A public hearing has been scheduled in the House Environment and Energy Committee for Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 10:00 a.m. for House Bill 1871 concerning the siting of alternative energy facilities. TCRCC Supports this bill and calls on members to participate in the legislative process by testifying at the hearing, submitting written comments, or having your position noted for the record.
Bill sponsor Mark Klicker, 16th Legislative District Representative, introduced the bill after recognizing the need for equity in the siting process of the clean energy movement. Klicker introduced House Bill 1871 on Friday in the House Environment and Energy Committee. However, due to a shortage of time, public testimony on the bill was postponed till Tuesday, Jan. 25. HB 1871 includes a short-term moratorium on the siting of alternative energy facilities (including the Horse Heaven Wind Farm) until December 2023, to establish a legislative task force that would:
HB 1871 would not impact the development or siting of small modular nuclear reactors. "Too many rural counties are being forced to house alternative energy facilities but are seeing nothing in return. It's time to revisit the process to determine where these sites are located and who is benefitting from them," said Klicker. "We need to create a plan that works for our rural counties and the people that live there, and not just the counties that use the energy." Those wishing to submit written comments, testify remotely on the bill, or let their position be noted for the legislative record, may go to: https://app.leg.wa.gov/csi/House. Select "Environment and Energy Committee" with the meeting schedule of 01/25/22 8:00 am, and then select "HB 1871 Alt. energy facility siting."
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Congratulations to CHUGH, LLP on their ribbon cutting ceremony held on Tuesday, January 4. Their office is located at 602 N. Colorado St. in Kennewick. Congratulations to Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho on their new store in the Tri-Cities! Visit the shop at 6119 Burden Blvd. in Pasco. Thank you to everyone who braved the snow on Wednesday, January 5 to attend the Elected Leaders Reception at the REACH Museum. A special thanks to Breshears Professional Photography for snapping these great photos!
Congratulations to Benton PUD on being named the Regional Chamber's Member of the Month for December 2021.
Benton PUD has been a member of the Regional Chamber for over 30 years and a Visionary Level member since 2012. They have consistently contributed to the Chamber’s leadership by serving on the Board of Directors and championing business-friendly public policy issues. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Benton PUD stepped up to help the community by providing a Customer Assistance Program. This program offers financial assistance to qualified customers, both residential and commercial, who were impacted by COVID-19. The program has been extended into 2022. Congratulations to Benton PUD, our December Member of the Month. Congratulations to Aimed for Health on the ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, December 1! Give them a visit at 472 Keene Rd. in Richland! On January 25th, Columbia Basin College (CBC), Washington State University Tri-Cities (WSU TC), and the Washington Workforce Portal will join forces to highlight internship opportunities in our region. Join companies that seek to recruit interns in the Tri-Cities area. Workshops to navigate the WA Workforce Portal and the fair will be available for employers and students a week prior to the event. Register here
By the Association of Washington Business Institute Businesses are still working through the pandemic — but local economies in Washington are posting strong recoveries. That includes the Tri-Cities economy. The proof is in the numbers. At the Association of Washington Business Institute, we’ve created a set of economic indicators called the Recovery Vitals. It’s an easy-to-access set of stats that shows whether counties, MSAs and the state are making progress — and how your local economy stacks up against others. And it’s regularly updated by our partners at the Eastern Washington University Institute for Public Policy & Economic Analysis. In the Kennewick-Pasco-Richland-West Richland area, you’re making progress. Among other strengths, the Recovery Vitals show improvement in the Tri-Cities’:
Different indicators in the Recovery Vitals are updated monthly, quarterly or at longer intervals, depending on how the data is collected. More recent data can help businesses and communities adjust immediate plans and focus resources where they’re most needed. Longer-term data, such as median household income and per-capita personal income, is helpful for understanding big-picture progress and challenges. We encourage you to explore the Recovery Vitals. They’re part of a free, interactive resource that brings together more than 30 key economic indicators for every county or MSA in Washington. You also can compare one area’s stats with another’s or against the state average. The tool is part of Washington in the Making, a framework for the state’s economic recovery that envisions lasting prosperity for every community in Washington. In the Tri-Cities, we’re glad to see a business community that’s building back strong. The Washington State Building Code Council (WSBCC) seeks public comment on two proposed changes to the State Energy Code for commercial buildings.
These proposals would ban the use of natural gas for space and water heating in new and retrofit commercial buildings. If passed, all new commercial buildings would only be able to use electricity for heating and hot water after 2027. This will significantly raise the cost of energy for commercial building owners and those costs will then be passed onto building tenants, often the local small and medium businesses that have been the hardest hit by Covid and form the core of many downtowns. If you are interested in listening to, or participating in, the public comment period at the next WSBCC meeting on Nov. 19 at 10:00 am, use this Zoom link to join. (See Agenda). Chamber by-laws govern the process for the selection and election of the Board of Directors. In compliance with those by-laws, a Nominating Committee was appointed. The Nominating Committee assembled to select candidates to fill vacancies coming due on December 31st of this year. After having been nominated by the Nominating Committee and approved by the Board of Directors, the Chamber submits the following individuals to serve on the Chamber’s Board of Directors:
RETURNING – 3-year term Jim Arneson, Community First Bank Amy Basche, HMIS Paul Carlisle, elevate Dee Gray, Jacobs Jodi Henderson, Benton PUD Trish Herron, Battelle Katherine Sierra-Kelly, Gravis Law RETURNING – 2-year term Brian Moreno, Moreno & Moreno Cynthia Vaughn, Magnolia Music Studio NEW – 3-year term George Booth, Booth & Sons Construction, Inc. Mike Eutsey, Cascade Natural Gas Corp. Megan Hughes, Barnard Griffin Winery Michael Lemon, CLA |
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