Big wins for WA!

From the peninsula to the palouse and the Senate to the House, you sent the message loud and clear from day one: We want WA STRONG. While things didn’t go the way we hoped for WA STRONG, this session marked some very big wins for WA! Here’s a quick recap and a big THANK YOU!

More than 1,000 people from all across the state signed in in support of WA STRONG during its record-breaking March 4th hearing in the Senate. And this incredible coalition didn’t stop speaking out and showing up this session. Legislators heard you and agreed with you that WA STRONG was a good bill that deserved a fair shot, and we can’t THANK YOU enough for your dedication, perseverance, and hard work.

This coalition is a victory, and the WA legislature scored some very big wins in 2021.

WA STRONG sparked something special that brought together youth advocates from Tacoma, rural leaders from Wahkiakum, farmers from Moses Lake, environmental justice leaders from Yakima, and climate activists from Jefferson County to Spokane. Literally, the peninsula to the palouse! 

 While we’re disappointed that WA STRONG did not move forward this session, the legislature passed the HEAL Act, Clean Fuel Standard, and the Climate Commitment Act. These policies will ensure that past harms are addressed as we move forward, climate investment is directed where it is most needed, and we can begin to make progress on our GHG reduction goals. And because of YOU, the Climate Commitment Act became a much better bill by incorporating some important elements from WA STRONG.

WINS LIST

 1. This coalition! You truly represent all that is WA STRONG. Your tireless advocacy, enthusiasm, and collaborative spirit kept an underdog proposal alive down to the wire this session. This incredible effort made first-time climate champions out of people from all over the Evergreen State and brought together a chorus of diverse voices for a common cause. And that includes visionary, new climate leaders like Sen. Lovelett, Rep. Wicks, Rep. Hackney, and Rep. Harris-Talley.

2. Spending and accounting language from WA STRONG about decarbonization and natural climate solutions (including Sustainable Farms & Fields!) was added to the House version of the Climate Commitment Act. Your hard work helped impose much-needed guardrails around spending to ensure that revenue from carbon pollution is invested in projects that reduce carbon pollution, including transportation investments. 

3. Our innovative approach to creating a 5-year off ramp for agriculture was added to the House version of the Climate Commitment Act. This provision will enable farmers to remain a part of the solution and to transition to the low-carbon economy in a manner that fits their unique business model, helping ensure that small farmers can stay in business here and that the food they produce remains affordable.

4. WA STRONG is still alive...in Massachusetts. Huh? That’s right! The Green Future Act came about after some conversations between Carbon WA and ClimateXchange in the early days of WA STRONG, and we worked with them on the bond language for their version of a proposal to use carbon pollution fees to issue green bonds. And there are a couple other states that are looking at this as a model too...

5. The WA State Legislature and the Treasurer’s Office are eager to do more with green bonds, climate bonds, and transition bonds, and we are ready to work with them and YOU on expanding the use of climate finance to invest in a just transition here in Washington State!  

6. The final operating budget included that important proviso for Sustainable Farms & Fields that YOU helped us advocate for! We’ll be sharing some very exciting details on what that means soon…

Again, THANK YOU

for all of your incredible work over these past few months. You made an impact, and we are excited to continue building on the momentum of this coalition alongside our legislative partners who are just getting started as new climate leaders in our legislature. The legislature made amazing strides this year toward a just clean energy future here in WA state, and there is much work to do together to implement and keep pushing.

But, for now, we’re taking a break! And we hope you do too, because you have earned it! Get out there and enjoy some sun and re-energize. Because we’ll be back soon with big news…