6170-S.E AMH CONW H3448.2

ESSB 6170  - H AMD938
     By Representative Conway

WITHDRAWN 04/26/2009

     Beginning on page 1, after line 12, strike all of sections 101 and 102 and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 101   A new section is added to chapter 82.08 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Except as provided in section 103 of this act, purchasers who have paid the tax imposed by RCW 82.08.020 on machinery and equipment used directly in generating electricity consumed exclusively in Washington using fuel cells, wind, sun, biomass energy, tidal or wave energy, geothermal resources, anaerobic digestion, technology that converts otherwise lost energy from exhaust, or landfill gas as the principal source of power, or to sales of or charges made for labor and services rendered in respect to installing such machinery and equipment, are eligible for an exemption as provided in this section, but only if the purchaser develops with such machinery, equipment, and labor a facility capable of generating not less than one thousand watts of electricity.
     (b) Beginning on July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011, the tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to the sale of machinery and equipment described in (a) of this subsection that are used directly in generating electricity consumed exclusively in Washington or to sales of or charges made for labor and services rendered in respect to installing such machinery and equipment.
     (c) Beginning on July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2013, the amount of the exemption under this subsection (1) is equal to seventy-five percent of the state and local sales tax paid. The purchaser is eligible for an exemption under this subsection (1)(c) in the form of a remittance.
     (2) For purposes of this section and section 102 of this act, the following definitions apply:
     (a) "Biomass energy" includes: (i) Byproducts of pulping and wood manufacturing process; (ii) animal waste; (iii) solid organic fuels from wood; (iv) forest or field residues; (v) wooden demolition or construction debris; (vi) food waste; (vii) liquors derived from algae and other sources; (viii) dedicated energy crops; (ix) biosolids; and (x) yard waste. "Biomass energy" does not include wood pieces that have been treated with chemical preservatives such as creosote, pentachlorophenol, or copper-chrome-arsenic; wood from old growth forests; or municipal solid waste.
     (b) "Fuel cell" means an electrochemical reaction that generates electricity by combining atoms of hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst.
     (c) "Landfill gas" means biomass fuel, of the type qualified for federal tax credits under Title 26 U.S.C. Sec. 29 of the federal internal revenue code, collected from a "landfill" as defined under RCW 70.95.030.
     (d)(i) "Machinery and equipment" means fixtures, devices, and support facilities that are integral and necessary to the generation of electricity using fuel cells, wind, sun, biomass energy, tidal or wave energy, geothermal resources, anaerobic digestion, technology that converts otherwise lost energy from exhaust, or landfill gas as the principal source of power.
     (ii) "Machinery and equipment" does not include: (A) Hand-powered tools; (B) property with a useful life of less than one year; (C) repair parts required to restore machinery and equipment to normal working order; (D) replacement parts that do not increase productivity, improve efficiency, or extend the useful life of machinery and equipment; (E) buildings; or (F) building fixtures that are not integral and necessary to the generation of electricity that are permanently affixed to and become a physical part of a building.
     (e) "Purchaser" means a qualifying utility purchasing machinery or equipment, or a person contracting with a qualifying utility for the sale of electric power generated by a facility containing machinery and equipment.
     (f) "Qualifying utility" means a utility subject to renewable resource target requirements under chapter 19.285 RCW.
     (3)(a) Machinery and equipment is "used directly" in generating electricity by wind energy, solar energy, biomass energy, tidal or wave energy, geothermal resources, anaerobic digestion, technology that converts otherwise lost energy from exhaust, or landfill gas power if it provides any part of the process that captures the energy of the wind, sun, biomass energy, tidal or wave energy, geothermal resources, anaerobic digestion, technology that converts otherwise lost energy from exhaust, or landfill gas, converts that energy to electricity, and stores, transforms, or transmits that electricity for entry into or operation in parallel with electric transmission and distribution systems.
     (b) Machinery and equipment is "used directly" in generating electricity by fuel cells if it provides any part of the process that captures the energy of the fuel, converts that energy to electricity, and stores, transforms, or transmits that electricity for entry into or operation in parallel with electric transmission and distribution systems.
     (4)(a) A purchaser claiming an exemption in the form of a remittance under subsection (1)(c) of this section must pay the tax imposed by RCW 82.08.020 and all applicable local sales taxes imposed under the authority of chapters 82.14 and 81.104 RCW. The purchaser may then apply to the department for remittance in a form and manner prescribed by the department. A purchaser may not apply for a remittance under this section more frequently than once per quarter. The purchaser must specify the amount of exempted tax claimed and the qualifying purchases for which the exemption is claimed. The purchaser must retain, in adequate detail, records to enable the department to determine whether the purchaser is entitled to an exemption under this section, including: Invoices; proof of tax paid; and documents describing the machinery and equipment.
     (b) The department must determine eligibility under this section based on the information provided by the purchaser, which is subject to audit verification by the department. The department must on a quarterly basis remit exempted amounts to qualifying purchasers who submitted applications during the previous quarter.
     (5) This section expires July 1, 2013.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 102   A new section is added to chapter 82.12 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Except as provided in section 104 of this act, purchasers who have paid the tax imposed by RCW 82.12.020 on machinery and equipment used directly in generating electricity consumed exclusively in Washington using fuel cells, wind, sun, biomass energy, tidal or wave energy, geothermal resources, anaerobic digestion, technology that converts otherwise lost energy from exhaust, or landfill gas as the principal source of power, or to sales of or charges made for labor and services rendered in respect to installing such machinery and equipment, are eligible for an exemption as provided in this section, but only if the purchaser develops with such machinery, equipment, and labor a facility capable of generating not less than one thousand watts of electricity.
     (b) Beginning on July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2011, the provisions of this chapter do not apply in respect to the use of machinery and equipment described in (a) of this subsection that are used directly in generating electricity consumed exclusively in Washington or to sales of or charges made for labor and services rendered in respect to installing such machinery and equipment.
     (c) Beginning on July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2013, the amount of the exemption under this subsection (1) is equal to seventy-five percent of the state and local sales tax paid. The purchaser is eligible for an exemption under this subsection (1)(c) in the form of a remittance.
     (2)(a) A purchaser claiming an exemption in the form of a remittance under subsection (1)(c) of this section must pay the tax imposed by RCW 82.12.020 and all applicable local use taxes imposed under the authority of chapters 82.14 and 81.104 RCW. The purchaser may then apply to the department for remittance in a form and manner prescribed by the department. A purchaser may not apply for a remittance under this section more frequently than once per quarter. The purchaser must specify the amount of exempted tax claimed and the qualifying purchases or acquisitions for which the exemption is claimed. The purchaser must retain, in adequate detail, records to enable the department to determine whether the purchaser is entitled to an exemption under this section, including: Invoices; proof of tax paid; and documents describing the machinery and equipment.
     (b) The department must determine eligibility under this section based on the information provided by the purchaser, which is subject to audit verification by the department. The department must on a quarterly basis remit exempted amounts to qualifying purchasers who submitted applications during the previous quarter.
     (3) Purchases exempt under section 101 of this act are also exempt from the tax imposed under RCW 82.12.020.
     (4) The definitions in section 101 of this act apply to this section.
     (5) This section expires June 30, 2013."

EFFECT:  Specifies that the sales and use tax incentive may be taken by a qualifying utility subject to renewable resource target requirements, or a person contracting with a qualifying utility for the sale of electric power generated by a facility containing machinery and equipment, provided that the electricity generated by machinery and equipment is consumed exclusively in Washington.

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