Dear neighbors,  

It’s the seventh week of the legislative session and we’re almost halfway through! Last Friday was policy cutoff and this Friday is fiscal cutoff. Only bills that have already passed out of their policy committee and fiscal committee will be moving forward for consideration on the House Floor. 

As Chair of the House Environment and Energy Committee, I’ve been working alongside my colleagues to turn the vision of a fossil free Washington into a reality. This E-Newsletter focuses on the work in that committee given where we are in session.  My next newsletter will focus on significant bills that we are considering on the floor.

We have developed and heard many important and transformative policies. 2023 marks a significant shift in climate policy, from a focus on passing major climate policies to now implementing these laws. Washington has among the strongest policy frameworks to transition away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy. Here’s a look at some of the bills we’re working on that have passed out of committee:  

House Bill 1416 ensures that clean electricity is used even when large industrial customers look to out-of-state suppliers for their electricity. By closing loopholes on energy procurement, we ensure that all customers are prioritizing the usage of clean energy and ensuring any electricity used in the State of Washington complies with the Clean Energy Transformation Act. I am honored to be the sponsor of this legislation which has moved off the House floor and is on it’s way to the Senate.

House Bill 1391 helps people to access clean technology for their buildings. The technological solutions to make our buildings more efficient and more affordable to operate are all at the ready. We know how to meet out climate goals for our buildings–but so many people need help navigating access to programs to upgrade their homes and businesses. This bill would provide communication, outreach and technical information to help people efficiently access incentives and contractors. A centralized statewide navigator will help people access cleaner, more affordable technological solutions.

House Bill 1170 requires the Washington Department of Ecology to update the Integrated Climate Change Response Strategy every four years in coordination with the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group. By continuously evaluating the latest science and adapting our plans for dealing with climate events, we can minimize the impacts on our communities. Washington is a state of scientists and innovators. We should utilize our talent to plan for the future.

House Bill 1329 prevents utilities or landlords from shutting off utilities during extreme heat events. In June of 2021, the Pacific Northwest experienced a “heat dome.” This extreme heat event shattered heat records across the region with the temperature rising to 108 degrees. One radio station in Maple Valley recorded a temperature of 118 degrees. The Tri-Cities in Eastern Washington set the state’s all-time heat record at 120 degrees. Sadly, in a region where most homes do not have air conditioning, these temperatures turned deadly. Extreme weather events already disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color. We should not be taking away a vital lifeline just because someone missed paying a utility bill.

House Bill 1131 revolutionizes Washington’s recycling system and steers our state away from plastic. Did you know over 50% of recycled items in Washington end up in landfills? That’s over $100M in valuable consumer packaging. The Washington Recycling and Packaging (WRAP) Act will modernize our state’s recycling systems by requiring manufacturers and brands to come together to reduce unnecessary waste, fund statewide recycling services and ensure that materials are actually recycled. I’m also thrilled that the bill includes a bottle deposit program!

House Bill 1185 reduces the environmental impacts associated with lighting products by phasing out the sale of lights containing mercury. Although mercury is effective at enabling white light, it is also highly toxic, especially to the brains of fetuses and children. While extended exposure to mercury can be fatal, even small of exposure can negatively impact our health. Improper disposal of bulbs containing mercury can also cause mercury to seep into our groundwater and soil.

House Bill 1509 expands suitable access to the benefits of clean, reliable, affordable, and locally sited solar power to all Washingtonians. Community solar allows everyone to benefit from solar energy, even if they can’t put panels on a rooftop. Expanding access leads to energy independence, produces less pollution, supports local economies, and is the first, best step to slowing climate change: fossil-fueled CO2 emissions are causing our planet to warm at an accelerating rate, and the time to act is now.

Airports!

We have heard from many, many people about the possible siting of an additional airport in Thurston or Pierce Counties.  Many of our constituents have relayed significant emotional trauma and loss of sleep from the possibility that an airport may be sited in their communities.

A piece of that legislation that created the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Council (CACC) and the impending process excluded looking at airport expansion in King County. At first, I thought that was not very fair, but as I heard more from my constituents and others about how impactful a future airport would be on our livelihoods, our habitat, our air quality and so much more, I began to really understand the motivation behind that piece of legislation. The prime sponsor of that bill represents communities that are overburdened – with air pollution, noise pollution, habitat loss resulting from the airports in and surrounding that district. She was saying enough is enough.

Today we passed House Bill 1791 out of the Transportation Committee.  The bill re-imagines this process ensuring that we look at our transportation needs more holistically and removes from consideration the Thurston County site that was one of three identified for future airport development.

We also passed my bill House Bill 1554 out of House Transportation. This addresses the continued use of leaded gasoline in piston engine airplanes at commercial aviation airports (so not SeaTac) seeking to minimize the exposure of lead to communities living around airports.  These communities tend to be lower income and often majority BIPOC. 70% of the lead in our airsheds is from this leaded fuel. While there is finally some progress at the federal level with an impending EPA “endangerment finding”, it is important to minimize exposure while we find and bring to scale alternative unleaded fuel options.

One way the Washington legislature is also addressing air quality is through The Improving Air Quality in Overburdened Communities Initiative –  a new effort to reduce air pollution in Washington communities highly impacted by air pollution. While the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) focuses on greenhouse gas emissions, Section 3 of the CCA also requires that we work to reduce other forms of air pollution — like ozone and fine particles — in overburdened communities highly impacted by air pollution.

This new law requires the Department of Ecology to:

• Identify which Washington communities are overburdened by air pollution and the significant sources of this pollution.
• Expand and improve Washington’s air quality monitoring network.
• Develop strategies to reduce criteria air pollutants in overburdened communities.
• Conduct periodic analysis to make sure reduction goals for air pollution are being met.

Environmental justice is at the center of this initiative. We are building this initiative over time to best serve the needs of the public.

We understand that historically, voices of overburdened communities have been excluded from the legislative process. It is our job to connect with these communities, amplify these voices, and prioritize policy and funding to address their needs, to build a healthier, happier, safer future for all in Washington.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read—and thank you to everyone who has reached out to share your feedback and advocacy—I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Rep. Beth Doglio