Tell Puget Sound Energy: let's keep it clean--support I-1631
We don't have a minute to lose in taking action on climate in Washington—and we need our energy utilities to stand with us for clean air and a stable climate.
Washington is among a few unique states with commitments and strong laws to address the major sources of pollution including the grid, transportation fuels, and economy wide sectors. Our work now and in the future, will continue to focus on how we reduce emissions and who will benefit in the transition to clean energy.
Notably this session begins against the backdrop of 2023’s headlines that the Climate Commitment Act program generated a total revenue of $2.2 billion. Having the CCA actively working to make polluters pay and help fund clean energy in Washington is an extraordinary win for climate and our communities, but we will still need to ensure these dollars are invested wisely. Ultimately we may need to defend this law from detractors and opponents of climate action.
We're nearly through this short session! Below is the latest on what we've been tracking in 2024.
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Download a copy of our 2024 Washington Legislative Climate Priorities.
*Environmental Priorities Coalition Priority
Research shows that switching to zero-emission school buses improves kids’ health and performance in school by cutting diesel pollution. In tandem with the budget ask ($80 million of Climate Commitment Act revenue), this bill would set Washington on a pathway to 100% clean school buses and would accelerate the process by requiring new bus purchases to be zero-emission starting when the cost to own and operate a zero-emission bus is the same or less than a polluting bus (cost parity expected within five years or sooner).
The bill passed the House and Senate, After a final House concurrence vote, the bill is expected to head to the Governor's desk for his signature.
Typically, a short session means less budget-focused work, as the biennial budget is set in long (odd-year) sessions. Ongoing revenue from the Climate Commitment Act revenue means there are additional funds to invest in climate priorities in the supplemental 2024 budget.
Low-income residents are the least able to transition off of gas, and for tenants of affordable, multi-family housing (MFH) it is largely up to building owners to transition to electric and efficient homes and appliances. Climate and clean building advocates are asking the Legislature to invest $100 million in affordable MFH housing incentives for energy efficiency upgrades and electrification retrofits (also currently in the Governor’s budget). This funding should be flexible and include outreach, planning, and technical assistance.
We can fund the transition to zero-emission buses, help our schools, and improve our kids' health. Almost all of our 12,000+ school buses in Washington currently run on diesel, and diesel pollution causes cancer, contributes to lung and other chronic diseases, and triggers asthma attacks. Rep. Senn is leading the ask for $80 million to meet the need and growing demand for clean buses and ensure all kids can get a healthy and safe ride to school. This budget ask, as well as the accompanying legislation to mandate the transition, are a 2024 Environmental Priorities Coalition Priority.
This bill will ensure that PSE (our largest gas and electric utility) plans for the transition to clean energy, makes significant new programs available to help folks transition off of fossil gas, and creates opportunities for low-income people to access the clean energy transition. HB 1589 will require PSE to proactively plan to meet statutory requirements to decarbonize its system. Without this bill, PSE may continue planning its gas system to be reliant on fossil fuels indefinitely, resulting in stranded assets and higher costs for customers.
Legislators in both houses passed this bill and reached concurrence. The bill is headed to Gov. Inslee for his signature.
With significant new clean energy incentives coming to Washingtonians from federal investments and the Climate Commitment Act, it is critical that the incentives are accessible and understandable, and that there is significant community outreach and input. This bill would create a one-stop shop and outreach campaign to do just that.
This bill passed the House 58-39 but died in the Senate; its key provisions may be incorporated as a budget proviso.
This bill would allow gas and electric utilities to explore the option to establish and operate thermal energy networks (also called TENS or networked geothermal), which are systems that can operate at a neighborhood scale to link together the energy systems for different buildings, distributing waste heat and energy throughout them using ground-source heat pumps. Thermal energy networks would allow customers to access the benefits of ground-source heat pumps (which are more efficient than air-source, and also can be more stable in colder climates) at lower cost, and also provide a way for gas utilities and their workforce to decarbonize, since TENS involve a system of water pipes that are fairly similar to gas pipelines. The bill would also establish a program for gas utilities to apply for Commerce grants to develop a pilot in their existing service territory.
The bill has passed both the House and Senate.
by Seth Zuckerman on
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Washington's Clean Air Rule will reduce climate-damaging carbon emissions from the state's top polluters. That's a step in the right direction!
by Kimberly Larson on
Olympia, WA – The Department of Ecology on Wednesday released an updated draft of the Clean Air Rule
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by Caleb Smith on
The 2016 Western Washington Solutions Summit hosted by the Washington Policy Center will convene over 600 policy
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by Ross Macfarlane and Taylor Halperin on
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On April 19, 2016 the Western Washington University Institute for Energy Studies will be holding its first Energy Symposium. Students,…
by Seth Zuckerman on
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by Vlad Gutman-Britten on
Cleaner air ahead! Washington's Department of Ecology is giving itself the opportunity to strengthen new plans to cut carbon emissions and to…
by Caleb Smith on
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by Gregg Small on
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We don't have a minute to lose in taking action on climate in Washington—and we need our energy utilities to stand with us for clean air and a stable climate.
The transportation sector's immense contribution to global warming makes it a very important place to reduce emissions. That and more new climate and clean energy news in the latest ClimateCast.
The people of Washington have the opportunity to win one of the most ambitious, effective and far reaching policies to tackle climate change.
Washington's Legislature failed—again—to enact the kind of bold climate solutions we need and are ready for. Here's what happened, and here's why we can't stop and won't stop working to make the Evergreen State a climate leadership state.
No matter how many lobbyists they hire, no matter how many half-truths they tell, and no matter the fear-mongering we encounter—we’re going to keep at it until 100% clean is the law.
Utilities obstructed the passage of HB 2995, a measure backed by a coalition of labor, environmental, clean energy and conservation organizations that would have led Washington State to a fossil fuel-free future.
Clean energy is ready to move forward in the Washington State Legislature—let's help make sure it does!
US support increases for phasing out coal; some utilities show a greater taste for renewables, and more in this week's ClimateCast.
Washington State has a chance to deliver on some of the most ambitious climate policy anywhere in the country. Valentine’s Day is a key deadline.
Key complementary climate policies advance as legislative session reaches halfway point.