CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION relating to the City Light Department; recording review of and adopting the City Light Department's wildfire mitigation plan.
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WHEREAS, Second Substitute House Bill 1032 ("2SHB 1032"), the purpose of which is to mitigate the risk of wildfires through electric utility planning and identification of best management practices appropriate to each utility's circumstances, was passed by Washington State Legislature on April 8, 2023, and signed by the Governor on April 20, 2023; and
WHEREAS, 2SHB 1032 requires electric utilities to adopt and implement wildfire mitigation plans and provides that electric utilities should be informed by best practices, as applicable to their geography, terrain, vegetation, and other characteristics specific in their service area for reducing wildland fire risk and reducing damage from wildland fires as may be ignited by electric utility equipment; and
WHEREAS, Section 4 of 2SHB 1032 was codified as Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 19.29A.170 which requires that by October 31, 2024, and every three years thereafter, each consumer-owned utility must review, if appropriate revise, and adopt its wildfire mitigation plan, and must use the recommended format and elements pursuant to RCW 76.04.185; and
WHEREAS, in 2015, the Washington State Legislature established the Wildland Fire Advisory Committee to advise the Commissioner of Public Lands ("Commissioner") on all matters related to wildland firefighting in the state; and
WHEREAS, in 2021, the Legislature directed the Commissioner to convene a Utility Wildland Fire Prevention Advisory Committee tasked with advising the Commissioner on a variety of issues related to reducing the risks of wildland fires associated with electrical transmission and distribution network; and
WHEREAS, the City Light department ("City Light") drafted a utility wildfire mitigation plan that includes all the elements required in RCW 19.29A.170 and R...
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