Thanks to the diligence and persistence of so many Washingtonians, our state legislature heard us loud and clear. Coming out of last fall, we collectively kept going with our urgent call for strong climate action. Our lawmakers heard, and jump-started the action we need by setting Washington on the path to 100% clean electricity (SB 5116) and cutting pollution from buildings (HB 1257).  All that remains is for Governor Inslee to sign these important bills into law. 
 
Please thank the legislators that worked with all of us to make this happen.

And please RSVP to join us soon for a rally when Governor Inslee makes it official: Washington is moving ahead with strong climate action (Exact date and time details coming.)

Here’s some of what we accomplished with this landmark legislation. With 100% clean electricity:

• Our entire electric grid will be powered by 100 percent clean energy by 2045, cutting 19 million metric tons of carbon.
• We will phase out coal from our electricity grid by 2025, accelerating the closure of coal plants in Montana and Wyoming that are among the largest sources of climate pollution in the American West;
• We will speed our progress towards cutting carbon pollution, with strong short-term targets in 2030, preventing unnecessary and costly new infrastructure for fracked gas in our electric grid.
• We will invest in low-income communities and incorporate equity analyses in the planning and acquisition of clean energy to address and correct historic energy inequities.
• We will invest in Washington workers as part of our transition to clean energy by prioritizing projects with livable wages, job training, and inclusion of minorities, women, veterans, and local businesses and workers.

Our new clean buildings law will reduce carbon emissions by 4.3 million metric tons. This legislation will result in significant upgrades to inefficient buildings, provide more options for customers to heat buildings with cleaner energy, and ensure that our built environment facilitates a transition to electric transportation. These investments will spur local energy efficiency jobs, expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and lower energy bills for building owners and tenants.

With our new commitments to 100% clean electricity and clean buildings, Washington becomes a national leader in the just and equitable transition. There is more to still see through these waning days of this legislative session (and beyond), but on this day, please:

Take a moment to say thank you to the senators and representatives that supported our groundbreaking clean energy legislation.