Key Issues This Session

As reported in last week’s Bulletin, our key issues continue to be making sure cities retain authority to address environmental issues and challenges at the local level and that the state expand partnerships with cities as they face challenges in areas such as protecting the Puget Sound, finding sufficient and reliable water resources to meet growth and environmental protection needs, and climate change.

Please contact either Dave Williams, davew@awcnet.org, or Tim Gugerty, timg@awcnet.org, with questions or input on any of the following issues.

Climate Change

Much of what the Legislature seems poised to address this year revolves around climate change challenges and opportunities. See the Land Use and Housing section of this week’s Bulletin for an update on land use-related climate change issues. In addition, the Governor has requested major climate change legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create clean energy jobs. For more information about this legislation, please see the Energy & Telecommunications section of this Bulletin.

Authorizing Limited Outdoor Burning (HB 3017)

This bill, sponsored by Rep. Warnick (R-Moses Lake.), authorizes outdoor residential burning of organic debris within GMA urban growth areas on the first and third Saturdays in November if: 1) the county agrees to allow outdoor burning of organic debris; 2) there is no air pollution episode; 3) there is no determination of impaired air quality. HB 3017 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Committee on Select Committee on Environmental Health on Tuesday, January 29 at 8 am.

As most GMA-planning cities under 5,000 know, burning of residential yard wastes in their communities was banned as of January 1, 2007. This ban is based upon an almost 10-year old law that phased-in residential yard waste burn bans in UGA’s by city population. Residents of cities of under 5,000 who are not GMA-planning cities can still burn. A Department of Ecology study over the summer found that many small GMA cities are located in very isolated areas, surrounded by agricultural burning (still allowed) and are far from places that will compost or accept residential yard waste. The economics of alternative disposal do not work without state subsidy.

AWC will testify is strong support of this bill that provides an option for these smaller cities. One way or another, residents in smaller, rural and more isolated GMA-planning cities need alternatives.

Changes in Calling Burn Bans for Solid Fuel Burning Devices (SB 6753)

SB 6753 changes the standards for calling burn bans for burning wood in solid fuel burning devices in residences and commercial establishments which have other adequate sources of heat. The bill reduces the thresholds that define a first stage of impaired air quality and creates new conditions under which a second stage burn ban may be called without previously calling a first stage ban. SB 6753 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Water and Energy & Telecommunications on Friday, February 1 at 1:30 pm.

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