The definitions in this section apply throughout this section and RCW 89.08.615 through 89.08.635 unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) “Carbon dioxide equivalent emission” means a metric measure used to compare the emission impacts from various greenhouse gases based on their relative radiative forcing effect over a specified period of time compared to carbon dioxide emissions.

(2) “Carbon dioxide equivalent impact” means a metric measure of the cumulative radiative forcing impacts of both carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and the radiative forcing benefits of carbon storage.

(3) “Commission” means the Washington state conservation commission created in this chapter.

(4) “Conservation district” means one or a group of Washington state’s conservation districts created in this chapter.

Findings—Intent—2020 c 351: “The legislature finds that Washington’s working agricultural lands are essential to the economic and social well-being of our rural communities and to the state’s overall environment and economy. The legislature further finds that different challenges and opportunities exist to expand the use of precision agriculture for different crops in the state by assisting farmers, ranchers, and aquaculturists to purchase equipment and receive technical assistance to reduce their operations’ carbon footprint while ensuring that crops and soils receive exactly what they need for optimum health and productivity. Moreover, the legislature finds that opportunities exist to enhance soil health through carbon farming and regenerative agriculture by increasing soil organic carbon levels while ensuring appropriate carbon to nitrogen ratios, and to store carbon in standing trees, seaweed, and other vegetation. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to provide cost-sharing competitive grant opportunities to enable farmers and ranchers to adopt practices that increase appropriate quantities of carbon stored in and above their soil and to initiate or expand the use of precision agriculture on their farms. This act seeks to leverage and enhance existing state and federal cost-sharing programs for farm, ranch, and aquaculture operations.” [ 2020 c 351 § 1.]

Public funds—2020 c 351: “No public funds shall be awarded as grants under this act until public funds are appropriated specifically for the sustainable farms and fields grant program.” [ 2020 c 351 § 9.]