5560-S2.E AMH CHAS CALL 081

E2SSB 5560 - H AMD TO WAYS COMM AMD (H-3099.1/09) 732

By Representative Chase

WITHDRAWN 4/16/2009

    On page 2, after line 38 of the striking amendment, insert the following:

    "Sec. 3.  RCW 70.235.010 and 2008 c 14 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

    (1) "Carbon dioxide equivalents" means a metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential.

    (2) "Climate advisory team" means the stakeholder group formed in response to executive order 07-02.

    (3) "Climate impacts group" means the University of Washington's climate impacts group.

    (4) "Department" means the department of ecology.

    (5) "Direct emissions" means emissions of greenhouse gases from sources of emissions, including stationary combustion sources, mobile combustion emissions, process emissions, and fugitive emissions.

    (6) "Director" means the director of the department.

    (7) "Greenhouse gas" and "greenhouse gases" includes carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.

    (8) "Indirect emissions" means emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the purchase of electricity, heating, cooling, or steam.

    (9) "Person" means an individual, partnership, franchise holder, association, corporation, a state, a city, a county, or any subdivision or instrumentality of the state.

    (10) "Program" means the department's climate change program.

    (11) "Small-scale powered equipment" means a tool or other nonroad or marine machine powered by a gasoline, diesel, or propane spark ignition engine that has a standard manufacturer's listed horsepower rating of fifty horsepower or fewer.  Examples of the term "small-scale powered equipment" include, but are not limited to, the following items when the components of the definition are satisfied:  Lawnmowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, air compressors, chainsaws, turf equipment, and lawn and garden tractors.

(12) "Total emissions of greenhouse gases" means all direct emissions and all indirect emissions.

    (((12))) (13) "Western climate initiative" means the collaboration of states, Canadian provinces, Mexican states, and tribes to design a multisector market-based mechanism as directed under the western regional climate action initiative signed by the governor on February 22, 2007.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 70.235 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) As part of satisfying the requirements of section 2 of this act, state agencies are, except as otherwise provided in this section, prohibited from purchasing small-scale powered equipment if the market offers an alternative item that is powered by an electrical cord or rechargeable battery.

    (2) All state agencies shall phase out the use of small-scale powered equipment that have alternative items available on the market that are powered by an electrical cord or rechargeable battery on a timeline that ensures that no such items are in use five years after the effective date of this act.

    (3)(a) The top administrative official of a state agency may waive the provisions of this section on a case-by-case basis if the top administrative official of the agency publishes a finding in the Washington State Register explaining the details as to why the purchase or use of the small-scale powered equipment was necessary and why the use of an electric-based alternative would have been impractical.

    (b) The Washington State Register publication requirements of this section may be satisfied with one annual publication summarizing all instances where the requirements of this section were waived by the top administrative official in the preceding year.

    (4) As a demonstration to other state agencies as to how the requirements of this section may be achieved, the department of general administration shall suspend the use of all spark ignition push lawnmowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers on the capitol campus by October 1, 2009.  The department of general administration shall document its transition from small-scale powered equipment to electrical or manual alternatives to aid other state agencies in their implementation of this section."

    Renumber the sections consecutively and correct any internal references.

EFFECT:   Prohibits state agencies from purchasing small scale gasoline and diesel fueled equipment when electric and battery alternatives are available on the market unless the agency's administrative official waives the prohibition; phases out the state's use of gas powered equipment when electric and battery alternatives are available; and requires the Department of General Administration to conduct a demonstration project on the Capitol Campus in which the use of spark ignition push lawn mowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers are suspended.

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