Zero-Emission Vehicles. Under the federal Clean Air Act (CAA), most states, including Washington, are restricted from enacting their own emissions standards for new motor vehicles, which is an authority generally reserved for the federal government. California is the only state allowed under the CAA to adopt state standards for vehicle emissions. Other states may adopt vehicle emissions standards identical to California's for specific vehicle model years.
In 2020, the Legislature required the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to adopt all of California's motor vehicle emission standards, which includes low-emission vehicle (LEV) and zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) program regulations.
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Pilot Program. A 2015 law, required the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) Innovative Partnerships Office to develop a pilot program to support deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. WSDOT is required to adopt rules to implement the pilot program and support current EV drivers as well as the anticipated growth in EV adoption. In 2019, the program expanded to include proposals for hydrogen fuel station infrastructure.
In 2019, the Legislature created an EV Account for expenditures on certain transportation electrification and alternative fuel related purposes. Revenues from an annual $75 fee imposed on electric or hybrid vehicles are deposited into the EV Account.
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Requirements. The State Building Code Council (council) maintains the State Energy Code (code) as a part of the State Building Code, which sets the minimum construction requirements for buildings in the state. The code provides a maximum and minimum level of energy efficiency for residential buildings and the minimum level of energy efficiency for nonresidential buildings.
The council is required to adopt rules to establish EV infrastructure requirements that require EV charging capability at all new buildings that provide on-site parking by July 1, 2021. These rules must provide that:
Electric Utility Resource Plans. Electric utilities may be operated by municipalities (municipal electric utilities), public utility districts (PUDs), which are special purpose districts which may be formed to generate and distribute electricity, and privately owned electrical companies (investor-owned utilities). Investor-owned utility rates are subject to review and approval by the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC).
Each electric utility must develop a Resource Plan (RP). Utilities with 25,000 or more customers not fully served by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) must develop Integrated Resource Plans (IRPs). An IRP must include forecasts of projected customer demand and assessments of commercially available conservation and efficiency resources and renewable and nonrenewable technologies. Utilities with fewer than 25,000 customers or that are fully served BPA customers must complete a RP with fewer required components than IRPs. IRPs and other RPs must be updated at least every two years.
For electric utilities required to develop an IRP, the IRP must include the following:
Electrification of Transportation Plan. The governing body of a municipal electric utility or PUD may adopt an electrification of transportation plan that, at a minimum, establishes a finding that utility outreach and investment in the electrification of transportation infrastructure does not increase net costs to ratepayers in excess of 0.25 percent.
An investor-owned utility may submit to the UTC an electrification of transportation plan that deploys electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) or provides other electric transportation programs, services, or incentives to support electrification of transportation, provided that such EVSE programs or services do not increase costs to customers in excess of 0.25 percent above the benefits of electric transportation to all customers over a period consistent with the utility's planning horizon under its most recent IRP.
The incentive rate of return on investment:
Washington Greenhouse Gas Limits. Washington enacted legislation in 2008 setting a series of limits on emission of GHGs within the state. Ecology is responsible for monitoring and tracking the state's progress toward the emission limits. Additional legislation in 2020 updated the state limits to the following:
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Tool. WSDOT must develop and maintain a publicly available mapping and forecasting tool (tool) that provides locations and essential information of charging and refueling infrastructure to support forecasted levels of EV adoption, travel, and use. When developing the tool WSDOT must consult with Ecology as well as the Department of Commerce and the state Office of Equity.
The tool must:
If feasible or to the extent feasible, the tool must also:
WSDOT must conduct a stakeholder process when developing the tool and must involve stakeholders early in the tool development process. WSDOT may contract with consultants or Department of Commerce to develop and implement all or part of the tool, and may rely on or contract for privately maintained data.
Funds in the EV Account may be used for the tool. To the extent the tool is used to recommend future EV charging sites, WSDOT must consider recommending sites co-located with small retailers and other amenities.
Electric Utilities' Resource Plans. Electric utilities' IRPs and RPs must account for:
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Requirements. The council's EV requirements for buildings must exceed the minimum requirements established in 2019 for residential and commercial buildings to the extent necessary to support anticipated levels of ZEV use that result from the implementation of the ZEV program, and that result in emission reductions consistent with state emission reduction limits.
The council must adopt rules to implement the EV infrastructure requirements by July 1, 2024 and the rules may be periodically updated thereafter.