Thank you for your advocacy during the 2019 Legislative Session. It was a truly historic session; we passed significant legislation to support clean energy, address climate change, protect orcas and marine life, and promote waste reduction.
I’m proud of the hard work that went into passing these bills. I’m also excited to collaborate with you and my colleagues in the next session to continue our work to protect the quality of life in our district and our state.
I’ve included a summary of much of the legislation enacted this year. Thanks again for writing to me, and I hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Rep. Dave Paul
Climate action & clean energy: a breakthrough session
The science is clear: climate change poses significant risks to our economy, our health and our quality of life. Advocates for clean air and champions of working people are joining forces, because we need clean air and good jobs. In May, the governor signed a package of clean energy bills into law that represent a big leap forward in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and charting our state’s course toward a clean energy future:
So long, super pollutants (HB 1112)
Hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, are used as commercial and industrial refrigerants and foam-blowing agents. They are also super-polluting greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more damaging to the climate than carbon dioxide. We’re phasing out HFCs in our state thanks to this bill, transitioning to safe and cost-effective alternatives that already exist.
100% Clean Electricity (SB 5116)
We’re transitioning to a clean energy future by requiring utilities to transition away from fossil fuel-generated electricity. With a preliminary “coal elimination” deadline of 2025, and a final “clean grid” deadline of 2045, Washington is firmly on a path to 100-percent clean energy from renewable and zero-emission sources like wind, solar, and hydropower.
Energy efficiency/clean buildings (HB 1257)
Buildings are the fastest-growing source of emissions in Washington as well as the sector in which emissions are cheapest to reduce. With this first-in-the-nation energy efficiency standard for large commercial buildings, we’ll retrofit older buildings and build even more efficient new ones, cutting carbon emissions quickly and economically while creating good-paying jobs.
Appliance efficiency (HB 1444)
New efficiency standards for certain appliances and design requirements for electric water heaters will reduce electricity and water use while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Clean transportation (HB 2042)
We’re transitioning to a zero-emissions transportation sector with incentives to make electric vehicles more accessible for consumers, helping utilities invest in vehicle charging stations and other infrastructure, and creating a new grant program to help transit agencies electrify their fleets.
Protecting orcas and clean water
There are only 75 Southern Resident orcas left; if we don’t act to protect them now, this iconic species will not survive. Here is a package of bills to help protect our endangered Southern Resident killer whales and the waters they call home was also signed into law last month:
Protecting our Salish Sea from oil spills (HB 1578)
We’re reducing threats to orcas and marine life by reinforcing Washington state’s Oil Spill Prevention Act and the Strengthening Oil Transportation Act, requiring tug escorts for small oil tankers and barges traveling across narrow straights within the San Juan Islands.
Increasing Chinook abundance (HB 1579) – I sponsored this bill
One of the biggest threats to continued survival of the Southern Resident killer whales is the ability to find enough food to survive and reproduce. We’re helping them by updating our state’s oldest environmental law – the hydraulic code – and giving it more teeth. This will help protect the critical habitat that orcas and the Chinook salmon they feed on need to survive.
Protecting orcas from marine vessels (SB 5577)
Reducing noise and disturbance from vessels will give orcas the space and quiet they need to find food and survive. We’re increasing the distance boats must stay from Southern Resident killer whales and adding a go-slow zone for boats viewing them.
Preventing toxic pollution (SB 5135)
Reducing exposure to toxic pollutants will help our critically endangered orca population and their prey, but it also helps all of us – particularly children and pregnant women. The state will help identify and remove pollution at its source before it enters our water supplies, food, homes, marine waters, and bodies.
Adding safe whale watching to boating education (SB 5918)
Requires state boating education to include information on new regulations, safe whale watching, and other actions boaters can take to protect the health of orcas.
Toxic cleanup and reducing stormwater pollution (SB 5993)
We increased and reformed the hazardous substances tax levied on petroleum products, generating hundreds of millions of dollars to clean up contaminated sites, prevent future pollution, and improve how we manage stormwater runoff that harms the health of Puget Sound.
Waste reduction & stewardship
We also took important steps this session to reduce what we send to the landfill, and increase what can be recycled, reused, and composted. Single-use and disposable plastics are cheap and convenient, but plastic pollution is a growing problem here and across the globe.
Food waste reduction (HB 1114)
We’re directing state agencies and those engaged in food production, distribution, sale, disposal and recovery to collaborate on a food waste reduction strategy, which will address both hunger and greenhouse gas emissions from food waste.
Revamping Washington’s recycling (HB 1543)
Through education and outreach, we’ll look for ways to reduce contamination in our recycling stream and develop new markets in Washington for recyclable materials.
Marketing the degradability of products (HB 1569)
Consumers shouldn’t be misled about the compostability or biodegradability of a product. By restricting the labeling and marketing of certain products like food packaging and food service ware, there will be less confusion and less plastic contamination of municipal composting programs.
Plastic packaging (SB 5397)
Plastic is filling our landfills – and oceans. We’re directing the state to study the management and disposal of plastic packaging and identify alternatives to achieve the goal of 100 percent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging and 20% recycled content in all plastic packaging sold in Washington by 2025.
Paint stewardship (HB 1652)
We’re keeping paint out of our landfills, soil, and water by requiring producers of architectural paint to participate in an approved stewardship program that recycles or otherwise safely disposes of paint.