Climate Action

Accelerating the development of clean energy and transmission

To establish a framework for the state to provide the information, planning, and support needed to accelerate the pace of development for clean energy projects and electrical transmission facilities, while also protecting the environment, overburdened communities, and tribal rights, interests, and resources, including cultural resources, and bringing benefits to the communities that host clean energy projects.

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Legislation: HB 1328 / SB 5359

HB 1328: Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy on Monday, January 27th at 1:30 PM. Audubon Testify. (video link)

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SB 5359: Referred to Ways & Means on Wednesday, February 19th.

Improving reliability and capacity of the electric transmission system in Washington state​

To improve reliability and capacity of the electric transmission system in Washington state, which will in contribute to improving resilience, including during extreme weather events, increasing access to low-cost renewable energy, achieving clean electricity requirements and greenhouse gas emissions limits, supporting economic growth, and maintaining affordable energy rates.

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Legislation: HB 1673 / SB 5466

HB 1673: Executive session in the House Committee on Environment & Energy on Tuesday, February 18th at 4:00 PM. (video link)

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SB 5466: Referred to Ways & Means on Wednesday, February 19th.

62% of voters upheld the state’s Climate Commitment Act to reduce dangerous climate pollution and invest in clean air, public health, job creation, and transportation. As the state faces a large funding shortfall, this legislation ensures that budget writers uphold the people’s will: Climate funds should be used for their intended purpose. 

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Legislation: Coming soon

More information coming soon.

The purpose of community solar programs is to facilitate broad, equitable community investment in and access to solar power. This bill would update programs by increasing the size of projects eligible, adding to the eligible administrators, requiring biennial reporting, adding labor requirements, and modifying the amounts, timing of, and set asides for incentive payments.

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Legislation: HB 1804 / SB 5634

HB 1804: Executive session in the House Committee on Environment & Energy on Thursday, February 20th at 8:00 AM. (video link)

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SB 5634: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology on Wednesday, February 12th at 8:00 AM. (video link)

In addition to contributing towards the state's clean energy goals, community solar expands equitable access to the benefits of clean energy for investor-owned utility ratepayers and communities, particularly for income-qualified households, renters, and other individuals unable to install on-site solar. This act would improve the rules for community solar projects to benefit the subscribers with consumer protections, ensuring they are effectively and equitably receiving credits from participating in the program. It would also increase the maximum allowable size of non-utility community solar projects from 1000 kilowatts to 5000 kilowatts.

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Legislation: HB 1598 / SB 5515

HB 1598: Public hearing in the House Committee on Environment & Energy on Monday, February 10th at 1:30 PM. (video link)

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SB 5515: More information coming soon.

The Sustainable Farms and Fields Grant Program was created in 2020 to provide competitive grant opportunities enabling farmers and ranchers to adopt practices that increase appropriate quantities of carbon stored in and above their soil and to initiate or expand the level of precision agriculture on their farms. This bill would amend allowable uses of funding, prioritization criteria, and timelines in the program to benefit grant recipients.

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Legislation: SB 5391

SB 5391: Executive session in the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources on Thursday, February 13th at 1:30 PM. (video link)

Passed to Rules Committee for second reading on Monday, February 17th.

Organic agriculture offers an opportunity for farmers, ranchers, food processors, and other businesses to diversify their operations and participate in higher value markets. However, producers face a significant expense in achieving organic certification. This bill will identify and remove existing regulatory and market barriers that are preventing agricultural producers from integrating organic and regenerative practices and accessing certified organic markets. It will also enable more efficient, more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agriculture, to effectively contribute to food availability, accessibility, affordability, and allow our farms to continue to thrive.

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Legislation: HB 1588 / SB 5474

HB 1588: Public hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources on Tuesday, February 11th at 10:30 AM. (video link)

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SB 5474: Executive session in the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources on Thursday, February 20th at 1:30 PM. (video link)

HB 1409: Executive session in the House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources on Monday, February 17th at 1:30 PM. (video link).

Habitat Conservation

Protect the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) from harmful budget cuts

Our legislators face tough decisions in light of a significant projected budget shortfall over the next eight years. Washington’s birds—and the ecosystems they depend on—are at a critical juncture. Now is the time to urge our State Legislature to protect the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) from harmful budget cuts that would jeopardize biodiversity restoration, including vital bird conservation efforts. What's good for birds is good for people and the planet, and we are calling on legislators to fully fund WDFW at the agency’s requested level, with a special emphasis on providing an additional $10 million for the Recovering Washington’s Biodiversity program. This initiative is crucial to the protection and restoration of habitats that support our birds and other wildlife.

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Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) Budget Factsheet

Tell your legislator to fund WDFW to protect birds, habitat, and other wildlife:

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Ensuring connectivity for Washington wildlife through safe passages

The Department of Fish and Wildlife shall develop an integrated strategy to implement and periodically update the Washington wildlife habitat connectivity action plan. In developing the strategy, the department shall consult with tribal governments, federal agencies, and nongovernmental partners representing nonprofit conservation organizations and academia, for recommending funding strategies and priorities to the legislature, and developing agency budget requests.

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Legislation: SB 5203

SB 5203: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means on Tuesday, February 18th at 4:00 PM.  (video link)

Extending a program to streamline the environmental permitting process for salmon recovery projects

This bill would make the salmon habitat recovery pilot program created in 2021 permanent and streamline project permitting for habitat restoration projects that have been determined to contribute to the recovery of watersheds throughout the state.

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Legislation: HB 1208 / SB 5155

HB 1208: Referred to Appropriations on Wednesday, February 5th.

SB 5155: Referred to Ways & Means on Friday, January 31st.

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Kelp Bill - Establishing the state marine forest

The foundational species of the state's underwater forests, bull kelp, has declined dramatically throughout south and central Puget Sound in recent years, endangering its crucial role in our marine and coastal ecosystems. Conserving and recovering this vital species relies on awareness that our bull kelp forests are critical to Washington's identity, culture, economy, and ecology. In recognition of this important habitat, the state legislature hereby designates bull kelp forests as the official state marine forest.

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Legislation: HB 1631

HB 1631: Referred to Rules 2 Review on Tuesday, February 11th.

Human Dimensions

The Recycling Reform Act: Improving Washington's solid waste management outcomes

More than 50% of Washington’s consumer packaging and paper products are landfilled or incinerated, wasting an estimated $104 million in valuable materials. The Recycling Reform Act will require packaging and paper product companies and brands to fund our recycling system. This will bring consistent and accessible recycling to all state residents. It will reduce packaging and excess waste and create education programs to reduce confusion.

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Legislation: HB 1150 / SB 5284

HB 1150: Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations on Saturday, February 22nd at 9:00 AM. (video link)

SB 5284: Referred to Ways & Means on Tuesday, February 18th.

Recycling Refunds

Washington's current recycling system does not collect and recycle the majority of containers to their highest and best use in order to optimize the economic and environmental benefits of recycling for Washington residents. This bill would enact a recycling refund program for glass, plastic, and metal beverage containers within an extended producer responsibility framework. These systems will help companies who manufacture these products meet recycled content goals and reduce their environmental footprint, as well as drive up recycling rates by providing a direct financial incentive for residents to return used containers.

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Legislation: HB 1607 / SB 5502

HB 1607: Executive session in the House Environment & Energy Committee on Tuesday, February 18th at 4:00 PM. (video link)

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SB 5502: Referred to Ways & Means on Tuesday, February 18th.

Sewage Spill Right-to-Know

Hundreds of sewage overflows occur every year, and few are widely reported to the general public. Sewage discharges contribute to a range of environmental harms including toxics exposure and bacterial pollution. Spill reports to the Department of Ecology are not searchable or compiled and available in a timely way to the public to use for active decision-making for personal pollution exposure. This policy would require the Department of Ecology to establish a public-facing website with maps and searchable sewage spill records.

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Legislation: HB 1670 / SB 5450

HB 1670: Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations on Saturday, February 22nd at 9:00 AM. (video link)

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SB 5450: Referred to Ways and Means on Wednesday, February 19th.