The main piece of clean-energy legislation from Inslee will be a “100% Clean Energy bill” that eliminates coal power – out-of-state included – by 2025 and requires Washington utilities to “start transitioning to a carbon-neutral electricity,” such as solar or wind power, by 2030 and eliminate fossil fuels from their supply entirely by 2045. Other initiatives would adopt energy-efficiency standards for commercial buildings, equipment, and natural gas. Inslee’s plan also involves working net-zero carbon structures into state investments - including 750 affordable-housing units through the Housing Trust Fund and four schools through the K-12 construction budget.Įfforts aimed at existing buildings include retrofitting public buildings with solar energy and giving large, commercial buildings financial incentives to retrofit. Several initiatives, and a little over $78 million in investments, within Inslee’s plan address construction of energy-efficient buildings or retrofitting existing structures.įor new buildings, the summary of legislation provided at the press conference describes establishing a “stretch” building code for local governments to follow if they want to “stretch” beyond existing codes to reduce energy use. Over $128 million will go toward efforts to “electrify Washington’s transportation systems.” Inslee allocated funding to several efforts, including building more charging stations, funding two new electric-hybrid ferries, converting two ferries to electric-hybrids, promoting electric vehicles, and developing a new authority to advance the ultra-high speed rail system between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C.Īccording to the Governor’s policy brief, initiatives include: making electric vehicles more accessible for consumers through sales tax incentives and discounts in some cases, making Washington a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) state (which would require automakers to manufacture zero-emission vehicles), giving utilities authority to build charging stations, and requiring charging stations on some new buildings. The Governor divided his plan into five focus areas: “It’s exciting to see this future coming to pass.” “This is a moment of great confrontation, but also a moment of great promise for the future,” Inslee said. ![]() ![]() The package includes $268 million in investments and several policy initiatives that, in combination, Inslee said would reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2035 - a target set by the Legislature in 2008.Įvery piece of policy in the plan would require action by the Legislature to implement. Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced a package of clean-energy legislation and investments at a press conference today.
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