Washington HB 2285: Elevating road maintenance and preservation in transportation planning.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to the use of carbon capture and utilization, 1
mineralization, or sequestration technologies under the Washington 2
clean energy transformation act; amending RCW 19.405.020, 19.405.040, 3
19.405.050, 19.405.060, 19.405.080, 19.405.090, 19.405.160, and 4
19.405.170; and creating a new section.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:7
(a) Washington has established ambitious policies to decarbonize 8
all sectors of the state's economy by 2050, including:9
(i) Economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions limits that reach 95 10
percent below 1990 levels and net-zero emissions by 2050, under 11
chapter 70A.45 RCW; and12
(ii) A requirement that 100 percent of all sales of electricity 13
to Washington retail electric customers be met by nonemitting 14
electric generation and electricity from renewable resources by 15
January 1, 2045, under chapter 19.405 RCW;16
(b) According to the 2025 northwest regional forecast of power 17
loads and resources, the northwest is dangerously close to 18
experiencing significant energy supply disruption as resource 19
additions in the region continue to lag behind unprecedented electric 20
H-2694.1
HOUSE BILL 2285
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Ybarra, Graham, and Barnard
Prefiled 01/07/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Environment & Energy.
p. 1 HB 2285

demand growth, which could lead to blackouts during peak demand 1
events;2
(c) In the summary report submitted to the legislature by the 3
department of commerce and utilities and transportation commission 4
following the 2025 long-term resource adequacy meeting, the agencies 5
acknowledge a need to consider potential changes to the state's mix 6
of generating resources with a greater focus on the capacity and fuel 7
requirements of the power system during critical periods, such as 8
days of extreme cold combined with low hydroelectric and wind 9
generation;10
(d) Natural gas used to generate electricity will play an 11
increasingly critical role in the reliable operation of the region's 12
power system between now and 2050, particularly during periods of 13
extreme cold combined with low hydroelectric and wind generation;14
(e) Carbon capture and utilization, or storage technologies such 15
as mineralization or sequestration, including technologies for 16
mineralization and geological sequestration, are commercially viable 17
solutions for mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions associated with 18
electricity generation from natural gas systems;19
(f) According to the 2021 Washington state energy strategy, 20
initial investigations by the United States geological survey show 21
meaningful potential for geological carbon storage in Washington, 22
while research by the Pacific Northwest national laboratory has shown 23
previously unrealized potential for carbon storage in the flood 24
basalts common to the state's landscape; and25
(g) In the 2024 biennial update to the 2021 Washington state 26
energy strategy, the department of commerce identified clarifying the 27
eligibility of projects using carbon capture and storage under the 28
Washington clean energy transformation act as a priority strategy for 29
meeting the state's clean energy and decarbonization goals.30
(2) Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to authorize 31
electric utilities to use electricity from natural gas systems 32
operated with carbon capture and utilization, mineralization, or 33
sequestration technology in meeting the 2030 and 2045 requirements of 34
the Washington clean energy transformation act.35
Sec. 2. RCW 19.405.020 and 2025 c 221 s 1 are each amended to 36
read as follows:37
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter 38
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.39
p. 2 HB 2285

(1) "Allocation of electricity" means, for the purposes of 1
setting electricity rates, the costs and benefits associated with the 2
resources used to provide electricity to an electric utility's retail 3
electricity consumers that are located in this state.4
(2) "Alternative compliance payment" means the payment 5
established in RCW 19.405.090(2).6
(3) "Attorney general" means the Washington state office of the 7
attorney general.8
(4) "Auditor" means: (a) The Washington state auditor's office or 9
its designee for utilities under its jurisdiction under this chapter 10
that are consumer-owned utilities; or (b) an independent auditor 11
selected by a utility that is not under the jurisdiction of the state 12
auditor and is not an investor-owned utility.13
(5)(a) "Biomass energy" includes: (i) Organic by-products of 14
pulping and the wood manufacturing process; (ii) animal manure; (iii) 15
solid organic fuels from wood; (iv) forest or field residues; (v) 16
untreated wooden demolition or construction debris; (vi) food waste 17
and food processing residuals; (vii) liquors derived from algae; 18