S-1586.1
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5359
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By Senate Environment, Energy & Technology (originally sponsored by Senators Shewmake, Hasegawa, Nobles, Salomon, and Stanford; by request of Department of Commerce)
READ FIRST TIME 02/19/25.
AN ACT Relating to accelerating the development of clean energy; amending RCW 43.330.120 ; adding new sections to chapter 43.330 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that Washington must accelerate the pace of development for clean energy projects. The 2021 state energy strategy projects that Washington state will nearly double electricity consumption by 2050 to meet the state's greenhouse gas emissions limits to achieve the targets set by chapter 19.405 RCW, the Washington clean energy transformation act. According to a 2023 net zero northwest study by the clean energy transition institute, meeting Washington's 2050 electricity needs through the most economically and technically efficient pathway will require building approximately 2/3 of this additional electricity generation in-state while also importing approximately 1/3 from out-of-state sources. Developing clean energy generation projects and additional electrical transmission capacity is essential to: Meeting the state's climate goals; growing family-wage clean energy jobs and innovative clean energy businesses and manufacturing that provide economic benefits across the state; and ensuring adequate, reliable, and affordable clean energy for residents and businesses.
The legislature further finds that recent legislatively mandated studies identified significant concerns that impede the development of clean energy projects, unrelated to the regulatory process. These impediments include a lack of information related to clean energy projects, uncertainty over clean energy project impacts and benefits, inadequate engagement with tribes and local communities, uncertainty regarding clean energy development under local zoning codes and growth management requirements, and insufficient statewide planning to guide development of clean energy projects and electrical transmission facilities.