70.235.050 - Greenhouse gas emission limits for state agencies -- Timeline -- Reports -- Strategy -- Point of accountability employee for energy and climate change initiatives. - Washington Statutes

Greenhouse gas emission limits for state agencies — Timeline — Reports — Strategy — Point of accountability employee for energy and climate change initiatives.

(1) All state agencies shall meet the statewide greenhouse gas emission limits established in RCW 70.235.020 to achieve the following, using the estimates and strategy established in subsections (2) and (3) of this section:

     (a) By July 1, 2020, reduce emissions by fifteen percent from 2005 emission levels;

     (b) By 2035, reduce emissions to thirty-six percent below 2005 levels; and

     (c) By 2050, reduce emissions to the greater reduction of fifty-seven and one-half percent below 2005 levels, or seventy percent below the expected state government emissions that year.

     (2)(a) By June 30, 2010, all state agencies shall report estimates of emissions for 2005 to the department, including 2009 levels of emissions, and projected emissions through 2035.

     (b) State agencies required to report under RCW 70.94.151 must estimate emissions from methodologies recommended by the department and must be based on actual operation of those agencies. Agencies not required to report under RCW 70.94.151 shall derive emissions estimates using an emissions calculator provided by the department.

     (3) By June 30, 2011, each state agency shall submit to the department a strategy to meet the requirements in subsection (1) of this section. The strategy must address employee travel activities, teleconferencing alternatives, and include existing and proposed actions, a timeline for reductions, and recommendations for budgetary and other incentives to reduce emissions, especially from employee business travel.

     (4) By October 1st of each even-numbered year beginning in 2012, each state agency shall report to the department the actions taken to meet the emission reduction targets under the strategy for the preceding fiscal biennium. The department may authorize the department of general administration to report on behalf of any state agency having fewer than five hundred full-time equivalent employees at any time during the reporting period. The department shall cooperate with the department of general administration and the *department of community, trade, and economic development to develop consolidated reporting methodologies that incorporate emission reduction actions taken across all or substantially all state agencies.

     (5) All state agencies shall cooperate in providing information to the department, the department of general administration, and the *department of community, trade, and economic development for the purposes of this section.

     (6) The governor shall designate a person as the single point of accountability for all energy and climate change initiatives within state agencies. This position must be funded from current full-time equivalent allocations without increasing budgets or staffing levels. If duties must be shifted within an agency, they must be shifted among current full-time equivalent allocations. All agencies, councils, or work groups with energy or climate change initiatives shall coordinate with this designee.

[2009 c 519 § 2.]

Notes: *Reviser's note: The "department of community, trade, and economic development" was renamed the "department of commerce" by 2009 c 565.

Findings -- 2009 c 519: See RCW 43.21M.900.