Commerce seeks new Clean Energy Development Office to speed siting, dashboard and battery storage guidance

The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 5359, an agency‑request bill that would establish a Clean Energy Development Office at the Department of Commerce to centralize tools, technical assistance, mapping and siting best practices for renewable energy, transmission and battery energy storage.

What the bill would do

Committee staff said SB 5359 responds to recommendations from a 2023 Commerce evaluation. The proposed office would develop publicly available geospatial and visualization tools, a permitting dashboard, templates for community benefit agreements and model ordinances, technical assistance for local governments and tribes, and a work group to produce best practices and a menu of options for siting large‑scale battery energy storage systems.

Why proponents support it

Commerce staff (Rebecca Poncio and Dan Seaman) framed the bill as a collaboration tool to reduce conflicts early, provide transparency, help communities understand projects and provide a single point for technical resources. Supporters including Audubon Washington, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, Renewable Northwest and Climate Solutions said the bill would help identify lower‑conflict sites, improve tribal consultation and encourage workforce and community benefits.

Key testimony and concerns

•Environmental and resource authorities recommended that the office help map sensitive habitats and preserve biodiversity while directing development away from conflict areas; Audubon urged study of a ‘‘build‑ready’’ model that pre‑screens derisked sites for developers.

•Fish and Wildlife supported Commerce’s authority to deliver mapping and best practices and to help local governments integrate clean energy into planning and zoning.

•Industry and business groups cautioned against creating additional layers of approval or duplicating work of other agencies or regional planning efforts; they urged a reductive approach to avoid adding new process delays.

•Several witnesses asked for clarity about the dashboard’s scope, definitions (for example, "non‑wire alternatives"), and whether the office would have regulatory authority (it would not).

Battery storage work group

SB 5359 creates a work group to develop guidance, templates and model ordinances for siting large battery energy storage systems and addresses safety, emergency response, zoning, permitting and mitigation considerations.

Ending

Supporters said the office would not add regulatory hurdles but would provide a centralized resource to reduce conflict and speed project readiness. The committee closed the hearing after testimony from state agencies, conservation groups, labor, utilities and industry. No committee vote on SB 5359 was taken at the hearing.