Seattle/King County Climate News 4.1.22

[Robin Briggs]

I probably shouldn't have picked today for mailing this out -- this is not an April Fools joke. But it's been awhile since I did an update, so I thought I should get this out while the information is still relevant.

ACTION ITEMS: There are two Seattle surveys I would encourage you do to. One for the Transportation Plan, and one for the Comprehensive Plan.

Seattle

SDOT has started gathering feedback on the Seattle Transportation Plan,  The new plan will integrate Transit, Pedestrian, Bike and Freight plans, and will be used to inform funding choices in the next Transportation capital levy. Here's a link to the survey.

The Office of Sustainability and Environment is having listening sessions on a proposed new Building Standards program, designed to reduce emissions from larger buildings. Online Open House is April 5, 12:00 - 1:30pm.

The Green New Deal Oversight Committee will hold a Town Hall on April 18 to gather community input on the recommendations for spending on the budget for 2022, the $4.6M Green New Deal funding that is awaiting their recommendations, as well as gathering recommendations for the 2023 budget.

Seattle has launched the Comprehensive Plan update process, now named One Seattle. The State passed a law that pushed the deadline 6 months out to allow more time for climate planning, and also passed funding for climate planning, although 1099 was not passed. Several King County cities have announced the intention to abide by 1099 provisions. A survey for the Comprehensive Plan is here. Councilmember Morales is hosting a series of Town Hall on the plan, centered around the idea of the 15 minute community as part of a series titled Seattle Within Reach. The first Town Hall is an introduction and can be viewed here.

City Council approved a new ordinance sponsored by Dan Strauss and Alex Pedersen, requiring that arborists conducting commercial tree work register with the city. There are training and education requirements in order to be registered. The overhaul of Seattle's tree ordinance is on hold for a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review. An article in The Urbanist sums it up.

Other King County Cities

Redmond, Bellevue, Issaquah and Kirkland have launched a Climate Action Challenge. This is a public education campaign that aims to get people to calculate their carbon footprints, and create personalized reduction plans. People can form teams when view results online. There will be public training sessions in late April and early May, and people from other cities are welcome to participate.

Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC )

The draft Regional Transportation Plan is before the Transportation Policy Board, with a number of amendments to consider. Many of the proposed amendments relate to climate goals and transit/bike/walk. The Board will be meeting again on April 14 at 9:30am to consider amendments, and have a hard deadline in May for the Executive Board to approve a plan in order to be able to apply for Federal funds.

State

Thanks to Climate at the Legislature for help understanding the bills. Many bill descriptions are cribbed from there.

These bills passed both chambers, need Governor's signature

SB 5042. Eliminate the GMA vesting loophole. Part of Washington Can't Wait.

HB 2119/SB 5974 State Transportation Spending Package. Passed the Senate and referred to House Rules. Will need to conference.

HB 2118/SB 5975.  State Transportation Revenue Package.  Passed the Senate and referred to House Rules. Amended to drop export fuel tax introduced. Will need to conference.

HB 1663 Reducing methane emissions from landfill. 

HB 1280 GHG emissions reductions in construction and leasing of public buildings. Includes the cost of greenhouse gas emissions and the consideration of all-electric systems in the analysis of buildings the State’s constructing or leasing.

HB 1793 Concerning electric vehicle charging stations in common interest communities. The bill prevents an apartment owners’ association from prohibiting or unreasonably restricting the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station in a designated parking space for the personal use of an apartment owner. 

SB 5616 Allows using the energy efficiency account permanently for loans, loan guarantees, and grants that reduce greenhouse gas emissions for emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries. 

HB 1753. Creates requirements for consultation with tribes on expenditures from the Climate Commitment Act.

HB 1768. Update definition of energy conservation projects. Expanding the definition of the conservation projects that the Department of Enterprise Services and school districts are to implement (if they’re cost effective) to include projects reducing energy demand or greenhouse gas emissions.

SB 5590. Eliminating the 2022 expiration date of the marine resources advisory council. Allows continued study of ocean acidification.

SB 5678. Provides for preliminary declarations by the UTC on whether proposed energy projects would comply with a utility’s requirements for reducing greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Energy Transformation Act

HB 1619. Update appliance efficiency standards.

SB 5528. Allow taxing within sub-areas of Regional Transit District (e.g. Sound Transit) for better service. 

HB 1644 School bus electrification. Allows funds from the Transportation Vehicle Fund to be used to purchase electric school bus and recharging infrastructure.

HB 1389 Reduce insurance requirements for peer to peer car rentals. Amended to require cars to have a twice the minimum level of insurance.

SB 5818 Limits review and appeals under the State Environmental Policy Act and Growth Management Act to promote housing construction in cities. 

SB 5619 Protecting kelp forests. Develops a plan to conserve and restore at least 10,000 acres of kelp forests and eelgrass meadows by 2040.

SB 5722 Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. Creates a benchmarking and energy management program (and eventual performance standards) for multifamily buildings of at least 50,000 sq. ft. and other buildings between 20,000 and 50,000 sq.ft.

HB 1799. Concerning organic materials management. Increases food composting and reduces food waste.

HB 1988. Defer taxes for clean energy projects. Creates a ten year sales and use tax deferral for projects investing at least $2 million in clean technology manufacturing, clean alternative fuels production, generating renewable electricity, or storing it, with options for reducing or eliminating the deferred taxes.

SB 5849. Tax break for solar. Extends the reduced B&O tax rate for manufacturers of solar systems and components for five years; creates 10 year property tax exemption for new industrial or manufacturing facilities in designated areas. Passed the Senate, referred to House Finance.

SB 5714. Creating a sales and use tax deferral program for solar canopies placed on large-scale commercial parking lots and other similar areas. Passed Senate, in House Finance.

Failed right at the end

HB 1099. Add Climate Element to the Growth Management Act. 

HB 1918. Exempts zero-emission outdoor power equipment from the sales tax. A provision to add a 6.5% emissions tax on non-electric equipment was removed.