Concerning permit requirements for small wind energy systems (HB 1008)

This bill, which pre-empts local zoning authority, is scheduled for public hearing in the House Technology and Energy & Communications Committee on January 28 at 8 am.

The bill states that a local agency may, by ordinance, provide for the installation of a small wind energy system on parcels of land at least one acre within its jurisdiction. In addition, the local agency may establish a process for the issuance of a conditional use permit for these systems. The ordinance may impose conditions on these systems; however, the ordinance may not require conditions that are more restrictive than the following:

Tower heights of not more than 65 feet must be allowed on parcels of five acres or more.
Set back requirements for the system tower may be no farther from the property line than the height of the system.
Decibel levels for the system may not exceed 60 decibels as measured at the closest neighboring inhabited dwelling.

A local agency that does not adopt an ordinance must approve small wind energy systems if the following conditions are met:

The size of the parcel where the system is located is at least one acre.
The tower height on parcels that are less than five acres does not exceed 80 feet.
No part of the system extends closer than 30 feet to the property boundary.
The system does not exceed 60 decibels as measured at the closest neighboring inhabited dwelling.

If you have any concerns with this bill prior to the hearing on January 28 send them to Sheri Sawyer at sheris@awcnet.org.

Creating a Sustainable Energy Trust (HB 1007)

This bill would establish utility-based sustainable energy trusts that can be used to reduce the cost of deploying sustainable energy projects and smart energy technologies in the state.

Similar to SHB 1032 from last year, as proposed, this bill would:

Allow an electric or natural gas utility to collect a monthly system benefits charge from customers. The 17 cities that provide electricity service and the three cities that provide natural gas service would be eligible.
Allow utilities to establish a Sustainable Energy Trust to fund the development of sustainable energy resources of 5 megawatts or less, or smart energy technologies that are connected to the distribution system of an electric utility.

The bill is scheduled for public hearing in the House Technology and Energy & Communications Committee on January 28 at 8 am.

Requiring certain providers of electric service to purchase electricity from eligible distributed generators (HB 1086)

This bill would require that a qualifying utility interconnect an "eligible distributed generator" to the utility's distribution systems within sixty days of such a request by the owner of an eligible distributed generator. An "eligible distributed generator" means the distributed generation located on the premises of an individual, business, or local government. Distributed generation by an individual, business, or local governmental entity in the electricity distribution business or in the gas distribution business is not considered an eligible distributed generator.

A qualifying utility that refuses to connect an eligible distributed generator is subject to a fine of not more than one hundred dollars per day that the qualifying utility is in violation. The bill also requires qualifying utilities enter into power purchase agreements for a term of not less than twenty years with the eligible distributed generators and establishes the rates of purchase. This bill is scheduled for public hearing in the House Technology and Energy & Communications Committee on January 28 at 8 am.

Extending the loan repayment period for municipally funded conservation projects (HB 1184)

This bill simply extends the loan repayment period for conservation projects funded by municipal utilities from 120 to 240 months. The bill is scheduled for public hearing in the House Technology and Energy & Communications Committee on January 28 at 8 am.

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