Washblog

Dave Upthegrove
State Representative
33rd District
Chairman, House Ecology & Parks Committee
Legislative Hotline: 1-800-562-6000
Webpage

The Legislature passed the major climate change legislation last night.  This was my top priority this year and I think it is a remarkable achievement-- one of the most meaningful pieces of environmental legislation to pass since I have joined the Legislature.

As Chairman of the Ecology & Parks Committee, it is my job to manage issues related to climate change, Puget Sound clean-up and a variety of other issues.  Handling the climate change bill in the House, and working with the Governor's office, the Senate and the stakeholders to negotiate the language of the bill was as at times frustrating, but an overall rewarding experience.

This new legislation, for the first time, turns Washington State's carbon reduction goals into action.  The bill requires the state to take actions to reduce carbon emissions to achieve the goals we passed last year.

The cornerstone action called for in the bill is for the Department of Ecology to participate in the development of a regional cap-and-trade system to bring back to the Legislature for approval next year.  The bill also requires, for the first time, that major polluters inventory and report their carbon emissions to the State Department of Ecology.

In addition, we sets goals in the transportation sector to reduce the amount that people drive (per capita Vehicle Miles Traveled) and directs our State Department of Transportation to bring us back proposals to achieve those goals.

Finally, the bill creates new economic development programs and a workforce retraining grant program to help create new "green collar" jobs in Washington and help position us to take advantage, economically, of the transformation to a clean energy economy.

This legislation is going to create jobs and save money in the long run.  Most importantly, however, we are doing the right thing to preserve our quality of life and way of life for future generations.

Here is a story about the bill's passage from today's Seattle Times: State to come up with emissions goals.