Climate Action This Week:
  • Clean Tech Tax Deferrals
  • Expanding Hydrogen
  • Community Solar
  • Strengthening Energy Codes
  • Growth Management Act Update
  • Building Performance Standards
  • Climate in the Growth Management Act
  • Organic Materials Management
  • Transportation Resources
  • Additive Transportation Funding and Appropriations
Thanks for taking action with us!

If you're viewing this on a smartphone, make sure you're in your browser. Copy and paste is not supported on mobile devices.

Question Title

* Your information

We think these first three actions will take 10-15 minutes.
These first three bills are necessary to implement the state’s budget, so they’ve been exempt from prior cut-offs. However, they now need to pass floor votes in their chamber of origin, the House, and pass the Senate by the end of session, Thursday, March 10th.

Question Title

* 📜 1. Clean Tech Tax Deferrals - HB 1988

This bill would establish a retail sales and use tax deferral program for certain investments in clean technology manufacturing, clean alternative fuels production, and renewable energy storage. It would also reduce the amount of state sales and use tax that must be repaid by eligible projects if the recipient complies with specified labor standards.

We are following the lead of the Washington State Labor Council on this bill.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Representatives to make sure the bill is moved to the floor for a vote and passed. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select both your Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Support”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: "I support HB 1988. Please help move this bill to the floor and vote YES."

📑 You can include 1 or 2 of these talking points or feel free to write your own:
  • We need to start building the technology to move to a cleaner energy future. Solar panels, clean alternative fuels, and other energy storage are much needed developments in this area.
  • The tax incentives in this bill are paired with high labor standards, which will produce good family-wage jobs. Tying the labor standards to deferral of tax payments is a good incentive for well-oriented labor practices in conjunction with the state's move to clean energy.

Question Title

* 📜 2. Expanding Hydrogen - HB 1792

This bill authorizes public utility districts (PUDs) and municipal utilities to produce, use, sell, and distribute “green” electrolytic hydrogen. Hydrogen is emerging as one of the leading options for storing energy from renewables and, when made with electrolysis, provides a clean resource for energy-intensive manufacturing.

We are following the lead of 350 WA on this bill.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Representatives to make sure the bill is moved to the floor for a vote and passed. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select both your Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Support”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: "I support HB 1792. Please help move this bill to the floor and vote YES."

📑 You can include this talking point or feel free to write your own:
  • Green hydrogen has an important role to play in the transition of our state’s energy economy. Let’s make sure our municipal and public utilities are able to provide clean resources for energy-intensive manufacturing.

Question Title

* 📜 3. Community Solar - HB 1814

This bill aims to expand equitable access to the benefits of renewable energy through community solar projects. It provides a new one-time credit for start-up costs and virtual net metering for community solar projects with low-income residents and low-income service provider subscribers. This bill passed the House on Saturday, February 26th and needs to pass the Senate by March 10th.

We are following the lead of Olympia Community Solar on this bill.

Please call or email the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology and ask that they vote this bill out of committee so that it passes the Senate before the end of the session.

✏️ Click here to send an email to these members of the Senate committee.

If the above link did not work, please address your emails to:

Chair Sen. Reuven Carlyle (D-36) – (360) 786-7670 – Reuven.Carlyle@leg.wa.gov
Vice Chair Sen. Liz Lovelett (D-40) – (360) 786-7678 – Liz.Lovelett@leg.wa.gov
Ranking Member Sen. Shelly Short (R-07) – (360) 786-7612 – Shelly.Short@leg.wa.gov

If you’re calling and you reach voicemail, be sure to speak slowly and clearly and say the bill number. And be sure to let them know if you are a constituent of their district!

📑 Script: I’m writing to ask Senator [Name] to vote HB 1814 out of committee in time for it to pass the Senate before the end of the legislative session.

Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below or feel free to write your own:
  • Please support this important bill. Washington’s low-income families need support accessing solar energy.
  • We can leverage clean energy to provide long term economic relief to Washington communities most burdened by energy bills, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  I called I emailed
Chair Sen. Reuven Carlyle
Vice Chair Sen. Liz Lovelett
Ranking Member Sen. Shelly Short
All done? Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom and click the orange “DONE” button to submit your actions!
We think these five next actions will take 15-20 minutes.
These next five bills are reaching the finish line! They have passed their chamber of origin and are now in their second chamber. All of these bills need to be voted off the floor and passed by the end of day Friday, March 4th. For each bill, please contact your legislator through the provided link to ask them to move the bill for a floor vote. Choose as many as you want or have time for.

Question Title

* 📜 4. Strengthening Energy Codes - HB 1770

This bill requires each city, town, and county to either enforce the Washington State energy code for residential buildings or adopt a statewide residential optional energy code, which the bill requires the State Building Code Council to adopt with minimum energy use and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

We are following the lead of 350 WA on this bill.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Senator to make sure the bill is moved to the floor for a vote and passed. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select your Senator.

“Position” - please select “Support”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: "I support HB 1770. Please help move this bill to the floor and vote YES."

📑 You can include 1 or 2 of these talking points or feel free to write your own:
  • This bill provides local jurisdictions with an optional, stronger residential building energy code that goes beyond the statewide minimum code.
  • Homes have a 50+ year lifespan, so it is critical that tools are available to ensure they are built in a clean, safe, and affordable way.
  • Decarbonizing our energy system will be good for all Washingtonians.

Question Title

* 📜 5. Growth Management Act Update - SB 5042

This bill would close a loophole in the Growth Management Act to protect farmland, forests, and critical habitats from unnecessary and harmful development and sprawl. The loophole allows developers to go ahead with irreversible destruction of the land even while their permits are being challenged through the appeals process.

We are following the lead of Futurewise on this bill.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Representatives to make sure the bill is moved to the floor for a vote and passed. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select both your Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Support”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: “I support SB 5042. Please make sure this bill is moved to the floor so that it can be voted on and passed.”

📑 You can include 1 or 2 of these talking points or feel free to write your own:
  • It’s time we closed this “sprawl loophole,” which allows developers to go ahead with irreversible destruction of the land even while their permits are being challenged through the appeals process. After 14 years, it’s time to make the Growth Management Act fully effective!
  • This will prevent the costly legacy of cities having to provide services to proposed developments that would otherwise have been later found invalid by the Growth Management Hearing Board.
  • This will help prevent the loss of irreplaceable farmland to developments.

Question Title

* 📜 6. Building Performance Standards - SB 5722

This bill would set smaller commercial and multi-family buildings on a path to better optimize their energy use and reduce energy costs and pollution. It would provide owners of these buildings access to technical and financial assistance, with priority given to frontline and low-income communities. Utilities may offer incentive payments to owners that reach targets early.

We are following the lead of Shift Zero on this bill.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Representatives to make sure the bill is moved to the floor for a vote and passed. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select both your Representatives.

“Position” - please select “Support”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: “I support SB 5722. Please make sure this bill is moved to the floor so that it can be voted on and passed.”

📑 You can include 1 or 2 of these talking points or feel free to write your own:
  • Since buildings stay in use for decades, a Building Performance Standard is impactful to ensure our buildings are operating as efficiently as they can.
  • SB 5722 would set more buildings on a path to reducing energy use and saving money on utility bills, while providing substantial state assistance for those who need it the most.

Question Title

* 📜 7. Climate in the Growth Management Act - HB 1099

This important bill requires climate change and resiliency goals to be included in certain cities’ and counties’ comprehensive plans, developmental regulations and regional plans. It identifies actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled.

We are following the lead of Futurewise on this bill.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Senator to make sure the bill is moved to the floor for a vote and passed. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select your Senator.

“Position” - please select “Support”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: "I support HB 1099. Please help move this bill to the floor and vote YES."

📑 You can include 1 or 2 of these talking points or feel free to write your own:
  • Planning is not truly planning if the effects of climate are not incorporated into the process. HB 1099 would ensure that we are reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and planning for climate resiliency and mitigation.
  • The legislature has taken strong steps to make Washington State a climate leader – let’s keep up the momentum and pass this common-sense climate legislation in 2022. I urge you to pass this vital GMA update.
  • A society is not just or equitable if it overburdens a specific population with the adverse effects of climate change.
  • HB 1099 needs to pass this year in order to impact the Central Puget Sound 2024 comprehensive planning process.

Question Title

* 📜 8. Organic Materials Management - HB 1799

This bill would keep more organic material out of landfills, where it is a significant contributor to methane emissions. It would also provide financial incentives to encourage communities and businesses to separate and compost organic waste. And it would make it easier for grocery stores to donate edible food rather than send it to landfills.

We are following the lead of Zero Waste Washington on this bill.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Senator to make sure the bill is moved to the floor for a vote and passed. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select your Senator.

“Position” - please select “Support”. The first sentence of the written comment should be: "I support HB 1799. Please help move this bill to the floor and vote YES."

📑 You can include 1 or 2 of these talking points or feel free to write your own:
  • This bill would keep more organic material out of landfills, where it is a significant contributor to methane emissions, and get the material into productive use as compost.
  • The bill would provide financial incentives to increase the use of compost, which would build up healthy soil. And it would make it easier for grocery stores to donate edible food, feeding hungry people, rather than sending it to landfills.

All done? Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom and click the orange “DONE” button to submit your actions!
We think these last two actions will take 5 -10 minutes.

Question Title

* 📜 9. Transportation Resources - SB 5974

As written, the transportation package (aka Move Ahead Washington) requires an environmental justice assessment only of the transit, walk, and bike elements of the package. The two-thirds of the package that is targeted to highways and roads should also be required to account for the air quality and health disparities they might create.

We are following the lead of Front and Centered, 350 WA and Disability Rights Washington, the Just Transition in Transportation coalition on this bill.

Please personalize and send a pre-written email to the House Transportation Committee and ask that they require ALL projects, including highway building, to undergo an environmental justice assessment.

✏️ Click here to send an email members of the House committee.

📑 Please take a moment to personalize that form letter. Here are two suggestions:
  • It's time to consider the environmental justice impacts of roads and highway expansions.
  • The needs of overburdened communities should be considered when spending on roads and highways.

Question Title

* 📜 10. Additive Transportation Funding and Appropriations - HB 2118

This bill authorizes a total of $1.3 billion in additional transportation spending for the 2021-23 fiscal biennium for purposes associated with the Move Ahead Washington transportation package. It also requires the state to conduct a study of toll revenue performance on I-405 and SR 167.

We are following the lead of Front and Centered, 350 WA and Disability Rights Washington, the Just Transition in Transportation coalition on these budget provisos.

✏️ Follow this link to ask your Representatives to add dedicated funding for two projects. When you “verify” your district, you can select which of your elected leaders to communicate to. For this bill, select both your Representatives.

📑 “Position” - please select “Other”. The first three sentences of the written comment should be:
  • I urge you to support the following additional funding: a new House Frequent Transit Standard proviso and a new I-90/Rainier Ave On/Off Ramp Safety proviso. 
  • The Frequent Transit Standard proviso would provide $400,000 from the multimodal transportation account solely for the department to study and develop a statewide standard for accessible frequent fixed route transit. This allocates funds to study a path to universal basic transit service so all Washingtonians have access to a vibrant life. 
  • The I-90/Rainier Ave On/Off Ramp Safety proviso would provide $650,000 to conduct the I-90/Rainier Avenue South Interchange Access Revision Feasibility Study within a two-year schedule. It should specify that this must be done in coordination with agency partners and through robust community engagement to identify cost-effective strategies to provide a safe, sustainable, integrated multimodal access system at the interchange ramp area.
You can also include these talking points or write your own:
  • 25% of Washingtonians don’t drive; these folks are more likely to be disabled, BIPOC, or low income. Yet our transportation system overwhelmingly invests in and is designed for cars.  
  • Sitting at the intersection of Seattle’s Central District, Chinatown International District, Beacon Hill, and the Rainier Valley, the I-90/Rainier Avenue area is a safety bottleneck that divides communities and endangers everyone.

Question Title

* How did that go? As always, thank you for taking action with us! Please remember to click “Done” when you are finished.

-- The 350 WA Civic Action Team

P.S. Not on the CAT email list? Sign up here!

T