EXECUTIVE ORDER  73-02

Establishment of a State Energy Policy Council

The present general status of the production and use of energy resources and the continuing disputes over the development of future energy resources have created a situation in which public policy must critically and realistically address the implications of the so-called energy crisis for Washington State. This energy crisis poses the challenge of considering assessing, anticipating, and guiding the diverse public and private elements which comprise the energy production, distribution, and utilization system in our state. Moreover, rapidly rising energy prices, wasteful energy use practices, increased demands for energy, the growing awareness as well as continuing discovery of adverse environmental and social impacts from energy production facilities and energy use practices, and, most importantly, continuing threats of power shortages, make it imperative that a comprehensive state policy for all forms and uses of energy be developed.

While there are many agencies, local governments and public corporations of the state concerned with various phases of energy and power policies and issues, there is neither any comprehensive and coordinated state energy policy nor any public mechanism established to develop such a policy. The continuation of energy related practices on the present basis of fragmented, uncoordinated, and unrelated decision-making could well have the most serious consequences for our state.

Any energy program and attendant policy of energy usage developed in the State of Washington should be developed by its citizens, its business and industry, its environmental groups, and its state government, in a manner which is in the highest best interest of all of the people of the state and in a manner which can be related to regional energy programs and in turn, to national programs.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Daniel J. Evans, Governor of the State of Washington, do, by this Executive Order, hereby establish the State Energy Policy Council. The Council is charged with the following responsibilities:

1. To constructively examine what existing energy resources; how they are being used and their potential for additional use; the potential for the development of heretofore unused energy resources; the demand factors of today and for the foreseeable future; and how all of these elements can be related to a continuing need to maintain the highest possible form of social well-being and the natural environment of the state.

2. To relate each type of energy usage to the other in order that any final product be a blending of the best values of each as to type, as to source, as to location, as to availability, and as to the most opportune time and circumstances under which a given energy source or some combination of them can and should be most appropriately developed and brought into production.

3. To realistically define the parameters of energy management and energy conservation; to consider what factors should make desirable energy export and energy import; and to examine the question as to what type of industrial and business energy usage would best serve the social, economic and environmental interest of the citizens of the state particularly as this is related to usages of energy forms which are indigenous to the state.

4. To attempt to find, to achieve, and to maintain a constant and continuing balance as between energy production and demand in the state and the maintenance of environmental and social programs which assure to the people of the state their basic rights to clean air, clean water, clean land, and a healthy and desirable environment.

5. To consider any other energy related topic which is pertinent to the development and maintenance of a sound and continuing state energy program.

6. To develop a proposed state energy policy, including the means to implement such a policy, recommendations for use as guidelines by public and private entities in making decisions related to the initiation of new energy production and related facilities within the state, and such legislation as may be necessary to accomplish and maintain a public policy and program on a viable basis.

The Council is authorized to conduct such public meetings and research as it deems appropriate, and it may work cooperatively with any other public entity in.discharging its responsibilities.

The Council shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor no later than January 1, 1975.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal of the State of
Washington to be affixed at Olympia this
7th day of February A.D., Nineteen hundred and seventy-three.

Daniel J. Evans
Governor of Washington

BY THE GOVERNOR:



Secretary of State