2025 Legislative Session

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We’ve done a lot in Washington to advance our efforts to cut toxic air pollution, provide more options for efficient, clean energy, and create good in-state jobs. We know Washington voters want climate action—we’re coming off an incredible victory in 2024 by defeating I-2117 to protect the Climate Commitment Act. 

 

Our Legislative work in 2025 will zero in on more ways we can continue to go big and reduce our climate pollution by half within the next five years. Addressing climate change has always been an enormous challenge, but our wins in Washington demonstrate that we can and we must keep building on our progress. 

 

2025 Legislative Priorities

  1. Invest Climate Commitment Act revenue in deep pollution cuts: CCA dollars must be spent strategically to make sure we rapidly reduce pollution, meet our climate goals, and improve people's lives. In the first two years of CCA dollars, the Legislature funded the start of critical programs and helped grow others. We must continue these successes by funding programs like zero-emission medium-and heavy-duty vehicle vouchers; instant EV rebates for Washingtonians living on low incomes; EV community and home charging; 100% clean school buses; heat pumps and more. 
  2. Build on what’s working: We need to keep doing what we’re doing, while reviewing and assessing what can be improved. Examples: extend the WA EV sales tax waiver, which expires in July 2025; allow EV manufacturers to sell directly to consumers; implement charger reliability standards to make charging easier; support a clean maritime sector through port electrification grants and continuing hybrid electric ferry buildout; boost transmission capacity; require grid enhancing technologies; improve clean energy siting processes. 
  3. Defend our progress: We’re no strangers to defending our climate progress;, this legislative session is no different. The Advanced Clean Truck rule has attracted the ire of the trucking industry and some truckmakers don’t want to follow the rules to get rid of dirty diesel—ACT is a critical tool for Washington to clean up diesel pollution from big trucks, vans, and buses, and help protect your lungs and neighborhood. We need to protect it! 

We’re also working with the Environmental Priorities Coalition. You can read more about those priorities here

Washington State Government

COP28 convenes in Dubai — with fractional results

by Jonathan Lee on

Just a year ago, fossil fuel companies complained they felt unwelcome at COP27; at this year’s COP28 international climate conference, OPEC has its…

Our kids deserve pollution-free school buses

by Jonathan Lee and Jöelle Robinson on

Washington State needs to pass a bill requiring all school buses in Washington to be zero-emission by 2035, and new bus purchases must be pollution-…

These Climate Investments Will Transform Washington

by Altinay Karasapan on

In the first three auctions for pollution permits held thanks to the Climate Commitment Act, Washington State has raised over $1.4 billion to go…

News flash: Fossil fuel companies are taking you for a ride.

by Joëlle Robinson on

While we're feeling the burden of high gas prices, big oil is playing a blame game—trying to make us believe that high prices are caused by our state…

No reason to delay climate action on buildings in WA

by Deepa Sivarajan on

Washington State's building industry is now trying to take that win away by asking the State Building Code Council to delay implementing the codes…

Permission granted: Washington's clean energy transition will be efficient, equitable and effective

by Altinay Karasapan on

More on HB 1216, designed to help bring more new clean energy projects and associated jobs to the state.

A success story: investing in climate progress

by Jonathan Lawson on

As Washington State books historic investments in clean energy, federal courts weigh in on city- and state-led efforts to counter the power of fossil…

$2 Billion in climate and clean energy, coming to you!

by Kelly Hall on

That’s a wrap: 2023 Washington legislative session ends with unprecedented dollars for climate and clean energy development

A home run for WA House budgets

by Kelly Hall on

There’s just one month left of Washington’s legislative session and EXCITING things are happening!

The biggest investment—ever—in clean energy coming to WA communities

by Altinay Karasapan on

Our last blog of the CCA series where we dig into the “invest” side of the cap-and-invest equation.

Landmark climate leadership: WA invests in environmental justice

by Altinay Karasapan on

In this post, we’ll highlight some groundbreaking pieces unique to Washington’s law: environmental justice provisions that prioritize air pollution…

Halfway through

by Kelly Hall on

Midway through this year's legislative session in Washington, lawmakers are working on implementing recently passed climate laws and allocating funds…

Landmark climate leadership and investment: the Climate Commitment Act in WA

by Altinay Karasapan on

A new blog series spotlighting the Climate Commitment Act in WA. This edition is Part 1: a primer on WA’s new cap-and-invest program.

WA folks can benefit from home energy incentives... but we need help.

by Joëlle Robinson on

The Energy Upgrade Navigator Program would help Washington residents access state and federal clean energy investments to save money, helping the…

Time for WA to go big on investing in climate action

by Joëlle Robinson on

The urgency of the climate crisis requires bold and meaningful action every single year. In 2023, Washington's Legislature must prioritize the health…

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2025 WA Policy Notes

Washington Events

There are no upcoming events posted at this time
Tulips leaning forward

We won't be pushed backward: No on I-2117

Submitted by Gregg Small on

If passed by Washington voters this fall, Initiative 2117 would repeal the Climate Commitment Act, and erase funding for myriad clean energy projects, environmental justice initiatives, and good jobs. Further, the state would be blocked from any action on capping pollution and making polluters pay for their carbon pollution moving forward.
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offshore wind

Wind... and counter-wind

Offshore wind is picking up across the country. Also: in the Northwest, climate progress is likely to face a challenge in Washington, and Oregon courts have delayed implementation of the Climate Protection Program.

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Photo of kindergarteners boarding an electric school bus

Kids breathe easier on electric school buses

Submitted by Jonathan Lee on

Kids deserve to breathe clean, unpolluted air. Plenty of ink has already been spilled about the harms of polluted air in homes and classrooms. However, students are still routinely exposed to dirty, polluted air from a source in virtually every school district’s driveway: the school bus.
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the capitol building in olympia, washington

Looking Back on One Year of Washington’s Transformational Climate Commitment Act

Last week, the Department of Ecology held its final auction in the inaugural year of WA’s cap-and-invest program. Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA) – only the second cap-and-invest program in the U.S. – has had no parallel in the potential for a climate policy to protect our air, water, and forests from pollution, address environmental harm to communities of color and Tribal Nations, and provide unprecedented funding to create more resilient communities across Washington.
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