Washington governor declares `energy alert'

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Saturday, January 27, 2001, 12:00 a.m. Pacific

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Locke declares `energy alert'

by Ralph Thomas and David Postman Seattle Times Olympia bureau Gary Locke OLYMPIA - Hoping to head off a full-blown energy crisis in Washington state, Gov. Gary Locke yesterday ordered state and local governments to sharply reduce energy use and eased air-quality rules to allow utilities, oil refineries and other entities to immediately begin firing up temporary diesel generators.

To issue the broad orders, Locke first had to declare a statewide "energy-supply alert," a provision under state law that gives the governor the authority to take sweeping actions when affordable energy and the public's health, safety or welfare are threatened by a power crunch.

"We're in a very, very precarious balance now," Locke said. "There's just barely enough electricity with some reserves."

Under his alert, Locke issued three executive orders.

The most far-reaching allows power plants, electrical utilities and refineries to use temporary electric generators. That would mean more pollution now than permits allow. But any increase in emissions now would have to be matched in "pound for pound" reductions at a later date.

The plants do not have to reduce their own emissions. For example, Tacoma Power, Tacoma's public utility, could pay to install devices on school buses that would reduce future emissions.

About 150 generators statewide could be started under the governor's order, said Stuart Clark, a policy analyst with the state Department of Ecology's Air Quality Program. The generators could not be used immediately without the governor's alert because they haven't completed the permitting process.

Tacoma Power has 41 new generators it plans to use, said Steven Klein, superintendent of Tacoma Power. They are in truck trailers parked at the Tacoma tide flats.

Klein said Tacoma Power can produce electricity at $150 per megawatt-hour compared with the $200 to $300 it now pays.

The order will be effective for 30 days but could be extended by Locke for an additional 60 days.

"We don't believe it will cause a violation of any air-quality standards," said Dennis McLerran, executive director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, which oversees air quality in the region. "But it's significant enough that it needs to be mitigated."

Mark Glyde, spokesman for the Northwest Energy Coalition, which represents nearly 100 environmental and consumer groups, praised Locke for insisting the companies reduce future emissions. But he said his group would watch closely to make sure the companies stuck to their agreements and that temporary diesel permits did not become permanent.

Locke also ordered state and local governments to cut electricity and natural-gas use by 10 percent for at least three months. Locke said his administration will try to monitor how well governments heed his order but acknowledged he has no way to enforce it.

"Citizens should not have to drive by a government building at night only to see lights on that don't need to be on," he said.

Locke's third order allows Tacoma Power to begin burning "alternative fuels" at its steam plant, such as roofing materials, asphalt waste and wood-laminate scrap.

The company had been stockpiling the materials and was seeking a permit from the state to begin burning it at the steam plant. Under Locke's order, however, Tacoma Power would not be allowed to exceed its current air-emissions limits or burn materials containing asbestos or medical wastes.

As governor, Locke has varying degrees of authority to deal with energy crises. If the situation grows more severe, Locke could declare an "energy emergency," under which he could order government, businesses and individuals to curtail energy use.

The region's power crunch was sparked by a combination of circumstances, including market problems brought on by deregulation, lack of movement on conservation measures, rapid economic growth in the West and a lack of rain that has left reservoirs low.

Locke has already proposed a number of short-term solutions to the problem. He unveiled a legislative package Wednesday including more than $7 million in tax breaks over the coming biennium to spur use of renewable energy sources and hold down power rates for customers on low or fixed incomes.

Seattle Times reporter Lynda V. Mapes contributed to this report.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/SeattleTimes.woa/wa/gotoArticle?zsection_id=268466359&text_only=0&slug=alert27m&document_id=134263121

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), January 27, 2001


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