A new Washington law requires certain manufacturers to submit detailed emissions inventories and reduction feasibility studies every four years—and most business owners haven't heard about it yet.
Most Washington manufacturers don't realize that a provision buried in Senate Bill 6246 will require them to file detailed emissions assessments on a recurring basis starting in less than three years. If your facility is classified as emissions-intensive and trade-exposed (EITE), this requirement will affect your compliance obligations and planning timeline.
Beginning December 1, 2028, any covered manufacturer classified as an EITE facility under Washington's Climate Commitment Act must submit a comprehensive decarbonization assessment every four years. The assessment has two core components:
First: A detailed greenhouse gas emissions inventory that documents your facility's emissions profile.
Second: A feasibility assessment of emissions-reduction projects—essentially, a technical analysis of what decarbonization options are available to your operation and whether they're economically and operationally viable.
Critically, each assessment must be reviewed and certified by an independent licensed professional engineer who has no financial interest in your company. This third-party certification requirement means you cannot simply prepare the assessment in-house; you'll need to engage an external engineer to validate your work before submission.
The requirement applies specifically to facilities classified as EITE under the Climate Commitment Act. EITE classification is typically reserved for energy-intensive manufacturing operations that face significant competition from out-of-state or international producers. If you're unsure whether your facility qualifies, contact the Washington Department of Ecology or consult your trade association.
SB6246 becomes effective June 11, 2026. However, the decarbonization assessment requirement doesn't take effect until December 1, 2028—giving you roughly two and a half years to prepare. After that first submission, assessments are due every four years (December 1, 2032, December 1, 2036, and so on).
This means your first assessment cycle will likely span 2027–2028, so planning should begin well before the deadline.
If you're an EITE facility, you'll need to budget for the cost of emissions accounting and professional engineering review every four years. You should also begin documenting your current emissions baseline and identifying potential reduction projects now—waiting until 2028 will compress your timeline and limit your options.
The feasibility assessment requirement is particularly important: it's not a compliance checkbox. The assessment forces a structured evaluation of your decarbonization pathway, which may inform capital planning, supply chain decisions, and long-term operational strategy.
For manufacturers already tracking emissions or pursuing efficiency upgrades, this requirement simply formalizes and regularizes work you may already be doing. For others, it signals the need to establish emissions monitoring and reduction planning now.
This provision is found in Section 1, subsection (9)(b) of SB6246, pages 8–9. For a detailed, business-specific guide to EITE classification and assessment requirements, contact your industry trade association or the Washington Department of Ecology.