By Peninsula Daily News news services
OLYMPIA — The state Senate approved on Thursday a bill that amends a clean energy law approved by voters in 2006, grandfathering in pulp mills and forest product manufactures to be included as renewable energy facilities.
The measure was approved on a 28-19 vote, with most of the opposition coming from Democrats.
The bill now moves to the House for further consideration. A bill must pass both the House and Senate before it can become law.
Under the bill, law would be changed to count certain plants built before 1999 as renewable energy facilities and add certain byproducts of wood mills and solid human waste as accepted biomass.
In 2006, voters approved Initiative 937, which aimed to move the state toward cleaner energy, requiring utilities with more than 25,000 customers to supply a percentage of their energy from renewable resources.
It also precluded plants built before 1999 as being able to be counted as renewable energy facilities. The initiative also listed acceptable biomass, such as animal waste.
Under the law, if a utility can’t meet the percentage thresholds, they need to buy renewable energy credits to offset the shortfall. By grandfathering in pulp mills, those plants can claim energy created from byproducts as renewable energy.
Supporters say saving that money will retain jobs in Washington.
“Without a fair playing ground, we set our rural economies up for disaster,” prime sponsor Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, said in a statement.
“To lose any of these plants would be devastating to not just the thousands directly employed, but also for entire local business communities that depend upon these plants as economic hubs. I look forward to working with the House on passing this critical bill.”
Among the facilities affected are Longview Fibre and Weyerhaeuser plants in Cowlitz County; Kettle Falls in Stevens County; SDS Lumber in Klickitat County; Cosmos Specialty Fibers in Grays Harbor County; Georgia-Pacific in Clark County; and Simpson Tacoma Kraft in Pierce County.
Democratic Sen. Sharon Nelson of Vashon Island says voters wanted new renewable facilities, not old plants to be categorized as clean energy facilities. She also said that the plants aren’t creating new jobs.
“I’m disappointed. I think the citizens of the state were clear on what they wanted,” Nelson. “I don’t consider (the facilities) green as far as what our citizens have said.”
Nelson attempted to change the bill with amendments but those were struck down on the floor.
The Senate also approved a bill that would open up park and rides to vendors, such as coffee stands. The measure’s prime sponsor,
Democratic Sen. Steve Hobbs of Lake Stevens, said that the proposal is a way to earn revenue for transit agencies and encourage public-private partnership.
Also on Thursday, a bill that would allow members of the armed services to vote online was pulled from a floor vote after support for it fell apart in debate.
Some senators raised concern about the security of voting online. But supporters say a secure system is already in place and that their proposal would streamline the process by exempting armed forces members from faxing or mailing a copy of their ballot they sent via e-mail.
Senators will reconsider the bill later in the week.
