Policy committees approaching key deadline
Dear Friends,
Today the Legislature will
reach an important deadline; it is the last day policy committees can vote on
Senate bills. Next Tuesday, Feb. 6, is the last day for Senate fiscal
committees (Ways and Means; Transportation) to vote on Senate bills that have
an effect on the state budget.
Wednesday, Feb. 14 will be the
final day for bills to pass the chamber (House or Senate) in which they were introduced.
Then the next day, we will get the updated state revenue forecast. The majority
party says it is waiting for those new figures to begin work in earnest on
developing the supplemental state budget.
It will undoubtedly be a busy
next few weeks, and I look forward to keeping you up to date on the progress of
legislation and other key developments.
As always, if there is anything
I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to call, e-mail or write. I appreciate
your feedback as I represent you in Olympia.
Sincerely,
 Sharon Brown
State Senator
8th District
My suicide prevention and energy bills receive
hearings
 Click to watch this week's video update!
As we continue to take an all-of-the-above approach to
clean energy and emerging new technologies, one of the often-overlooked sources
of renewable energy is geothermal.
Geothermal energy is the result of heat produced deep in
the Earth that is transmitted through volcanic rocks into water. Drill down
deep enough and that hot water can be brought to the surface. Find a large
enough source of geothermal energy and the heated water can be used to generate
clean, carbon-free electricity.
Geothermal is a renewable resource under state law for a number
of purposes. Not only is this a potential source of clean energy, but it is
also a great opportunity for our state to collaborate with research facilities
such as our own Pacific Northwest National Laboratories.
As you may remember, last year we passed my bill to
streamline the permitting process for geothermal energy exploration. This year,
I have introduced a new bill to make Washington even more attractive to those
investing in geothermal energy exploration.
Substitute Senate Bill 6350, which cleared the Senate
Energy, Environment and Technology Committee on Wednesday, would:
- require the Department of Natural Resources to
publish information about geothermal potential on state-owned lands;
- allow parties exploring for geothermal
resources to request a single bond for the whole project, instead of requiring
a separate bond for each new well or core hole; and
- expand the research mission of the state’s Joint
Center for Deployment and Research in Earth Abundant Materials to include
technology that would allow for the extraction of valuable minerals from
underground fluids brought to the surface by geothermal power plants.
As I learned from talking with our friends at PNNL, rare
earth minerals are often a byproduct of geothermal drilling. These materials
are extremely valuable, and as the name implies, very rare. Instead of
acquiring them from foreign countries hostile to the U.S., advancing geothermal
energy would allow us to obtain them right here at home.
My bill now goes to the Ways and Means Committee for its
review.
 From left to right: Samuel Coleman, Lisa Toomey, Ronna Myles-Era and Eric Gripp
If you ever have a
chance to call my office or visit us in Olympia, chances are that you will get
the pleasure of talking with one of the many people that help me serve you in
the Legislature – my legislative staff. We have a few new faces this year, so I
wanted to take a moment in this newsletter to tell you a bit about each of
them.
Lisa Toomey is my new legislative
assistant. Lisa recently moved to the Olympia area with her husband Jim who
retired from the Port of Pasco. Their two children live and work in the tech
industry in Seattle. Lisa served in leadership, project management and strategic
planning positions in the Tri-Cities for over 30 years and hopes to put those
experiences to work serving the 8th District.
Ronna Myles-Era, our session
assistant, is working in her 14th legislative session! She brings an energy and
level of legislative experience that is a big help in keeping our office
organized and moving smoothly. She is the proud mother of two teenagers and had
spent 20 years writing songs and performing in several rock bands.
Our session aide this
year is Samuel Coleman. Sam is always an engaging presence in our office,
welcoming visitors and always eager to help. He studied political science and public
policy at Central Washington University and enjoys backpacking, day hikes, and
other outdoor activities.
Last, but not least, Eric
Gripp is our terrific session intern. A pre-law student at the University of
Washington, Eric volunteers with Homeward Pets and Volunteers of America, and
is an animator and graphics designer in his spare time.
I am so pleased to have
such a hardworking and talented staff working with me in Olympia and helping me
to better serve as your senator. If you are planning a trip to the Capitol,
please call my office and let us know. Our team would love to meet you in
person!
As always, I value
hearing directly from you. I am here to be your voice, and your feedback on
bills before the Senate is very important to me. If you would like to contact me please
write, phone, e-mail, or stop by if you’re in the Olympia area.
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