To create green-house emission level standards to address climate change. The bill seeks to establish specific standards for the levels of green-house gases allowed. For example, by January 1, 2020, the annual statewide green-house gas emission levels must be no greater than emission levels in 1990, and by January 1, 2035, the annual statewide green-house gas emission levels must be twenty-five percent below the emission levels in 1990.   Official Text and Analysis.

To clarify that the Governor's GHG reduction goals are adopted except for the metric ton equivalents for GHG emissions. (2) The GHG performance standard is set at the lower of 1,100 pounds of GHG per megawatt-hour or the rate of emissions of commercially available combined-cycle natural gas thermal electric generation facilities. "Commercially available" means that at least 100 plants of substantially the same design, specifications and performance characteristics have been in commercial operation for at least three years. (3) The GHG performance standard does not apply to existing combined-cycle natural gas generators, or natural gas generators permitted by June 30, 2008, until they are modified or upgraded. (4) Carbon dioxide must be injected permanently in geological formations if they are not to be counted as an emission. (5) The WUTC must provide for the recovery of the prudently incurred costs of generation or longterm power that meets the emissions standards. Companies may defer costs associated with these long-term commitments. (6) The Commission must adopt policies allowing an additional rate of return for investments related to transmission efficiencies and distributed generation begun after July 1, 2007, and before January 1, 2017. Polices may include an additional 2 percent rate of return for at least seven years but no longer than 30 years. (7) The provision authorizing the Department of General Administration to purchase 100 plug-in hybrids is changed. The requirement that at least 25 of the vehicles be assigned to agency directors is removed and replaced by a requirement that all the vehicles be assigned to departments and job functions that average the most driving miles. (8) The provision creating the Office of the Washington State Climatologist is removed. (9) The provision authorizing a public utility tax credit for consumer-owned utilities is removed.

To limit a utility's or a county's mitigation efforts to greenhouse gases resulting from power generation; therefore, mitigation for emissions from trucks owned by a utility or county or emissions attributable to commercial airplanes used by utility or county employees on business trips would not be allowed.

To assure that the Governor's stakeholder process for climate change strategies shall, to the maximum extent possible, protect Washington jobs and avoid policies that will result in the outsourcing of economic advantages to other states, regions, or nations.

To strike subsection 3 and sections 2 and 3.

To require the use of hybrid vehicles to include an economic analysis of the total life-cycle cost to the state over the vehicle's estimated useful life, including energy inputs into the production of the vehicle, fuel usage, and all related costs of selection, acquisition, operation, maintenance, and disposal, as far as these costs can reasonably be determined, minus the salvage value at the end of the vehicle's estimated useful life".

To amend the title.

To make changes concerning the GHGs emissions goals, emissions performance standards, and the Climate Change Challenge Stakeholder Group.

To provide that all cogeneration facilities operating in the state as of June 30, 2008, that are fueled by either natural gas or waste gas or a combination of the two fuels are in compliance with the greenhouse gases emissions performance standard until a cogeneration facility is the subject of a new ownership interest or is upgraded.

To specify that electric generation facilities or power plants that are powered exclusively by renewable resources are deemed to be in compliance with the greenhouse gases emissions standards.

To remove as a legislative finding information from the United Nation's intergovernmental panel on climate change report, released February 2, 2007.

To apply the greenhouse gases emissions performance standard to the formula for calculating the lump sum mitigation payment option related to the carbon dioxide mitigation program under chapter 80.70 RCW.

To require the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (DCTED) to provide interested parties an opportunity to comment on the development of the survey of new combined cycle natural gas thermal electric generation turbines to determine their greenhouse gases emissions. Requires the DCTED to report the results of the survey every five years (rather than biennially) beginning in 2013 (rather than 2008). Requires the DCTED to adopt by rule the average available greenhouse gases emissions output every five years, beginning five years after the bill is enacted.

To remove provisions relating to procedures a project owner is required to take to amend a site certification agreement following a good faith effort to implement a sequestration plan that the owner determines is infeasible. Requires the project owner to submit documentation to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council of the project owners determination that implementation of the sequestration plan in not feasible. Specifies that the documentation demonstrate the steps taken to implement the sequestration plan and evidence of the technological and economic barriers to successful implementation of the sequestration plan. Requires the project owner to provide to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council notification that they shall implement the plan that requires the project owner to meet the greenhouse gases emissions performance standard by purchasing verifiable greenhouse gases emissions reductions from an electric generating facility located within the western interconnection, where the reduction would not have occurred otherwise or absent this contractual agreement, such that the sum of the emissions reductions purchased and the facility's emissions meets the standard for the life of the facility.

To make technical corrections to the striking amendment.

To provide that the Governor may approve or otherwise take action on an amendment to a site certification (rather than issue an amendment to a site certification) to make the provision consistent with another section of the bill.

To tequire the Utilities and Transportation Commission to determine, upon application by an electric company, whether a company's proposed decision to acquire electric generation or enter into a power purchase agreement complies with the greenhouse gases emissions performance standard, and whether the resource is needed and appropriate. Requires the Utilities and Transportation Commission to adopt rules to develop a proceeding schedule which takes into account the need for timely decisions related to acquisition of electric resource by an electric company and protects other parties' procedural rights allowed under the Administrative Procedure Act. Authorizes electric companies to defer for later consideration by the Utilities and Transportation Commission costs incurred in connection with a long-term financial commitment. Limits the deferral to a period not to exceed 24 months, provided that if during the period the electric company files a general rate case or other proceeding for the recovery of costs, deferral ends on the effective date of the final decision by the commission in such proceeding. Specifies that the deferral account established by an electric company does not determine the actual costs of the long-term financial commitment.

To strike the original bill and insert new language regarding climate change.

To require all baseload electric generation that commences operation after June 30, 2008, and is located in Washington, to comply with the greenhouse gases emissions performance standard. Specifies for baseload electric facilities that will rely on section 5(6) to demonstrate compliance, but will commence sequestration after the date that electricity is first produced, the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council and the Department of Ecology in adopting rules shall include criteria to be applied in evaluating the carbon sequestration plan. Requires the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council and the Department of Ecology to determine whether sequestration or a plan for sequestration will provide safe, reliable, and permanent protection against the greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere from the power plant and all ancillary facilities. Requires the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council's contract for review of sequestration or the carbon sequestration plan with the Department of Ecology to be consistent with the conditions in subsection (11)(a) of this section. Requires the Utilities and Transportation Commission to consult with the Department of Ecology to apply the procedures adopted by the Department of Ecology to verify the emissions of greenhouse gases from baseload electric generation. Requires the Department of Ecology to report to the Utilities and Transportation Commission whether baseload electric generation will comply with the greenhouse gases emissions performance standard for the duration of the period the baseload electric generation is supplied to the electrical company. Requires the governing board of a consumer owned utility to consult with the Department of Ecology before making a determination on any long-term financial commitment by the utility.