Bill > SB5698

This bill provides an alternative compliance pathway for certain small municipal gas utilities under Washington's Climate Commitment Act. Specifically, a municipal gas utility whose greenhouse gas emissions did not exceed 27,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent prior to 2022 can elect to pursue a different approach to emissions reduction. To do so, the utility must submit a written notice to the department by September 1, 2025, along with a plan detailing how it will reduce its emissions below 22,500 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. The plan must include emission reduction activities and demonstrate that the utility will spend at least as much on these activities as it would have spent on compliance instruments under the existing program. If the utility fails to meet its emissions reduction target by 2030, it will be required to revert to being a covered entity and submit penalty compliance instruments for any uncovered emissions. The bill also makes minor amendments to existing law regarding allowance allocation for natural gas utilities, ensuring that the new alternative pathway is integrated into the existing regulatory framework.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5698&Year=2025&Initiative=false