2009 Washington State Energy Code - Update

Washington State House Bill 1388 (click here to view the bill) – 2009 Washington State Energy Code

Information provided by NEEC member Stan Price indicates this legislation currently resides in the Technology, Energy, & Communications Committee of the House. The bill, chiefly promoted by the homebuilders in the state, would roll back the recently implemented Washington State Energy Code (the 2009 WSEC became effective on Jan. 1st of this year). You may have read about some of the controversy surrounding the energy code through the Fall of last year. While the focus of the controversy has largely been about single family residential buildings, this bill would throw out the entire code. In NEEC’s view this would create unwanted uncertainty and havoc in the market. Projects currently in the design phase and bids on equipment would suddenly be operating under new rules. Uncertainty and delay are two market conditions that the industry needs to avoid.

NEEC has written the Chair of the committee (Rep. John McCoy, who opposes this bill) and distributed that letter to all committee members. The bill had a hearing and there is a strong possibility that it could move forward unless Rep. McCoy gets sufficient support within his committee to kill it there. If you would like to contact any of the committee members below and let them know your thoughts, it will be helpful. You can send them an e-mail by clicking on the links below. Time is of the essence. Your communication to them needs to be immediate.

McCoy, Chair (D); Jacks, Vice Chair (D); *Crouse; **Short; Anderson; Billig; Carlyle; Dahlquist; Eddy; Frockt; Haler; Harris; Hasegawa; Kelley; Kristiansen; Liias; McCune; Morris; Nealey

You can just follow the link to the committee member embedded above and get their e-mail. If you happen to live in their legislative district, it will be even more powerful. Here are their districts.

McCoy 38th
Jacks 49th
Crouse 4th
Short 7th
Anderson 5th
Billig 3rd
Carlyle 36th
Dahlquist 31st
Eddy 48th
Frockt 46th
Haler 8th
Harris 17th
Hasegawa 11th
Kelley 28th
Kristiansen 39th
Lias 21st
McCune 2nd
Morris 40th
Nealy 16th