Calls needed to support Climate Commitment Act in the State Legislature
Comments needed on lower valley development proposal by April 27th
April 21, 2021
Happy Earth Day 2021!
April 22, 2021
Late last week, the House Environment Committee strengthened the Climate Commitment Act after the Senate passed the bill from its chamber.
While there is more work to be done to improve it, Senate Bill 5126 is now poised to be the strongest in the nation.
Key improvements include:
 · Further strengthening the regulatory authority to reduce health-harming criteria pollutants, such as those produced by smaller facilities that don’t fall under the cap by moving up the timeline of implementation and clarifying the priority for action;
· Connecting carbon revenue to emission reduction priorities for transportation – a key concern coming out of the Senate; · Fixing problematic language around the siting of facilities; and · Establishing investment requirements to ensure funds focus on tribal nations and overburdened communities. 5126 is now stronger and more poised to pass than any other carbon pricing policy in over a decade. The Climate Commitment Act has a vote in the House Appropriations Committee tomorrow and your legislator is a key vote for this bill. Tell your legislator to strengthen and pass the Climate Commitment Act out of Committee! As this bill moves through the House of Representatives, we must push to ensure it addresses the multiple needs and values that communities and our state still have around carbon pricing. While the Environment Committee addressed many of these issues, there is still more work to do to ensure polluters are held accountable, our investments are leveraged to benefit those most impacted, and the leadership of tribal nations and overburdened communities is centered. Thanks to the Washington Environmental Council for this alert content |
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