HB 1113 — Amending state greenhouse gas emission limits for consistency with the most recent assessment of climate change science and with the United States' commitment under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

H-1316.1SUBSTITUTEH-0362.1HOUSE HOUSE BILL 1113State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionByHouseSessionByRepresentatives Environment & Energy (originally sponsored by Representatives Slatter, Fitzgibbon, Fey, Doglio, Kloba, Peterson, Valdez, Ryu, Tharinger, Jinkins, Macri, Goodman, Cody, Bergquist, Pollet, Stanford, Santos, Frame, Ormsby, Walen, and Robinson)READRobinsonPrefiled FIRST01/10/19.Read TIMEfirst 02/04/19.ANtime 01/14/19.Referred to Committee on Environment & Energy.AN ACT Relating to amending state greenhouse gas emission limits for consistency with the most recent assessment of climate change science and with the United States' commitment under the 2015 Paris climate agreement;

The reportingreport rules must allowdescribe forWashington's per capita and total greenhouse gas emissions as compared to the reportingper capita and total greenhouse gas emissions of the other states in the United States, including Washington's ranking among the other states as an emitter of greenhouse gases on both a per capita and total emissions basis.(3) Except for purposes of reporting, emissions of carbon dioxide from industrial combustion of biomass in the form of fuel wood, wood waste, wood by-products, and wood residuals shall not be considered a greenhouse gas as long as the region's silvicultural sequestration associatedcapacity is maintained or increased.(4) For the purposes of this chapter, the department must, in coordination with urbanthe forestrydepartment practices.of natural resources, calculate and include in its reporting the total emissions of greenhouse gases from wildfires in the state.

TheAs reportpart mustof describethe Washington'sreductions peridentified capitain andthis totalchapter, greenhouse gas emissions as compared to the perstate capitamust andencourage totalproactive greenhouseforest gasmanagement, emissionsincluding, ofbut thenot otherlimited statesto, inprescribed theburning Unitedand States,mechanized includingthinning, Washington's ranking among the other states as ana emittermeans of greenhouseachieving gasesthe onstate's bothgreenhouse agas per capita and total emissions basis.(3)reduction Exceptgoals.(5) forThe purposesjoint oflegislative reporting,audit emissionsand ofreview carboncommittee dioxidemust fromprepare industrialand combustionsubmit ofto biomass in the formlegislature ofby fuelJune wood,30, wood2020, waste, wood by-products, and woodevery residualsfive shallyears notthereafter, bean consideredanalysis aof greenhouse gas as long as the region'seconomic silviculturalimpact, sequestrationwhether capacitypositive is maintained or increased.(4)(a)negative, Washington'sand publicthe andimpact privateon workingjobs, forestswhether arepositive anor integralnegative, componentresulting tofrom the state'sgreenhouse climategas responseemissions andreductions effortsspecified toin mitigatethis carbonsection.--- emissions.END ---

Satisfying the goals set forth in this section will require supporting, throughout all of state government, the economic vitality of working forests of all sizes, ownerships, and management objectives, and the wood products they produce, to ensure they avoid deforestation and remain on the landscape in the face of unprecedented conversion pressures.

Doing so allows forestland owners to continue the rotational cycle of carbon sequestration in growing trees and storage in the allied wood products industries;

naturally mitigating a significant percentage of the state's carbon emissions while providing other environmental benefits and supporting a strong rural economic base.

Policies that support working forests also allow Washington to have participants in current and future vibrant private carbon transaction markets, positioning the state as a valuable contributor to the global carbon response while supporting one of its largest manufacturing sectors.(b) For the purposes of this chapter, the department must, in coordination with the department of natural resources, calculate and include in its reporting the total emissions of greenhouse gases from wildfires in the state.

As part of the reductions identified in this chapter, the state must encourage proactive forest management, including, but not limited to, prescribed burning and mechanized thinning, as a means of achieving the state's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.

The report must also address the greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration increases associated with proactive forest management practices, including mechanical treatments and prescribed burning.(5) The joint legislative audit and review committee must prepare and submit to the legislature by June 30, 2020, and every five years thereafter, an analysis of the economic impact, whether positive or negative, and the impact on jobs, whether positive or negative, resulting from the greenhouse gas emissions reductions specified in this section.--- END ---