WSR 17-14-065

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed June 29, 2017, 1:29 p.m.]

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. Rule making was last completed in March of 2013. See chapter 194-26 WAC.

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: The intent of the rule making 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: The department of ecology and the energy facility site evaluation council regulate fossil fueled thermal power plants in Washington state using RCW 80.80.040 and the emission value determined by commerce under RCW 80.80.050. Commerce will work [with] the department of ecology and the energy facility site evaluation council during this rule-making process.

Process for Developing New Rule: Standard rule making.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. 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. A meeting is scheduled to take place from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on July 25 in Room 207 at Commerce's Office, 1011 Plum Street S.E., Olympia.

For more information, please contact Carolee Sharp, P.O. Box 42525, Olympia, WA 98504-2525, carolee.sharp@commerce.wa.gov, (360) 725-3118, fax (360) 586-0049.

June 29, 2017

Jaime Rossman

Rules Coordinator