Protecting our state’s quality of life is the overarching theme of several environmental and natural resource-related measures championed by House Democrats.
The House has advanced a package of bills protecting people and the environment from toxic chemicals and pollution, and promoting responsible stewardship of resources.
“In order to have a strong economy that supports good jobs, we have to strive for a healthy and sustainable quality of life in our state,” said Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D – Des Moines), who chairs the House Environment committee. “People want to live and work where there’s clean water and air, and abundant resources.”
Bills now on their way to the state Senate include:
- HB 1017, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Morris (D – Mount Vernon), which promotes Washington’s energy efficiency leadership by adding efficiency standards for electrical products and water fixtures most often found in homes. This includes battery charger systems and fixtures like toilets, showerheads, and various types of faucets.
- HB 1244, sponsored by Rep. Derek Stanford (D – Bothell), which gives gives the state Department of Natural Resources flexibility to work with volunteer organizations, non-profits and individuals who want to help with trail maintenance, non-native plant removal, and watershed improvements on state trust lands.
- HB 1245, sponsored by Rep. Drew Hansen (D – Bainbridge Island), which provides funding to clean up and remove unsafe, unsightly derelict marine vessels. These vessels pose a pollution threat to waterways and create blight in the marine environment. The bill also creates a vessel turn-in program, so owners of old vessels that can’t be sold have a disposal option besides abandonment.
- HB 1294, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D – Sequim), which gets our state off the so-called “toxic treadmill” once and for all by banning two forms of the chemical Tris – a known carcinogen – from most upholstered furniture and children’s products, and preventing equally toxic chemicals from being substituted in their place. Tris ends up in household dust, where it tends to be ingested by young children. It also is shown to increase the toxicity of fumes from house fires, posing a health risk to first responders.
- HB 1364, sponsored by Rep. Steve Tharinger (D – Dungeness), which establishes a manufacturer-financed stewardship program, keeping toxic waste out of our landfills and giving consumers a safe way to dispose of old batteries they have lying around their homes.