(1) The legislature finds that excessive dependence on fossil fuels jeopardizes Washington's economic security, environmental integrity, and public health. Accelerated development and use of clean fuels and clean vehicle technologies will reduce the drain on Washington's economy from importing fossil fuels. As fossil fuel prices rise, clean fuels and vehicles can save consumers money while promoting the development of a major, sustainable industry that provides good jobs and a new source of rural prosperity. In addition, clean fuels and vehicles protect public health by reducing toxic air and climate change emissions.

(2) The legislature also finds that climate change is expected to have significant impacts in the Pacific Northwest region in the near and long-term future. These impacts include: Increased temperatures, declining snowpack, more frequent heavy rainfall and flooding, receding glaciers, rising sea levels, increased risks to public health due to insect and rodent-borne diseases, declining salmon populations, and increased drought and risk of forest fires. The legislature recognizes the need at this time to continue to gather and analyze information related to climate protection. This analysis will allow prudent steps to be taken to avoid, mitigate, or respond to climate impacts and protect our communities.

(3) Finally, the legislature finds that to reduce fossil fuel dependence, build our clean energy economy, and reduce climate impacts, the state should develop policies and incentives that help businesses, consumers, and farmers gain greater access to affordable clean fuels and vehicles and to produce clean fuels in the state. These policies and incentives should include: Incentives for replacement of the most polluting diesel engines, especially in school buses; transitional incentives for development of the most promising in-state clean fuels and fuel feedstocks, including biodiesel crops, ethanol from plant waste, and liquid natural gas from landfill or wastewater treatment gases; reduced fossil fuel consumption by state fleets; development of promising new technologies for displacing petroleum with electricity, such as "plug-in hybrids"; and impact analysis and emission accounting procedures that prepare Washington to respond and prosper as climate change impacts occur, and as policies and markets to reduce climate pollution are developed.

The director of the department shall appoint a coordinator that is responsible for:

(1) Managing, directing, inventorying, and coordinating state efforts to promote, develop, and encourage biofuel and energy efficiency, renewable energy, and innovative energy technology markets in Washington;

(2) Developing, coordinating, and overseeing the implementation of a plan, or series of plans, for the production, transport, distribution, and delivery of biofuels produced predominantly from recycled products or Washington feedstocks;

(3) Working with the departments of transportation and enterprise services, and other applicable state and local governmental entities and the private sector, to ensure the development of biofuel fueling stations for use by state and local governmental motor vehicle fleets, and to provide greater availability of public biofuel fueling stations for use by state and local governmental motor vehicle fleets;

(4) Coordinating with the Western Washington University alternative automobile program for opportunities to support new Washington state technology for conversion of fossil fuel fleets to biofuel, hybrid, or alternative fuel propulsion;

(5) Coordinating with the University of Washington's college of forest management and the Olympic natural resources center for the identification of barriers to using the state's forest resources for fuel production, including the economic and transportation barriers of physically bringing forest biomass to the market;

(6) Coordinating with the department of agriculture and Washington State University for the identification of other barriers for future biofuels development and development of strategies for furthering the penetration of the Washington state fossil fuel market with Washington produced biofuels, particularly among public entities.

Effective date—2009 c 451: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 11, 2009]." [ 2009 c 451 s 11.]

Intent—2009 c 451: "The legislature intends to modify the energy freedom program and account in order to receive federal funds and other sources of funding. Also, the legislature intends to expand the mission of the energy freedom program to accelerate energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy improvements, and deployment of innovative energy technologies. Additionally, the legislature intends to support, through the energy freedom program, research, demonstration, and commercialization of energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy improvements, and innovation energy technologies." [ 2009 c 451 s 1.]

(1) By June 1, 2010, the department shall adopt rules to define practicability and clarify how state agencies will be evaluated in determining whether they have met the goals set out in RCW 43.19.648(1). At a minimum, the rules must address:

(a) Criteria for determining how the goal in RCW 43.19.648(1) will be met by June 1, 2015;

(b) Factors considered to determine compliance with the goal in RCW 43.19.648(1), including but not limited to: The regional availability of fuels; vehicle costs; differences between types of vehicles, vessels, or equipment; the cost of program implementation; and cost differentials in different parts of the state; and

(c) A schedule for phased-in progress towards meeting the goal in RCW 43.19.648(1) that may include different schedules for different fuel applications or different quantities of biofuels.

(2) By June 1, 2015, the department shall adopt rules to define practicability and clarify how local government subdivisions of the state will be evaluated in determining whether they have met the goals set out in RCW 43.19.648(2). At a minimum, the rules must address:

(a) Criteria for determining how the goal in RCW 43.19.648(2) will be met by June 1, 2018;

(b) Factors considered to determine compliance with the goal in RCW 43.19.648(2), including but not limited to: The regional availability of fuels; vehicle costs; differences between types of vehicles, vessels, or equipment; the cost of program implementation; and cost differentials in different parts of the state; and

(c) A schedule for phased-in progress towards meeting the goal in RCW 43.19.648(2) that may include different schedules for different fuel applications or different quantities of biofuels.

Intent—2011 c 353: See note following RCW 36.70A.130.

If the total requested dollar amount of funds for refueling projects under *RCW 43.325.020(4) exceeds the amount available for refueling projects in the energy freedom account created in *RCW 43.325.040, the applications must be prioritized based upon the following criteria:

(1) The extent to which the project will help reduce dependence on petroleum fuels and imported energy either directly or indirectly;

(2) The extent to which the project will reduce air and water pollution either directly or indirectly;

(3) The extent to which the project will establish a viable bioenergy production capacity in Washington;

(4) The extent to which the project will make biofuels more accessible to the motoring public;

(5) The benefits to Washington's agricultural producers; and

(6) The number and quality of jobs and economic benefits created by the project.

*Reviser's note: RCW 43.325.020 and 43.325.040 expired June 30, 2016.

(1) The department of commerce and the department of ecology shall develop a framework for the state of Washington to participate in emerging regional, national, and to the extent possible, global markets to mitigate climate change, on a multisector basis. This framework must include, but not be limited to, credible, verifiable, replicable inventory and accounting methodologies for each sector involved, along with the completion of the stakeholder process identified in executive order number 07-02 creating the Washington state climate change challenge.

(2) The department of commerce and the department of ecology shall include the forestry sector and work closely with the department of natural resources on those recommendations.

(3) The department must provide a report to the legislature by December 1, 2008. The report may be included within the report produced for executive order number 07-02.

Explanatory statement—2023 c 470: See note following RCW 10.99.030.

(1) The vehicle electrification demonstration grant program is established within the department of commerce. The director may establish policies and procedures necessary for processing, reviewing, and approving applications made under this chapter.

(2) The director may approve an application for a vehicle electrification demonstration project only if the director finds:

(a) The applicant is a state agency, public school district, public utility district, or a political subdivision of the state, including port districts, counties, cities, towns, special purpose districts, and other municipal corporations or quasi-municipal corporations or a state institution of higher education;

(b) The project partially funds the purchase of or conversion of existing vehicles to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles or battery electric vehicles for use in the applicant's fleet or operations;

(c) The project partners with an electric utility and demonstrates technologies to allow controlled vehicle charging, including the use of power electronics or wireless technologies, to regulate time-of-day and duration of charging;

(d) The project provides matching resources; and

(e) The project provides evaluation of fuel savings, greenhouse gas reductions, battery capabilities, energy management system, charge controlling technologies, and other relevant information determined on the advice of the vehicle electrification work group.

(3) The director may approve an application for a vehicle electrification demonstration project if the project, in addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (2) of this section, also demonstrates charging using on-site renewable resources or vehicle-to-grid capabilities that enable the vehicle to discharge electricity into the grid.

Explanatory statement—2023 c 470: See note following RCW 10.99.030.

(1) Energy freedom program projects funded pursuant to *RCW 43.325.040 or by the legislature pursuant to sections 191 and 192, chapter 371, Laws of 2006 for which the department of agriculture has signed loan agreements and disbursed funds prior to June 30, 2007, shall continue to be serviced by the department of agriculture.

(2) Energy freedom program projects funded pursuant to *RCW 43.325.040 or by the legislature pursuant to sections 191 and 192, chapter 371, Laws of 2006 for which moneys have been appropriated but loan agreements or disbursements have not been completed must be transferred to the department for project management on July 1, 2007, subject to the ongoing requirements of the energy freedom program.

*Reviser's note: RCW 43.325.040 expired June 30, 2016.

Sections 205 and 301 through 307 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and take effect July 1, 2007.