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FEBRUARY 5, 2025
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Bill to provide backup plan if bids for hybrid-electric ferries fail could be sunk
SNOW!
VOL. 106, NO. 6
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system. “When it comes down to saving the environment, getting a diesel A Washington state lawmaker ferry in the water is a much betfrom Gig Harbor is backing a ter choice than waiting for the “contingency” bill in case bids for hybrid-electric, which at the very hybrid-electric ferries expected soonest will be 2030," Caldier this April don’t pan out. said. Republican Rep. Michelle The odds of the bill advancing Caldier said House Bill 1377 appear slim. would, according to a news reThe Center Square asked if lease from her office, put in place HB 1377 would get a hearing a contingency before the House option “allowing “I have been told Transportation the governor to Committee. that it’s a big declare an emer“No,” Caldier fat no and I have met gency and take all answered. “I have with the governor’s necessary actions been told that it’s to expedite the a big fat no and office, and they seem permitting and I have met with optimistic we’ll get procuring of at the governor’s something. least two non-elecoffice, and they tric ferries with — Republican Rep. seem optimistic the goal of delivery Michelle Caldier we’ll get somewithin two years.” thing. But, we Caldier told The were optimistic Center Square the before and that legislation is a backup plan if no fell through, so I try to run on shipyard qualifies as a builder. facts and reality instead of hopes “In 2019, we were able to get and dreams.” funding for five ferries and, unThe Center Square reached out fortunately, due to former Gov. to House Transportation ComJay Inslee’s executive order, he mittee Chair Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, changed it to hybrid-electric ferfor comment via email about the ries,” Caldier explained. “We now bill’s chances for a hearing but have three companies who said did not receive a response. that they are willing to possibly Fey has previously supported have a bid, but we don’t know for the hybrid-electric ferry push, sure, and those bids will not be arguing it would “accelerate our coming back until after we are work in trying to restore more out of session.” important and reliable service Caldier said her bill acknowlthat will have long lasting benedges the possibility that the bids efits for all the residents of the cold fall through, with the goal state of Washington.” being that the state can build dieThe three shipbuilders that sel ferries if that happens. expressed interest in construct“That way we can at least have ing up to five hybrid electric boats in the water, and it changes ferries include Nichols Brothit so we’re not mandated to coners Boat Builders in Freeland, vert the older vessels to hybridWash., Eastern Shipbuilding electric because they are severely Group in Panama City, Fla., and aged,” she noted. “Mine is a ferry Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, district. I have two main ferry Penn. terminals and my constituents The planned ferries would each rely on that for transportation, accommodate 160 vehicles to and it’s not reliable but they still enhance services on the Seattleneed to get to work and still need Bremerton and Mukilteo-Clinton to get to doctor’s appointments routes. If bids for the ferries are and to school.” successful in April, the contract As previously reported by The would ask for delivery within 48 Center Square, in 2023 alone months, with new boats expected there were more than 3,000 in 2030, according to Caldier’s canceled sailings in the state ferry news release.
Magnolia news
By Carleen Johnson The Center Square
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Madeline Beery shared this photo of snow last week in Magnolia.
Opponents worry bill expediting WA green energy projects would doom local control By Carleen Johnson The Center Square
Washington state’s permitting process for clean energy projects could be expedited if legislation that received a public hearing on Monday in Olympia is approved. House Bill 1328, sponsored by Rep. Beth Doglio, D-Olympia, would establish the Clean Energy Development Office within the Department of Commerce. The bill summary states the office would be established “with the purpose of providing proactive leadership and coordination with other agencies to: assemble and share information to guide and support siting of clean energy projects and electrical transmission facilities; conduct planning and development functions to help achieve adequate, reliable, and affordable clean
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energy generation, manufacturing, and transmission … to enhance local and equitable benefits associated with clean energy projects.” Ahead of Monday’s public hearing on the bill, Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, the ranking Republican on the House Environment & Energy Committee, told The Center Square that legislation aimed at fast-tracking clean energy projects is another blow to communities like her district, where despite opposition to large projects, the state has given its approval. “They are literally breaking our spirit by doing this,” Dye said. “They have a very comprehensive and thought-out plan to do this expedited permitting so they can avoid the NIMBYism and pushback they are getting from local communities.” NIMBY stands for
“not in my backyard.” Doglio, who chairs the House Environment & Energy Committee, told fellow members that increasing energy demands, including those from data centers and other large-load industries, necessitate expediting clean energy projects. “Commerce is stepping up to the plate and saying we think we should take the lead here,” Doglio said. The new office, according to her, would prioritize community interests as well. “We want to do it right in Washington, but what we’ve seen is an imbalance of costs and benefits to host communities, lengthy legal challenges, transmission congestion that leads to long wait times for approval to connect energy facilities to the grid, and a really unclear sense about where is the best place to site it,” Doglio explained. Rep. John Ley, RVancouver, asked Doglio about the need to create another layer of government. “I’m wondering, is this going to shorten the amount of time it takes for our state to approve facilities … or will it lengthen it?” he asked.
“We’re adding more bureaucracy by creating this,” Doglio conceded. “But there would be a clearinghouse for information provided to all of the different stakeholders and parties that are engaged in siting in hopes that it would speed things up.” Dave Pringle is the legislative director for the Department of Commerce, which requested the bill. “We’re really looking at addressing issues at a system level prior to that regulatory permitting stage … to address safety concerns and ensure host communities really benefit from these facilities as we meet the lofty goals that we have in front of us for energy generation in Washington state,” he said. Yakima County Commissioner Amanda McKinney testified against the bill. “We are not really acknowledging the impacts to local people,” she said. McKinney is concerned about the bill’s language giving the new office dispute resolution authority. “When we hear about having dispute resolution, forgive us if we're
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