H-1178

AN ACT Relating to the study of ethanol for supplemental energy production; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the state of Washington must now begin to provide for energy independence. It further finds the goals of energy self-sufficiency, environmental improvement, and agricultural market expansion can be achieved by establishing interdependent objectives. Therefore, the legislature intends to establish a state commission that will study the feasibility, use, and production of ethanol from organic feedstocks and make recommendations to the legislature toward the goal of state energy self-sufficiency.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The Washington state energy self-sufficiency commission is established within the energy office to study the production and use of ethanol within the state. The commission is charged with studying the role of synthetic fuels by considering the following issues:

(1) The kind and use of organic feedstocks to make the product;

(2) The feasibility, quality, and quantity of production within Washington state;

(3) The actions necessary to encourage production in Washington state;

(4) The effect of using an agricultural renewable resource on the marketplace;

(5) The role of synthetic fuels in reaching the goal of clean air;

(6) The effect of synthetic fuels on gasoline burning motor vehicles and other gasoline burning equipment; and

(7) The break-even point in producing synthetic fuels and natural oil-based fuels.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The Washington state energy self-sufficiency commission shall consist of fourteen members, appointed by the governor, composed of: Two agricultural producers whose products would lend themselves to the production of synthetic fuels; one producer of synthetic fuels; one representative from a large oil company; one representative from the association of independent service station dealers; one representative from the automobile manufacturing industry; one representative of the Washington State University faculty with expertise in developing and evaluating agricultural products; one representative from a consumer group; the director of the department of agriculture; the director of the energy office; two members from the senate, one from each caucus, one of whom serves on the transportation committee, appointed by the president of the senate; and two members from the House of Representatives, one from each caucus, one of whom serves on the agricultural committee and one of whom serves on the energy committee, appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) The members of the commission shall select the chair or cochairs of the commission.

(3) Staff assistance for the commission will be provided by legislature staff and from the agency and office listed in subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The Washington state energy self-sufficiency commission shall develop an action plan that includes, but is not limited to, a study of agricultural products for energy uses, consultation with expert resource persons, effects of synthetic fuels on existing products and desirable modifications, quantity of synthetic fuels practical for various uses, a time line for putting synthetic fuels on the market with a target date for the first ethanol introduction of January 1993, and recommendations to the legislature on the state's role in agricultural products energy uses. The first meeting of the commission shall be convened by the director of the energy office. The commission shall meet no less than four times a year. The commission shall submit its action plan to the legislature on December 1, 1991, and its final report on December 1, 1992.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Washington state energy self-sufficiency commission members shall serve for the life of the commission which shall terminate March 1, 1993. The members shall not be compensated for membership on the commission, other than for reasonable travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of ..................... dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the energy office for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, for the purposes of the Washington state energy self-sufficiency commission.