceman of Washington Conservation Action said the original temporary exemption was intended to allow time for development of biofuel supply chains and other alternatives; Traceman called the current remittance program \"not working\" and urged more stakeholder work. Leah Missick of Climate Solutions testified that the exemption's permanence would be a major change to law and could have climate impacts.

Joel Creswell, the department of Ecology's climate pollution reduction program manager, provided technical input on implementation. Creswell said exempt fuels and the program intended to remedy improperly applied surcharges are complex to administer because Ecology does not regulate fuel suppliers and because suppliers' compliance costs vary with market conditions. He said the DOL remittance program established in the 2023-25 biennium has disbursed roughly $3 million of the $30 million appropriated and that Ecology is working with legislators and stakeholders to explore improvements.

Committee members and witnesses highlighted several practical barriers: some growers worry the remittance payment is too small to be worth providing required documentation; others prefer an exemption at the point of sale rather than a post‑purchase rebate; and fuel supply chain fungibility makes tracking purchaser identity difficult, testimony said.

The committee suspended and later closed the public hearing after receiving the testimony and said staff would continue work with interested parties to resolve implementation issues.

The bill's fiscal note and any amendments were not available at the hearing.

Votes or final action on the bill were not recorded in the committee transcript; the hearing record shows extended stakeholder engagement and technical follow-up requests.","Senate Bill 5630 would make permanent an exemption and remittance intent for agricultural fuel purchases under the Washington Climate Commitment Act. Sponsors, conservation groups, fuel distributors and Ecology staff flagged implementation gaps in a Department of Licensing rebate program and disagreed about long-term climate effects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would bar state energy siting council from preempting local bans on battery storage in critical areas; sponsor cites safety and local rights

Senate committee questions nominees for FSEC chair, Ecology director and state CIO on permitting, wildfire and digital modernization

Senate bill would remove five-year sunset on agricultural fuel exemption; stakeholders debate remittance program