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Reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2 mitigation).

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Meet the greenhouse gas emissions performance standard.

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Develop plans or programs to reduce greenhouse gases as approved by ecology.

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As directed by RCW 80.80.050, the department of commerce revised the greenhouse gas emissions performance standard in WAC 194-26-020. We are proposing to adopt the revised standard. This meets the intent of the state law to periodically update the standard if necessary. These changes will also simplify future updates to the standard.

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To evaluate emission testing requirements.

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To reflect updates to chapter 80.70 RCW, Carbon dioxide mitigation and chapter 80.80 RCW, Greenhouse gas emissions—Baseload electric generation facilities, so that this rule would align with these laws.

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To make technical clarifications, correct errors, and improve readability.

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Energy facility site evaluation council has authority to implement both chapters 80.70 and 80.80 RCW for facilities under their jurisdiction.

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Local clean air agencies have authority to implement the chapter 80.70 RCW provisions for power plants under their jurisdiction. To see a list visit http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/local.html.

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Utility and transportation commission has authority to implement chapter 80.80 RCW for investor-owned utilities under their jurisdiction.

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Consumer-owned electric utilities have authority to comply with the chapter 80.80 RCW requirements for power plants and power purchase agreements.

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Department of commerce has authority under chapter 80.80 RCW to conduct a survey and adopt the average available greenhouse gas emissions output, new greenhouse gas emissions performance standard, every five years.

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Environmental Protection Agency has authority to regulate this subject under its own rules (40 C.F.R. Part 60, Subpart TTTT and UUUU). Most of the carbon dioxide emission standards under these federal rules are less stringent than the 2013 greenhouse gas emissions performance standard adopted by commerce. One possible exception is that Washington needs to develop a plan to implement the more restrictive requirements under Subpart UUUU of the federal rules. However, the United States Supreme Court stayed the requirement to develop this plan until the completion of litigation. Therefore, this plan has not been developed. In the future, the more restrictive standard could apply.

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Visit the agency web page at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/rules/rulemaking.html.

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Sign up to receive email notices at http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=ECY-AQ-RULE-AND-SIP-UPDATES&A=1.

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Participate in a stakeholder meeting and/or a public hearing by going to http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/rules/rulemaking.html or https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publiccalendar/.

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Contact the rule-making lead Caroline (Ying) Sun, Department of Ecology, Air Quality Program, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, caroline.sun@ecy.wa.gov, (360) 407-7528.