Bill > SB6092

This bill aims to ensure fair treatment of waste-to-energy facilities within the state's climate commitment act, specifically under the Washington cap and invest program, which is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill acknowledges a study by the department of ecology indicating that the state's sole waste-to-energy system emits fewer greenhouse gases than the alternative of landfilling the same waste, and that this system is crucial for managing municipal solid waste. To achieve more equitable treatment for communities with such systems, the bill introduces a new section that mandates the allocation of "no cost allowances" to the state's waste-to-energy facility. These allowances, which represent a portion of the facility's greenhouse gas emissions that are covered by the program without direct cost, will be provided at 100% of emissions from January 1, 2027, until the end of the second compliance period. Subsequently, this percentage will gradually decrease by three percent for each compliance period. The bill also amends an existing law concerning allowance allocations for electric utilities, adding a provision that prevents electric utilities from receiving no-cost allowances for greenhouse gas emissions produced by a waste-to-energy facility that is already receiving no-cost allowances under this new act.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6092&Year=2025&Initiative=false