Inslee Announces Climate Package For 2021-2023

OLYMPIA, WA — On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee outlined a new climate policy package for the 2021-2023 biennium, including hundreds of millions in investments to clean energy, green transportation, and cutting carbon emissions.

“Climate change is a health issue, an economic issue and an equity issue. We must address these very real threats to our state, and we cannot wait,” said Inslee at a news conference Tuesday announcing the package. "The time to act is now."

The governor says that, combined, this suite of proposals would cut nearly 30 million metric tons of emissions by the year 2030. That's a 35 percent reduction from current projections, according to his analysis.

With these climate proposals in place, Inslee says the state would be able to meet the new statewide greenhouse gas limits set by the Washington legislature earlier this year.

One of the most sweeping proposals in the package is one to cap greenhouse gasses across the state. According to Inslee that proposal, the Climate Commitment act, would target greenhouse emissions from the "largest emitting industries" by allowing the state to sell "greenhouse gas emission allowances." The money from those sales would then be spent on green transportation, clean energy and other climate solutions.

Some green transportation proposals are fairly modest, like a $1.5 million investment in promoting electric vehicles, others are much more robust, like $190.2 million proposal to further convert Washington state ferries to electrical power. According to the governor's office, Washington State Ferries is the largest consumer of diesel in Washington, using more than 18 million gallons each year. As is the proposal would convert a second ferry to electric power and build a new hybrid electric ferry and three charging stations for the boats. Another $15 million will be used to help electrify other transit options like busses.

Finally, Inslee's package ends by touching on an issue the governor covered earlier this week: racial equity. Monday, Inslee outlined a batch of new budget goals designed to address racial equity in Washington. As the governor's office notes, the impacts of climate change disproportionately impact marginalized or minority communities. To address that issue, Inslee's proposals also the creation of a permanent Environmental Justice and Equity Advisory Panel, who would analyze climate spending to ensure that it is used "eliminating environmental harm and economic and health disparities for vulnerable populations."

State Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, who joined Inslee in announcing the climate package, said that issues of racial justice and climate change are deeply intertwined.

“Because we can only achieve our climate goals by leading with environmental and racial justice, I am encouraged to see codifying environmental justice and fully funding the Office of Equity are prioritized in the governor’s budget rollout,” said Saldaña.

Read the governor's climate package policy brief.