S-6157.1

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6578

BySenate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Senators Honeyford, Van De Wege, King, and Takko)

AN ACT Relating to designating pumped storage projects located in a county bordering the Columbia river utilizing statutorily authorized water rights to be projects of statewide significance; amending RCW 43.157.010 and 43.157.020; and creating a new section.

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

(2) The legislature further finds that certain studies indicate a resource adequacy shortfall on the region's electric grid by 2025 and it is in the interest of the state to expedite pump storage projects that will address this shortfall.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.157.010 and 2017 c 288 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter and RCW 28A.525.166, 43.21A.350, and 90.58.100, unless the context requires otherwise:

(1) "Applicant" means a person applying to the department for designation of a development project as a project of statewide significance.

(2) "Aviation biofuels production facility" means a facility primarily for the processing of nonfossil biogenic feedstocks to produce aviation fuels that meet the fuel quality technical standards of the American society for testing materials for aviation fuels and coproducts.

(3) "Department" means the department of commerce.

(4) "Manufacturing" shall have the meaning assigned it in RCW 82.62.010.

(5)(a) "Project of statewide significance" means:

(i) A border crossing project that involves both private and public investments carried out in conjunction with adjacent states or provinces;

(ii) A development project that will provide a net environmental benefit;

(iii) A development project in furtherance of the commercialization of innovations;

(iv) A private industrial development with private capital investment in manufacturing or research and development;

(v) An aviation biofuels production facility; ((or))

(vi) A pumped storage project using water rights approved by the legislature for that purpose; or

(vii) A project designated by the legislature and codified under this chapter.

(b) To qualify for designation under RCW 43.157.030 as a project of statewide significance:

(i) The project must be completed after January 1, 2009;

(ii) The applicant must submit an application to the department for designation as a project of statewide significance to the department of commerce; and

(iii) Except for an aviation biofuels production facility, the project must have:

(A) In counties with a population less than or equal to twenty thousand, a capital investment of five million dollars;

(B) In counties with a population greater than twenty thousand but no more than fifty thousand, a capital investment of ten million dollars;

(C) In counties with a population greater than fifty thousand but no more than one hundred thousand, a capital investment of fifteen million dollars;

(D) In counties with a population greater than one hundred thousand but no more than two hundred thousand, a capital investment of twenty million dollars;

(E) In counties with a population greater than two hundred thousand but no more than four hundred thousand, a capital investment of thirty million dollars;

(F) In counties with a population greater than four hundred thousand but no more than one million, a capital investment of forty million dollars;

(G) In counties with a population greater than one million, a capital investment of fifty million dollars;

(H) In rural counties as defined by RCW 82.14.370, projected full-time employment positions after completion of construction of fifty or greater;

(I) In counties other than rural counties as defined by RCW 82.14.370, projected full-time employment positions after completion of construction of one hundred or greater; or

(J) Been qualified by the director of the department as a project of statewide significance either because:

(I) The economic circumstances of the county merit the additional assistance such designation will bring;

(II) The impact on a region due to the size and complexity of the project merits such designation;

(III) The project resulted from or is in furtherance of innovation activities at a public research institution in the state or is in or resulted from innovation activities within an innovation partnership zone; or

(IV) The project will provide a net environmental benefit as evidenced by plans for design and construction under green building standards or for the creation of renewable energy technology or components or under other environmental criteria established by the director in consultation with the director of the department of ecology.

A project may be qualified under this subsection (5)(b)(iii)(J) only after consultation on the availability of staff resources of the office of regulatory assistance.

(6) "Research and development" shall have the meaning assigned it in RCW 82.62.010.

Sec. 3. RCW 43.157.020 and 2009 c 421 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Counties and cities with development projects designated as projects of statewide significance within their jurisdictions shall enter into an agreement with the office of regulatory assistance and the project managers of projects of statewide significance for expediting the completion of projects of statewide significance. The agreement shall require:

(1) Expedited permit processing for the design and construction of the project;

(2) Expedited environmental review processing;

(3) Expedited processing of requests for street, right-of-way, or easement vacations necessary for the construction of the project;

(4) Participation of local officials on the team assembled under the requirements of RCW 43.157.030(((2)))(3)(b); ((and))

(5) A plan for consultation with affected tribes; and

(6) Such other actions or items as are deemed necessary by the office of regulatory assistance for the design and construction of the project.

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