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MSEATTLE
2020 Washington State legislative session ends in climate failure

"Climate delay is just as bad as denial. This year’s legislative session was a comprehensive failure to act on climate," said Vlad Gutman-Britten, Climate Solutions Washington Director. "Two thirds of Washington voters support a Clean Fuel Standard. Yet instead of listening to the people, Senate Democrats sided with the oil industry and handed veto power to a small minority in their caucus. On climate, our senate is kicking the can down the road towards a cliff. The legislature passed some good bills to further clean energy. But they passed nothing substantial, and nothing that would challenge the oil monopoly that we face.”

“We do not get to take a year off from climate change. If we aren’t working to solve this crisis year after year, we are losing the fight,” said Alyssa Macy, CEO, of Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters. “The Senate cannot be the place where climate action goes to die.”  

“Lawmakers demonstrated that they understand there is a climate crisis for Washington communities by updating our state’s greenhouse-gas emissions targets and investing in climate resilience,” said Mike Stevens, Washington state director for The Nature Conservancy. “It is thus all the more unfortunate that, despite progress in the House, the Senate failed to exercise leadership where it matters most, and did not enact major policies such as the Clean Fuel Standard that would have provided the very tools we need to meet our emission reduction targets.”

There is strong and very diverse support to pass a Clean Fuel Standard, notably including the Alliance for Automotive Innovation as well as major in-state fuel users such as Waste Management, Alaska Airlines and the Port of Seattle. They have voiced strong support for the policy as a key solution to cut transportation pollution, protect public health, and help low-carbon alternatives compete in a fuel market currently monopolized by big oil  by aligning with California, Oregon, and British Columbia—all of whom already benefit from their own successful clean fuels programs.

Below are some of the hundreds of organizations, local elected officials and jurisdictions, health associations and hospitals, small businesses, unions and advocacy groups that urged the legislature to pass HB 1110 this session: 

Business leaders

  • Alaska Airlines
  • Port of Seattle
  • Automakers Alliance for Automotive Innovation
  • Waste Management
  • Renewable Energy Group
  • Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas
  • EVGo
  • Clean Energy Fuels
  • SeQuential Biodiesel
  • Promus Energy
  • A&R Solar
  • ChargePoint
  • Neste
  • Washington Refuse & Recycling Association
  • Recology CleanScapes
  • Green Canopy Homes
  • Forth
  • National Biodiesel Board
  • Impact Bioenergy

Health leaders 

  • American Lung Association
  • Washington Academy of Family Physicians
  • Washington State Medical Association
  • American College of Physicians, Washington Chapter
  • Washington Health Care Climate Alliance
  • Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
  • Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility

Labor

  • IBEW Local 81
  • SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW
  • UFCW 21

Utilities

  • Seattle City Light
  • Tacoma Public Utilities 
  • Klickitat PUD
  • NW Natural

Local Government

  • King County
  • City of Tacoma
  • City of Spokane
  • City of Issaquah
  • City of Bainbridge Island
  • King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C)

Natural Resources

  • Washington Department of Natural Resources 
  • The Nature Conservancy

Nonprofit organizations

  • Climate Solutions
  • Union of Concerned Scientists
  • Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Earth Ministry
  • Washington Environmental Council
  • Fuse Washington
  • Transportation Choices Coalition
  • Audubon Washington
  • Sierra Club
  • OneAmerica 
  • Environmental Priorities Coalition (20 statewide organizations)

Over 65 local businesses statewide

  • 208 Garfield 
  • Art Gallery of SnoValley 
  • Bah Diallo African Market 
  • Bowler Coffee Co 
  • Browns Flowers Inc 
  • Caffe Ladro 
  • Champion Pet Supply 
  • Chic Boutique 
  • Clare Law Firm 
  • Concentra Physical Therapy 
  • County Yarns 
  • Dightman's Bible Book Centers 
  • El Sabor 
  • Elizabeth's Holistic Health 
  • Energy Efficiency Finance Corporation 
  • Experience Tea 
  • Forest Fairy Bakery 
  • Fun Kuts 
  • Garden of Beadin’ 
  • ImpactBioenergy
  • Kasia Wine 
  • Krista's Sandwich Shop 
  • Law Offices of David B. Richardson 
  • Little Shop of Light 
  • Maltby Cafe
  • Maple + Moss Boutique 
  • Music & Arts 
  • Olivai Jane Enterprises 
  • Pacific Southern 
  • Plato's Closet 
  • Proper Joe Coffee House 
  • Quality Stitching 
  • Randolf Cellars 
  • Revolve 
  • Reyna’s Mexican Restaurant 
  • RooPair 
  • Royal Tea 
  • Social Grounds, Coffee & Tea Co. 
  • Suburban Soul Boutique 
  • Sunride.US 
  • Tacoma's Best Piercing 
  • Tan Republic 
  • The Muttropolitan 
  • Thunder Dome/Real Art Tacoma 
  • Todo Mexico 
  • Trinity Lutheran Church 
  • TSUGA Fine Art & Framing 
  • University Dental Care 
  • Val's Surroundings Gifts 
  • WR Consulting Inc. 
  • Zulu’s Board Game cafe

 

Over 125 former and current local elected officials statewide

  • Council Member Bruce McDougall City of Anacortes
  • Council Member Ryan Walters City of Anacortes 
  • Council Member Jan Schuette City of Arlington 
  • Mayor Leslie Schneider City of Bainbridge Island 
  • Councilmember Joe Deets City of Bainbridge Island 
  • Councilmember Kirsten Hytopoulos City of Bainbridge Island 
  • Councilmember Kol Medina City of Bainbridge Island 
  • Councilmember Matthew Tirman City of Bainbridge Island 
  • Former Councilmember Ron Peltier City of Bainbridge Island 
  • Councilmember Janice Zahn City of Bellevue  
  • Council President Daniel Hammill City of Bellingham 
  • Councilmember Lisa Anderson City of Bellingham 
  • Councilmember Michael Lilliquist City of Bellingham 
  • Councilmember Hannah Stone City of Bellingham 
  • Former Mayor Kelli Linville City of Bellingham 
  • Council Chair Claudia Balducci King County 
  • Former Councilmember April Barker City of Bellingham  
  • Commissioner Michael Shepard Port of Bellingham 
  • Councilmember Kristiana de Leon City of Black Diamond 
  • Councilmember Tom Agnew City of Bothell 
  • Councilmember Mason Thompson City of Bothell 
  • Councilmember Leslie Daugs City of Bremerton 
  • Councilmember Michael Goodnow City of Bremerton 
  • Councilmember Lori Wheat City of Bremerton 
  • Deputy Mayor Krystal Marx City of Burien 
  • Councilmember Cydney Moore City of Burien 
  • Councilmember Nancy Tosta City of Burien 
  • Former Deputy Mayor Austin Bell City of Burien 
  • Councilmember Adair Hawkins City of Carnation 
  • Councilmember Kim Lisk City of Carnation 
  • Mayor Michael Nelson City of Edmonds 
  • Councilmember Mark Phillips City of Lake Forest Park
  • Councilmember Diane Buckshnis City of Edmonds 
  • Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas City of Edmonds 
  • Former Councilmember Dave Teitzel City of Edmonds 
  • Councilmember Brenda Stonecipher City of Everett 
  • Council Member Jeni Woock City of Gig Harbor 
  • Commissioner Helen Price Johnson Island County 
  • Mayor Mary Lou Pauly City of Issaquah 
  • Council President Victoria Hunt City of Issaquah 
  • Councilmember Barbara de Michele City of Issaquah 
  • Councilmember Lindsey Walsh City of Issaquah 
  • Commissioner Kate Dean Jefferson County 
  • Commissioner David Sullivan Jefferson County 
  • Councilmember Brenda Fincher City of Kent 
  • Former Councilmember Dennis Higgins City of Kent 
  • County Executive Dow Constantine King County 
  • Mayor Cheryl Selby City of Olympia 
  • Council Vice Chair Joe McDermott King County 
  • Councilmember Rod Dembowski King County 
  • Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles King County 
  • Councilmember Dave Upthegrove King County 
  • Former Councilmember Larry Gossett King County 
  • Mayor Penny Sweet City of Kirkland 
  • Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold City of Kirkland 
  • Former Councilmember Dave Asher City of Kirkland 
  • Former Councilmember Tom Neir City of Kirkland 
  • Commissioner Charlotte Garrido Kitsap County 
  • Commissioner Robert Gelder Kitsap County 
  • Mayor Andy Ryder City of Lacey 
  • Deputy Mayor Cynthia Pratt City of Lacey 
  • Former Councilmember Lynda Zeman City of Lacey 
  • Former Councilmember Hank Margeson City of Redmond 
  • Councilmember Ryan McIrvin City of Renton 
  • Councilmember Jason Ritchie City of Sammamish 
  • Councilmember Pam Stuart City of Sammamish 
  • Councilmember Peter Kwon City of SeaTac 
  • Councilmember Lisa Herbold City of Seattle 
  • Councilmember Mary Dickinson City of Lake Stevens 
  • Mayor Benson Wong City of Mercer Island  
  • Deputy Mayor Wendy Weiker City of Mercer Island  
  • Councilmember Salim Nice City of Mercer Island 
  • Councilmember Craig Reynolds City of Mercer Island  
  • Former Mayor Bruce Bassett City of Mercer Island  
  • Former Mayor Debbie Bertlin City of Mercer Island  
  • Councilmember Richard Brocksmith City of Mount Vernon 
  • Councilmember Iris Carias City of Mount Vernon 
  • Mayor Jennifer Gregerson City of Mukilteo 
  • Councilmember Bob Champion City of Mukilteo 
  • Former Council President Christine Cook City of Mukilteo 
  • Councilmember Tom Griffin City of Newcastle 
  • Mayor Crystal Dingler City of Ocean Shores 
  • Commissioner Sam Cho Port of Seattle 
  • Former Commissioner Courtney Gregoire Port of Seattle 
  • Councilmember Jennifer States City of Sequim 
  • Former Councilmember Bob Lake City of Sequim 
  • Mayor Will Hall City of Shoreline 
  • Councilmember Doris McConnell City of Shoreline 
  • Mayor Pro Tem Jessica Bateman City of Olympia 
  • Councilmember Jim Cooper City of Olympia 
  • Councilmember Clark Gilman City of Olympia 
  • Councilmember Dani Madrone City of Olympia
  • Councilmember Lisa Parshley City of Olympia 
  • Former Councilmember Nathaniel Jones City of Olympia 
  • Commissioner E.J. Zita Port of Olympia 
  • Council Vice Chair Connie Ladenburg Pierce County 
  • Councilmember Derek Young Pierce County 
  • Former Mayor Deborah Stinson City of Port Townsend  
  • Mayor Angela Birney City of Redmond 
  • Councilmember Vanessa Kritzer City of Redmond 
  • Councilmember Tanika Padhye City of Redmond 
  • Former Mayor John Marchione City of Redmond 
  • Mayor Matt Larson City of Snoqualmie 
  • Council President Breean Beggs City of Spokane 
  • Council Member Kate Burke City of Spokane 
  • Former Council President Ben Stuckart City of Spokane 
  • Councilmember Amy Weissfeld City of Stevenson 
  • Deputy Mayor Keith Blocker City of Tacoma 
  • Councilmember Deborah Juarez City of Seattle 
  • Councilmember Andrew Lewis City of Seattle 
  • Councilmember Tammy Morales City of Seattle 
  • Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda City of Seattle 
  • Former Councilmember Sally Bagshaw City of Seattle 
  • Former Councilmember Mike O’Brien City of Seattle 
  • Former Councilmember Abel Pacheco City of Seattle 
  • Commission Vice President Fred Felleman Port of Seattle 
  • Commissioner Ryan Calkins Port of Seattle 
  • Mayor Pete Kmet City of Tumwater
  • Councilmember Keith McGlashan City of Shoreline 
  • Councilmember Chris Roberts City of Shoreline 
  • County Executive Dave Somers Snohomish County 
  • Council Vice Chair Stephanie Wright Snohomish County 
  • Councilmember Linda Redmon City of Snohomish 
  • Mayor Pro Tem Joan Cathey City of Tumwater 
  • Councilmember Leatta Dahlhoff City of Tumwater 
  • Councilmember Tom Oliva City of Tumwater 
  • Councilmember Eileen Swarthout City of Tumwater  
  • Council Member Ty Stober City of Vancouver 
  • Commission President Eric LaBrant Port of Vancouver 
  • Council Member Riley Clubb City of Walla Walla
  • Council Member Chris Beale City of Tacoma 
  • Council Member Conor McCarthy City of Tacoma 
  • Council Member Kristina Walker City of Tacoma 
  • Former Council Member Anders Ibsen City of Tacoma 
  • Councilmember David Watterson City of Tenino 
  • Commissioner Tye Menser Thurston County 
  • County Auditor Mary Hall Thurston County 
  • Councilmember De’Sean Quinn City of Tukwila 
  • Councilmember Barry Buchanan Whatcom County 
  • Councilmember Todd Donovan Whatcom County 
  • Commissioner Atul Deshmane Whatcom County PUD 

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Author Bio

The article was written by Climate Solutions staff. Our individual bios can be found here.

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