As the new home of WashPIRG's environmental work, Environment Washington can be contacted regarding this news release.
A
broad coalition of Washington groups including Climate Solutions, Earth
Ministry, National Wildlife Federation, NW Energy Coalition, Sierra
Club, Transportation Choices Coalition, Washington Conservation Voters/
Washington Environmental Coalition, and WashPIRG marked today’s
announcements by Governor Gregoire, King County Executive Ron Sims, and
State Senator Erik Poulsen as strong and timely responses to the
climate crisis.
The
groups called on legislators to move critical climate policy
legislation this year, and look forward to working with a broad
cross-section of stakeholders toward legislation next year that will
put Washington in the forefront of climate leadership nationally.
“These are critical, decisive first steps toward climate solutions and energy independence for Washington,” said KC Golden, Policy Director Climate Solutions.
“We have a long way to go, and now we have a clear destination. To get
there, we’ll need sustained leadership, strong laws that limit global
warming pollution, and a full mobilization of our business, technology,
and agriculture sectors to deliver economically attractive solutions.”
These
new initiatives complement the Clean Air, Clean Fuels environmental
community priority legislation, and together signal the beginning of an
accelerated Washington State campaign for climate solutions, with
leadership from the top.
he
three announcements share a common commitment to reduce global warming
pollution to more sustainable
levels over time. They join Mayor Greg Nickels initiatives and
commitments to accelerate development of clean energy and
transportation solutions that will increase our energy independence and
position us for success in the clean energy economy.
Governor
Gregoire’s climate policy charts the course to a healthy future by
committing to significant, steady reductions in global warming
pollution, reduced fossil fuel imports, and expanding jobs in the
burgeoning clean energy sector. The U.S. is one of only two advanced
economies in the world that lacks a climate policy. But many U.S.
states are now coming forward with strong policy initiatives.
With Governor Gregoire’s announcement, Washington joins the ranks of states that are committed to solutions.
The
Governor’s executive order called for a stakeholder process and
analysis to develop more comprehensive climate policy legislation for
2008. The Governor also called for a reduction in imports of 20% from
current levels by 2020, saving the state nearly $2 billion on its
annual fuel bills and decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels. And
she aims to more than triple clean energy jobs in the state by that
time.
"We're
proud that the Governor, instead of hand-wringing over the problem, is
calling on America's ‘can-do’ spirit to tackle and ultimately to solve
this challenge,” said Paula Del Giudice, Center Director, National Wildlife Federation.
“The steps she calls for set us on the right course. In years to come,
if we find that more is needed, I'm confident the people of Washington
will meet the challenge."
Senator Erik Poulsen, Chairman of the Senate Water Energy and
Technology Committee, announced similar goals and a set of specific
legislative initiatives to help meet them. Senator Poulsen’s policy
package includes a variety of practical steps we can take immediately
to reduce emissions and accelerate clean energy development.
One important piece of this package is a new global warming pollution
limit that would ensure that all new electric power investments meet a
strong emission standard.
"Having stared this climate problem in the eye,” said Sara Patton, Executive Director of the NW Energy Coalition, “it
would be a crime against our kids to approve long-term investments that
make it worse. Senator Poulsen's proposal would help prevent those
kinds of investments. Our energy dollars should be spent on solutions
instead of on compounding the problem."
County Executive Ron Sims announced an aggressive long-term climate
plan, and an immediate commitment to halt the growth of global warming
pollution.
“Often, the news is dominated by the competition among our political leaders,” said Bill LaBorde, WashPIRG Director.
“But today, they are coming together to provide desperately needed
leadership. This is a great example of how we can and must rally
together to tackle our generation’s greatest challenge. It’s time to
move past the politics and move – boldly and decisively – toward
solutions.”
“Despite last week’s urgent warning about climate disruption by the world’s leading scientists,” said KC Golden,
“the fact that we’ve got a big climate problem isn’t news – that alarm
has been going off for 20 years. But we’ve been rolling over and
hitting the snooze button. Today’s announcements signal that we’re
beginning to wake up and smell the coffee.”
“We applaud our public officials for coming together to provide desperately needed leadership," said Michael O'Brien, Chair of the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club.
"This is a great example of how we can move beyond 'business as usual'
and tackle our generation’s greatest challenge. For Washington's
economy, health and environment, we're excited to move – boldly and
decisively – toward solutions.”
