Washington § 82.08.900 - Exemptions — Anaerobic digesters.

(1) The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to sales to an eligible person:

(a) In respect to equipment necessary to process biogas from a landfill into marketable coproducts, including but not limited to biogas conditioning, compression, and electrical generation equipment, or to services rendered in respect to installing, constructing, repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving equipment necessary to process biogas from a landfill into marketable coproducts; and

(b) Establishing or operating an anaerobic digester or to services rendered in respect to installing, constructing, repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving an anaerobic digester, or to sales of tangible personal property that becomes an ingredient or component of the anaerobic digester.

(2) A person claiming an exemption under this section must keep records necessary for the department to verify eligibility under this section. Sellers may make tax exempt sales under this section only if the buyer provides the seller with an exemption certificate in a form and manner prescribed by the department. The seller must retain a copy of the certificate for the seller's files.

(3) The definitions in this subsection apply to this section and RCW 82.12.900 unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Anaerobic digester" means a facility that processes organic material into biogas and digestate using microorganisms in a decomposition process within a closed, oxygen-free container as well as the equipment necessary to process biogas or digestate produced by an anaerobic digester into marketable coproducts, including but not limited to biogas conditioning, compression, nutrient recovery, and electrical generation equipment.

(b) "Eligible person" means any person establishing or operating an anaerobic digester or landfill or processing biogas from an anaerobic digester or landfill into marketable coproducts.

Reviser's note: The tax preference enacted in section 4, chapter 164, Laws of 2018 expires January 1, 2029, pursuant to the automatic expiration date established in RCW 82.32.805(1)(a).

Tax preference performance statement—2018 c 164: "This section is the tax preference performance statement for the tax preferences contained in sections [3,] 4, 6, 8, and 9, chapter 164, Laws of 2018. The performance statement is only intended to be used for subsequent evaluation of the tax preferences. It is not intended to create a private right of action by any party or to be used to determine eligibility for preferential tax treatment.

(1) The legislature categorizes the tax preferences as ones intended to induce certain designated behavior by taxpayers, as indicated in RCW 82.32.808(2)(a).

(2) It is the legislature's specific public policy objective to increase the production of renewable natural gas in Washington state. It is the legislature's intent to reinstate and expand tax incentives for certain landfills and anaerobic digesters in order to stimulate investment in biogas capture and conditioning, compression, nutrient recovery, and use of renewable natural gas for heating, electricity generation, and transportation fuel.

(3) To measure the effectiveness of the tax preferences in sections [3,] 4, 6, 8, and 9, chapter 164, Laws of 2018 in achieving the public policy objectives described in subsection (2) of this section, the joint legislative audit and review committee must evaluate the number of public and private landfills and anaerobic digesters producing renewable natural gas in the state and the extent to which they are utilizing these incentives.

(4) In order to obtain the data necessary to perform the review in subsection (3) of this section, the department of revenue must provide data needed for the joint legislative audit and review committee analysis. In addition to the data source described under this subsection, the joint legislative audit and review committee may use any other data it deems necessary." [ 2018 c 164 s 1.]

Effective date—2018 c 164: "This act takes effect July 1, 2018." [ 2018 c 164 s 10.]

Effective date—Conservation commission—Report to legislature—2006 c 151: See notes following RCW 82.08.890.

Intent—Effective date—2001 2nd sp.s. c 18: See notes following RCW 82.08.890.