Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, outlining his climate agenda for the 2023 legislative session, said Dec. 12 he will propose “new ways” to push through energy-related projects more rapidly.

Inslee, who last month decried “nimbyism” as a threat to decarbonizing the economy, said state laws for approving transmission lines and manufacturing plants that support renewable energy are obsolete.

“We have a siting system that was built for the last century. We need one that’s built for this century,” said Inslee, speaking on Washington State University’s Tri-Cities campus in Richland.

Inslee did not offer any specifics. His spokeswoman said the governor planned to reveal more details in his budget proposal.

In a high-level preview, Inslee said he will propose a $10 million appropriation for the new Institute for Northwest Energy Futures on the Tri-Cities campus.

The governor said he expected the institute to produce cutting-edge research into alternative fuels and clean-energy technologies.

“While we have these new whiz-bang technologies, while we have these whole new industries, we have to be able to site them,” Inslee said. “This is absolutely fundamental to get this job done.”

The Inslee administration and Eastern Washington counties have clashed over the proliferation of solar panels covering thousands of acres zoned for agriculture.

Solar companies can bypass counties by applying to the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, a state agency and an extension of the Inslee administration.

The site council in November fast-tracked the side-by-side High Top and Ostrea solar projects over the opposition of Yakima County commissioners.

Commissioners in Benton and Douglas counties have slowed solar projects by restricting them on farmland or near towns and wildlife habitat.

At Inslee’s request, the Legislature last year expanded the range of projects the site council can approve to include biofuel refiners and energy-related manufacturing plants.

At last month’s United Nations climate summit in Egypt, Inslee said “nimbyism” was part of the “human genome” and must be overcome.

Inslee said Monday he will propose new legislation to speed-up decisions, engage the community and approve projects across multiple jurisdictions.

“All of these things need improvement in our siting system,” he said.

Inslee has said he will propose expanding the site council’s staff.

The site council was established in 1970 to oversee proposals to build nuclear power plants. The council makes recommendations to the governor.

The council is currently reviewing five proposed renewable projects, all in Eastern Washington.

The site council anticipates more proposals and needs a larger staff to speed up reviews and hold-down costs for applicants, according to a budget request to the governor’s office.

Senate Republicans have said counties should have control over whether solar projects will be built on farmland.