Fighting Climate Change & Its Effects
Energy

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, put a price on carbon, and enact measures to promote climate resiliency.  

Issue Team Chair: Raelene Gold, rgold@lwvwa.org, (206) 3037218
DOWNLOAD the Energy Issue Paper
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2020 Legislative Session Expectations
(Interested in the 2019 Session Recap? Click Here)

Our main goal this session continues to be reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to increase climate resilience and transitioning to clean renewable energy economy.

Last session, these bills passed requiring new residential buildings and appliances sold in the state be more energy efficient which reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions:

  • Supporting Washington's Clean Energy Economy by transitioning to a clean, affordable, and reliable energy future also passed.
  • A bill prohibiting volatile Bakken crude oil train transfer or storage passed that ensures that Bakken oil is processed to remove volatility preventing risk of explosions. This bill passed but has been challenged in court by the State of North Dakota as violating the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution.
Click on Bill # for detailed information.  See UPDATES below.
Bills the League Supports

  • HB 2248/ SB 6223  Expanding equitable access to benefits of renewable energy through community solar projects.Provides needed resources to enhance participation, and provide benefits lower income communities in community solar projects UPDATE: HB 2248 had Hearing Jan. 16 in House Environment and Energy. SB 6223 will have Hearing Jan. 22, 8am in Senate Environment, Energy & Technology.

  • HB 2287 Rail Safety. A joint transportation committee shall oversee a consultant study on rail safety governance best practices for Washington state, both for passenger and freight, and consider the national transportation safety board’s recommendations following the 2017 accident report. Bill addresses significant problem of train derailments that jeopardizes lives, and can cause fires and water pollution. UPDATE: Had hearing Jan. 15 in House Transportation.

  • SB 5811 Zero Emission Vehicles. Reducing emissions by changing the clean car standards and program. Authorizes the Department of Ecology (DOE) to adopt California zero emission vehicle program regulations. Expands the types of vehicles required to meet California standards to include medium duty vehicles. Gasoline cars are the single biggest source of  carbon pollution in Washington. To make the big cuts in carbon we need, we must make the transition from fossil fuel cars to cleaner alternatives. UPDATE: Passed out of Senate Rules 26-23, referred to House Environment and Energy.

  • SB 6135 System reliability under the Clean Energy Transformation Act (100%). Requires Department of Ecology submit a report regarding electrical grid reliability every four years. Good idea!

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