Vancouver, WA – Today, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire signed a landmark climate protection bill into law marking an important step in the state’s effort to reduce its impact on global climate change. The bill establishes greenhouse gas reduction goals for the state, calling for the state to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, 25% below 1990 levels by 2035 and 50% below 1990 levels by 2050. These were the same reduction levels called for in Gov. Gregoire’s February 7, 2007 Executive Order on climate change.
The bill also makes Washington only the second state, after California, to establish a standard limiting greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants serving Washington consumers. Under this emissions performance standard, Washington utilities will no longer be able enter into long-term contracts with power plants that emit more emissions than the best technology natural gas plant.
“This is a key stepping stone on the path to Washington establishing a comprehensive economy-wide global warming action plan,” said Environment Washington director Bill LaBorde. “With California’s passage of a similar bill last year, SB 6001 sends a strong signal to federal policy makers, energy companies, and Wall Street that there will soon be no market for the traditional coal-fueled power plants that have been the source of so much our nation’s global warming pollution.”
One of the more remarkable aspects of the bill was the broad coalition that supported the measure, and the strong bipartisan support it received in both houses of the legislature. Proponents of the bill included not just environmental groups, but also Washington electric utilities, the Weyerhaeuser Company and developers of new power plant technologies. The bill was passed in the House by 84-14, with 22 Republicans joining all Democrats in support of the bill. In the Senate, the bill passed 35-13, with four Republicans voting in favor.
This bill is the latest in a series of efforts supported by WashPIRG and Environment Washington to pursue state action on climate change with the hope of both reducing Washington’s emissions, as well as prompting federal action. WashPIRG and Environment Washington have supported successful efforts in Washington to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from new powerplants, pass California clean car standards, and pass a renewable portfolio standard in 2006 by ballot initiative. SB 6001 establishes a framework for more far reaching action in the future.
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Environment Washington is a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest organization dedicated to protecting Washington’s air, water and open spaces. Environment Washington is the new home of WashPIRG’s environmental work.
www.environmentwashington.org
