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Washington
Related Links
Definitions
Planning and Measurement | Targets and Caps | Reporting | Power Sector | Transportation Sector
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Planning and Measurement
State Advisory Board
Status: Completed
Details: Governor Christine Gregoire, in Executive Order 07-02 (February 7, 2007), directed state government agencies to initiate a climate change initiative called the Washington Climate Change Challenge. The initiative includes a wide range of stakeholders in addition to government agencies. The Washington Climate Change Challenge submitted an interim report to Governor Gregoire on February 6, 2008, that addresses strategies for emission reduction and adaptation.
- http://www.governor.wa.gov/execorders/eo_07-02.pdf
- http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/interimreport.htm
Regional Initiatives
Status: Completed
Details: On March 13, 2008, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill (House Bill 2815), which authorizes Washington officials to work with the Western Climate Initiative, a partnership of six states and two Canadian provinces, to develop a regional greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system.
Governor Christine Gregoire and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell signed an agreement on June 8, 2007, pledging to work together on reducing GHG emissions and ocean pollution, according to a joint statement from the officials. The Memorandum of Understanding on Pacific Coast Collaboration to Protect Our Shared Climate and Ocean advances the goals of the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative.
The Governors of five western states established the Western Climate Initiative on February 26, 2007, committing to establish an overall regional goal to reduce GHG emissions within 6 months, develop a design for a regional market-based multi-sector mechanism within 18 months to achieve the regional goal, and participate in a multistate GHG registry. The WCI unveiled its draft greenhouse gas reduction strategy on July 23, 2008. A final version of the plan is due in September 2008, and each state and province will then be left to adopt the recommendations.
In November 2004, the Governors of Washington, Oregon, and California approved a series of recommendations to reduce global warming pollution, covering GHG fleet standards, appliance standards, building codes, renewable energy targets.
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202008/2815-S2.SL.pdf
- http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/docs/gov_20070608_BCMOU.pdf
- http://www.westernclimateinitiative.org/
GHG Inventory
Status: Completed
Details: Revised in 2007. Originally completed in 1994.
- http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/docs/WA_GHGInventoryReferenceCaseProjections_1990-2020.pdf
- http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/WASummary_03_08.pdf
- http://www.energy.wsu.edu/ftp-ep/pubs/climate/greenhouse_gasemissions.pdf
Climate Change Action Plan
Status: Completed/Further Work In Progress
Details: On March 13, 2008, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire approved H.B. 2815, a bill that will reduce the state's greenhouse gas emissions to 50% below 1990 emission levels by 2050. The bill also includes interim limits of returning to 1990 emission levels by 2020 and reducing emissions to 25% below 1990 levels by 2035. The bill, H.B. 2815, leaves most of the details to the state's Department of Ecology, which has until December 1, 2008, to create a greenhouse gas reduction plan that achieves the bill's emissions targets.
The Washington Department of Ecology and Washington Community, Trade, and Economic Development Department, on February 6, 2008, issued a report titled "Leading the Way on Climate Change: The Challenge of Our Time." The report outlines how Washington State can respond to climate change, recommends strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and describes how the state can prepare for the "inevitable impacts" of climate change. The report was issued in response to Governor Christine Gregoire's 2007 climate change Executive Order 07-02 setting state goals for reducing GHG emissions and lowering state-spending on importing fossil fuels.
The governors of Washington, Oregon, and California have approved a series of recommendations for action to combat global warming, and directed their staffs to continue working on state and regional goals and strategies to combat global warming.
A state Climate Change Action Plan was completed in 1996.
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202008/2815-S2.SL.pdf
- http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/interimreport.htm
- http://www.governor.wa.gov/execorders/eo_07-02.pdf
Targets and Caps
Lead by Example Target
Status: No Activity Identified
Statewide GHG Target
Status: Completed
Details: On March 13, 2008, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill (House Bill 2815), which establishes greenhouse gas emission targets for the state: 1990 levels by 2020; 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2035; and 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
On August 22, 2007, a coalition of six Western states and two Canadian provinces - the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) - announced that they set a regional goal to fight global warming of reducing GHG emissions 15% below 2005 levels by 2020. In February 2007, Washington became a member of the WCI partnership focused on reducing carbon emissions. On May 3, 2007, Governor Christine Gregoire signed SB 6001, setting into law statewide GHG emissions reductions goals and strategies originally announced in a February 2007 Executive Order (07-02). The law commits Washington to reduce statewide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, 25% below 1990 levels by 2035, and 50% below 1990 levels by 2050.
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202008/2815-S2.SL.pdf
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6001&year=2007
Statewide GHG Cap
Status: Completed
Details: On March 13, 2008, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill (House Bill 2815), which requires the state to reduce its GHG emissions by 70% of expected levels (50% below 1990 levels) by 2050.
Announced membership in the International Carbon Action Partnership on October 29, 2007 - a group of public authorities and governments that have established or are actively pursuing carbon markets through mandatory cap and trade systems as one approach for reducing GHG emissions.
On May 3, 2007, Governor Christine Gregoire signed SB 6001, setting into law statewide GHG emissions reductions goals and strategies originally announced in a February 2007 Executive Order. The law commits Washington to reduce statewide emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, 25% below 1990 levels by 2035, and 50% below 1990 levels by 2050.
The governors of five western states established the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative on February 26, 2007, committing to establish an overall regional goal to reduce GHG emissions within 6 months and develop a design for a regional market-based multi-sector mechanism within 18 months to achieve the regional goal.
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/2815-S2.PL.pdf
- http://www.icapcarbonaction.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=105&lang=en
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6001&year=2007
Reporting
Electricity Disclosure
Status: No Activity Identified
GHG Registry
Status: In Progress
Details: Member of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), which is considering various options for establishing a GHG registry and reporting system that will require some facilities and sectors to report (and reduce) their GHG emissions. The WCI unveiled its draft greenhouse gas reduction strategy on July 23, 2008. A final version of the plan is due in September 2008, and each state and province will then be left to adopt the recommendations.
Member of The Climate Registry - a collaboration aimed at developing and managing a common GHG emissions reporting system across states, provinces, and tribes. It will provide an accurate, complete, consistent, transparent, and verified set of GHG emissions data from reporting entities, supported by a robust accounting and verification infrastructure. Members released a final General Reporting Protocol in May 2008. The Climate Registry plans to start accepting data in summer 2008.
Mandatory GHG Reporting
Status: Completed
Details: On March 13, 2008, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill (House Bill 2815), which requires the Ecology Department to establish an emissions reporting system by 2010 for industries that annually produce 10,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases and vehicle fleets that emit at least 2,500 metric tons per year.
On January 14, 2008, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire proposed a bill that requires companies and government agencies in Washington to report their GHG emissions. Gregoire expects emissions reporting to start in 2010 for 2009 measurements.
Washington is a member of the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), which is considering various options for establishing a GHG reporting system that will require some facilities and sectors to report (and reduce) their GHG emissions. The WCI unveiled its draft greenhouse gas reduction strategy on July 23, 2008. A final version of the plan is due in September 2008, and each state and province will then be left to adopt the recommendations.
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202008/2815-S2.SL.pdf
- http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=754&newsType=1
Power Sector
CO2 Offset Requirements
Status: Completed
Details: A regulation to require new power plants to offset 20% of their projected CO2 emissions passed the state legislature and was signed by the Governor in March 2004.
GHG Performance Standard
Status: Completed
Details: On May 3, 2007, Governor Christine Gregoire signed SB 6001. This legislation establishes a GHG performance standard for all new, long-term base load electric power generation. Under the standard, all base load generation for which utilities enter into long-term contracts must meet a GHG emissions standard of 1,100 pounds per megawatt-hour (MWh) beginning in July 2008.
Advanced Coal Technology
Status: No Activity Identified
Power Sector GHG Cap and Trade
Status: Proposed
Details: On March 13, 2008, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law the Climate Action and Green Jobs bill (House Bill 2815), which authorizes Washington officials to work with the Western Climate Initiative, a partnership of six states and two Canadian provinces, to develop a regional greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system.
On May 3, 2007, Governor Gregoire signed SB 6001, setting into law statewide GHG emissions reductions goals and strategies originally announced in February 2007 Executive Order 07-02. The bill directs the governor's office to develop policy recommendations for how the state can achieve these goals, including the possible implementation of market mechanisms such as a cap-and-trade system, carbon sequestration projects, replacing high-emitting electricity generation with newer technologies, and the improvement of regulatory and tax policies. The recommendations must be submitted to the legislature for consideration in 2008.
- http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202008/2815-S2.SL.pdf
- http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2007-08/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/6001-S.PL.pdf
Transportation Sector
GHG Auto Standards
Status: In Progress
Details: A new chapter of the Washington Administrative Code adopted the California vehicle emissions standards in November 2005.
On January 2, 2008, California filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. EPA's denial of the state's effort to regulate GHG emissions from motor vehicles, in response to EPA's rejection of a petition for a Clean Air Act waiver on December 19, 2007. A waiver is required for California and other states to implement a vehicle emissions standard tougher than the federal one. The proposed auto standard calls for the reduction of GHG emissions from new vehicles of 22% by 2012 and 30% by 2016.
- http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0502031.pdf
- http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0502024.pdf
- http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/8400/
Low Carbon Fuel Standard
Status: No Activity Identified