(1) The low-income weatherization and structural rehabilitation assistance account is created in the state treasury. All moneys from the money distributed to the state pursuant to Exxon v. United States, 561 F.Supp. 816 (1983), affirmed 773 F.2d 1240 (1985), or any other oil overcharge settlements or judgments distributed by the federal government, that are allocated to the low-income weatherization and structural rehabilitation assistance account shall be deposited in the account. The department may accept such gifts, grants, and endowments from public or private sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, and shall deposit such funds in the account. Any moneys received from sponsor match payments shall be deposited in the account. The legislature may also appropriate moneys to the account. Moneys in the account shall be spent pursuant to appropriation and only for the purposes and in the manner provided in RCW 70A.35.040. Any moneys appropriated that are not spent by the department shall return to the account.

(2) The purposes of the low-income weatherization and structural rehabilitation assistance account are to:

(a) Maximize the number of energy efficient residential structures in the state;

(b) Achieve the greatest possible expected monetary and energy savings by low-income households and other energy consumers over the longest period of time;

(c) Identify and correct, to the extent practicable, health and safety problems for residents of low-income households, including asbestos, lead, and mold hazards;

(d) Leverage the many available state and federal programs aimed at increasing the quality and energy efficiency of low-income residences in the state;

(e) Create family-wage jobs that may lead to careers in the construction trades or in the energy efficiency sectors; and

(f) Leverage, to the extent feasible, sustainable technologies, practices, and designs, including renewable energy systems.

Effective dates—Severability—1991 sp.s. c 13: See notes following RCW 18.08.240.