Chapter 173-446 WAC, Climate Commitment Act Program: Final

On September 29, 2022, Ecology adopted a new rule, Chapter 173-446 WAC, Climate Commitment Act Program. The Climate Commitment Act requires Ecology to adopt rules to implement the cap-and-invest program to achieve Washington's goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

This rulemaking establishes a structure to cap greenhouse gas emissions and implement an allowance trading market. This includes, but is not limited to:

    Program coverage, registration, and account requirements
    Methods and procedures for allocating allowances
    Allowance budgets for the first compliance period (2023–2026) and distribution of allowances
    Auction registration requirements
    Auction floor and ceiling prices, and Tier I and Tier II prices for allowance price containment reserve auctions
    Emissions containment reserve
    Procedures and protocols for offset projects
    Enforcement provisions
    Transfer and sale of allowances and recognition of compliance instruments
    Other elements to support the operation and function of the cap-and-invest program

In 2023, the State Legislature appropriated $9.6M
from Climate Commitment Act funds to help
municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill owners
comply with standards in a new Landfills-Methane
Emissions law (Chapter 70A.540 RCW). Ecology
is distributing these funds through a new grant
program to help landfill owners and operators pay
for expenses associated with complying with the
law. Costs could include design, planning, installing
or upgrading gas collection and control systems,
increasing surface emissions monitoring, as well as
other requirements.

Landfill methane emissions reduction grants

In 2021, the Washington Legislature passed the Climate Commitment Act (or CCA) which establishes a comprehensive, market-based program to reduce carbon pollution and achieve the greenhouse gas limits set in state law.

The program will start Jan. 2023, and the first emissions allowance auction will take place in the second half of Feb. 2023.

Climate Commitment Act Program

Action History

Related Policies

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