BILL REQ. #:  H-1940.3 

READ FIRST TIME 02/20/07.   

     AN ACT Relating to authorizing utilities to engage in environmental mitigation efforts; adding a new section to chapter 35.92 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 54.16 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds and declares that greenhouse gases offset contracts, credits, and other greenhouse gases mitigation efforts are a recognized utility purpose that confers a direct benefit on the utility's ratepayers. The legislature declares that this act is intended to reverse the result of Okeson v. City of Seattle (January 18, 2007) by expressly granting municipal utilities and public utility districts the statutory authority to engage in mitigation activities to offset their utility's impact on the environment.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 35.92 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A city or town authorized to acquire and operate utilities for the purpose of furnishing the city or town and its inhabitants and other persons with electricity for lighting and other purposes may develop and make publicly available a plan to reduce its greenhouse gases emissions or achieve no-net emissions from all sources of greenhouse gases that the utility owns, leases, uses, contracts for, or otherwise controls.
     (2) A city or town authorized to acquire and operate utilities for the purpose of furnishing the city or town and its inhabitants and other persons with electricity for lighting and other purposes may, as part of its utility operation, mitigate the environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gases emissions, of its operation and any power purchases. The mitigation may include, but is not limited to, those greenhouse gases mitigation mechanisms recognized by independent, qualified organizations with proven experience in emissions mitigation activities. Mitigation mechanisms may include the purchase, trade, and banking of greenhouse gases offsets or credits. If a state greenhouse gases registry is established, a utility that has purchased, traded, or banked greenhouse gases mitigation mechanisms under this section shall receive credit in the registry.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 54.16 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A public utility district may develop and make publicly available a plan for the district to reduce its greenhouse gases emissions or achieve no-net emissions from all sources of greenhouse gases that the district owns, leases, uses, contracts for, or otherwise controls.
     (2) A public utility district may, as part of its utility operation, mitigate the environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gases emissions, of its operation and any power purchases. Mitigation may include, but is not limited to, those greenhouse gases mitigation mechanisms recognized by independent, qualified organizations with proven experience in emissions mitigation activities. Mitigation mechanisms may include the purchase, trade, and banking of greenhouse gases offsets or credits. If a state greenhouse gases registry is established, a public utility district that has purchased, traded, or banked greenhouse gases mitigation mechanisms under this section shall receive credit in the registry.