March 11, 2009

OLYMPIA… The Senate passed a measure late Tuesday that would amend the Energy Independence Act, also known as Initiative 937, by raising the state’s renewable energy mandates to at least 20 percent of a qualifying utility's load by January 1, 2025, and slightly expanding the list of renewable energy sources.  

“The price was too high and the benefits were too low,” said Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, who serves as the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment, Water and Energy Committee. “We needed to protect utility customers from soaring rate increases. Washington produces an abundance of hydroelectricity. Why not use resources we already have while keeping public utility rates low? 

“This bill increases the mandate but does very little to help consumers,” said Honeyford, who voted against the revised measure. 

Senate Bill 5840 passed by a vote of 27 to 21 after Democrats rejected several Republican amendments aimed at reducing energy costs for consumers by expanding the amount of hydropower that is considered renewable and allowing additional conservation to count against the renewable energy requirement.  

Sen. Janéa Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, proposed an amendment that would reduce energy prices for consumers by recognizing conservation achieved in excess of the biennial conservation target as an eligible renewable resource. 

“To my knowledge we are the only state in the western U.S. to have both a renewable energy standard and an energy conservation standard, and failure to meet these requirements is punishable with a financial penalty,” Holmquist told her colleagues. “This amendment takes a step toward allowing utilities to exceed their conservation targets, then include that excess conservation as a credit against renewable energy standards rather than buy more expensive renewable energy.” 

“Left uncorrected, I-937 would undoubtedly result in higher utility costs for the families and employers I represent,” said Holmquist. “Given the record unemployment and economic anxiety being felt by many in our state, public officials have an obligation to do everything in our power to mitigate the impact of I-937 and give consumers the most cost-effective, reliable, and inexpensive energy possible. 

“I wanted to support this bill, but it raised the non-hydropower, renewable energy mandate without mitigating higher electricity bills for consumers; my amendment would have properly recognized conservation as the least expensive option.” 

Under state law eligible renewable resources include more expensive, less reliable alternative fuels.  

SB 5840 now moves to the House of Representatives.

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For more information contact Booker Stallworth
at (360) 786-7536 or stallworth.booker@leg.wa.gov.