S 1610

S‑1610.3 _____________________________________________

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5674

_____________________________________________

State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Water (originally sponsored by Senators Constantine, Jacobsen, Prentice, Fraser and Kohl‑Welles)

READ FIRST TIME 02/26/01.

_1 AN ACT Relating to potential climate change; adding a new

_2 chapter to Title 70 RCW; providing an effective date; and

_3 declaring an emergency.

_4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

_5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature makes the following

_6 findings:

_7 (1) The recent consensus report of the world's climate research

_8 community has concluded that significant climate change arising

_9 from pollutants generated by human activity is already underway.

10 (2) The best available analyses by northwest climate experts

11 now indicate a projected doubling of carbon dioxide in the

12 atmosphere is now expected to increase the average temperature in

13 Washington state four to seven degrees over the next fifty years.

14 (3) Such changes are likely to have major, adverse impacts on

15 the state's environment and economy.

16 (4) The citizens of Washington state have consistently

17 demonstrated global scientific, technological, and policy

18 leadership.

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_2 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply

_3 throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires

_4 otherwise.

_5 (1) "Board" means the board of directors of the Washington

_6 climate center.

_7 (2) "Center" means the Washington climate center.

_8 (3) "Climate change" means a change of climate attributed

_9 directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the

10 composition of the global atmosphere.

11 (4) "Emissions" means the release of greenhouse gases.

12 (5) "Emitter" means the entity releasing greenhouse gases.

13 (6) "Greenhouse gases" includes all gases identified as of

14 January 1, 2001, for regulation by the United Nations framework

15 convention on climate change. They include, but are not limited to,

16 carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and natural gas (CH4), and nitrous

17 oxide (N2O).

18 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The state legislature authorizes the

19 establishment of an independent, nonprofit organization known as

20 the Washington climate center to serve as a central clearinghouse

21 for all climate change activities in the state.

22 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The center shall be funded through grants

23 and voluntary cash and in-kind contributions.

24 NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) The activities of the center shall be

25 directed by a board of directors appointed by the governor, for

26 terms of four years, beginning November 1, 2001. The board shall

27 include fifteen members as follows:

28 (a) One member from each major party of the senate as

29 recommended by their leadership;

30 (b) One member from each major party of the house of

31 representatives as recommended by their leadership;

32 (c) One member from the office of the commissioner of public

33 lands;

34 (d) One member from the department of community, trade, and

35 economic development, energy policy group;

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_1 (e) One member from the Washington State University energy

_2 program;

_3 (f) Three members from the nonprofit, climate sector;

_4 (g) Three members from the business sector; and

_5 (h) Two members from the climate academic sector, one

_6 representing the University of Washington, climate impacts group.

_7 (2) The board shall retain and assign staff and volunteers as

_8 the board deems necessary.

_9 (3) The Washington State University energy program and the

10 University of Washington climate impacts group may provide staff,

11 technical assistance, and research for the center.

12 (4) A vote of a majority of the members of the board shall bind

13 the board.

14 NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) The duties of the center may

15 include, but are not limited to:

16 (a) Determining current and projected emissions of greenhouse

17 gases in the state;

18 (b) Collecting and sharing scientific and technological data

19 related to climate change;

20 (c) Assisting and collecting all climate contingency planning

21 in the state;

22 (d) Advising relevant sectors of prospective commercial

23 opportunities;

24 (e) Studying and recommending avenues for capping the total

25 amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the state by December 31,

26 2003;

27 (f) Studying and recommending the most cost-effective methods

28 for eliminating all net greenhouse gas emissions in the state by

29 December 31, 2020;

30 (g) Studying and recommending the most cost-effective methods

31 for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation

32 sector consistent with federal law;

33 (h) Certifying the extent and degree of any mitigation

34 projects;

35 (i) Developing adequate methods for the monitoring and

36 verification of mitigation projects; and

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_1 (j) Serving as a central, independent registry available for

_2 the trading of emissions credits, if any.

_3 (2) The center shall:

_4 (a) Develop and publish its rules of operation, calculations,

_5 and methods;

_6 (b) Accomplish any other duty assigned to it by the legislature

_7 for which adequate funding is provided; and

_8 (c) Provide an annual report to the governor and legislature by

_9 December 31st regarding its operations, including the status of

10 greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

11 (3) The center shall, within available funds, also:

12 (a) Identify key sectors within the state likely to be affected

13 adversely by climate change;

14 (b) Notify and convene meetings of key members of those

15 sectors;

16 (c) Provide relevant scientific and technological information

17 to the public and key sectors;

18 (d) Support a collaborative response to assist those sectors;

19 and

20 (e) Assist in the creation of effective contingency planning

21 for those sectors.

22 (4) The following agencies and programs shall work with the

23 center to assist with the duties under this section: The department

24 of community, trade, and economic development, the department of

25 ecology, the department of transportation, the department of

26 health, the department of fish and wildlife and the Washington

27 State University energy program.

28 (5) The board may establish task forces and technical advisory

29 committees composed of state and local agencies, businesses, labor

30 groups, nonprofit organizations, university and college programs,

31 and interested groups and citizens as necessary to assist in the

32 duties in this section.

33 NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) All emitters of greenhouse gases are

34 encouraged to seek mitigation of their emissions.

35 (2) Upon a request, accompanied with adequate funding, the

36 center may:

37 (a) Assist any emitter in selecting mitigation projects;

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_1 (b) Determine and certify the amount of mitigation accomplished

_2 by any mitigation project; and

_3 (c) Determine what monitoring and verification standards would

_4 be useful in the evaluation of mitigation projects.

_5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The center shall publicize successful

_6 mitigation projects and efforts to reduce the emission of

_7 greenhouse gases.

_8 NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. This act is necessary for the immediate

_9 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of

10 the state government and its existing public institutions, and

11 takes effect July 1, 2001.

12 NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. Sections 1 through 9 of this act

13 constitute a new chapter in Title 70 RCW.

‑‑‑ END ‑‑‑

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