PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Determination of the average greenhouse gas emission rate from new, commercially available combined cycle combustion turbines. This determination is to be made every five years after July 22, 2007.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 80.80.050 Commercially available turbines -- Rate of greenhouse gas emissions -- Reports -- Rules.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Intent is to establish the average greenhouse gas emission rate from new, commercially available combined cycle combustion turbines which is referenced in RCW 80.80.040 Greenhouse gas emission performance standard -- Rules. This section establishes the state greenhouse gas emission performance standard for utility baseload electric generation which becomes the lower of:
(a) One thousand one hundred pounds per megawatt-hour; or
(b) The average greenhouse gas emission rate as determined under RCW 80.80.050.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Washington state department of ecology, and the Washington state utilities and transportation commission.
Process for Developing New Rule: Standard rule-making process.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. See contact information below. Commerce will host stakeholder meetings seeking input. Likely participants include affected state electric utilities, utility organizations, independent power producers, power marketers, state agencies noted above, and public interest groups. Persons interested in providing input may attend meetings, or provide information via e-mail or other printed submission. Contact Carolee Sharp, P.O. Box 42525, Olympia, WA 98504-2525, carolee.sharp@commerce.wa.gov, (360) 725-3118, fax (360) 586-0049.
February 21, 2012
Nick Demerice
Rules Coordinator