The House Environment & Energy Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1302 on Oct. 12, which would authorize municipalities to adopt programs that waive or delay utility connection charges for entities engaged in industrial symbiosis.

The bill, introduced in committee by Representative Julio Cortez, would let municipal utilities create discretionary waiver or delay programs for connection charges for low-income individuals, nonprofits, housing authorities and — newly — organizations that use another firm’s waste or byproducts productively to reduce resource use and greenhouse gas emissions. ‘‘Industrial symbiosis weaves industries together to capture economic value from waste while cutting cost and reducing climate impacts,’’ testified Isaac Kastema of the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure.

Supporters said the change is optional for local governments and is intended to be another tool to attract companies that convert waste streams into usable inputs. ‘‘This is one more tool in the toolbox to do that and we do support it,’’ Kastema said. Eric Fitch, executive director of the Washington Public Ports Association, and witnesses from ports including Port of Pasco described local pilot activity and interest from port districts.

Committee members pressed for details committee staff did not have on hand. Representative Dye asked what the ‘‘high range’’ of waived connection charges might be; staff member Srinandan Ramachandran said the amounts are discretionary and set at the utility level and that municipalities remain subject to requirements that protect ratepayers. Representative Rosa Mendoza and others asked whether the bill applies to privately owned gas and electric utilities; staff and witnesses said the bill’s language is aimed at municipal utilities and that differences between municipal, consumer-owned and private investor-owned utilities affect which entities can grant waivers.

Some witnesses urged refinements to the bill’s statutory definition. Heather Trim, testifying remotely, said the bill is the first to define ‘‘industrial symbiosis’’ in statute but warned the definition lacked a threshold. ‘‘There’s no threshold there…that could just be a few banana peels,’’ she said, urging a formula or percentage so waivers reflect meaningful levels of industrial symbiosis activity.

The committee closed the hearing on HB 1302 after questions and moved on to other bills. No committee action or vote on HB 1302 was recorded during the hearing.

Why it matters: Proponents say municipal waiver authority could help recruit clean-technology firms that turn waste into inputs, potentially creating jobs and lowering emissions. Opponents and some committee members asked for clearer guardrails so waivers do not shift unreasonable costs to ratepayers or apply where utilities are privately owned.