Seattle/King County Climate News

[Robin Briggs]

Hope you are enjoying all the cherry (and other) blossoms! Here's the latest climate news from our region:

Seattle

Thousands of people protested the Trump administration at the Hands Off rally in Seattle Center. KUOW estimated 25,000 attended. Lots of excellent signs and costumes, lots of good energy.

Puget Sound Regional Council

The Growth Management Council held an informational hearing from the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency on the regional climate planning work that has started. PSCAA will compile a list of policies, with possible funding sources, that local jurisdictions can implement as part of their climate response. One interesting thing they showed was this graph, which shows how Federal and State climate policies are expected to reduce emissions, and the amount that local jurisdictions will have to reduce. The area between the pink line and the dotted red line is where local cities and counties will need to take action to reduce emissions.

 

State

The Legislature has passed an Operating Budget and a Transportation Budget; these are currently headed for reconciliation. Both budgets include some new progressive revenue, and also some cuts. The Transportation Budget includes a bipartisan increase to the gas tax, as well as proposals for taxes on luxury vehicles. The next big deadline is April 8, by which time bills must have been approved by the fiscal committees in the opposite chamber. Here's a run down on some of the climate-related bills:

This bill has passed both chambers, and has been sent to the Governor for signature:

• GMA Compliance (HB 1135). Closes a loophole that allows cities and counties to avoid compliance with new provisions of the Growth Management Act for housing affordability and climate change in local comprehensive plans. Lead by Futurewise.

This bill is scheduled for a floor vote in the opposite chamber:

• Lot Splitting (HB 1096). Allow most lots to be split to allow starter homes. Lead by Signline Institute. It is in the Senate, and received overwhelming support from both parties in the House.

These bills are waiting to be scheduled for a floor vote in the opposite chamber:

• Digital Right to Repair (HB 1483).  Requires manufacturers of digital electronic products to make repair information, parts and tools available so small businesses can repair these items. Extending the life of computers, tablets and cellphones, and appliances reduces the burden on manufacturing new products – therefore also decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and mining. Companion bill to SB 5423, which is waiting to be scheduled for a floor vote in the Senate. Lead by Zero Waste Washington.

• Right to Repair Mobility Devices (SB 5680). Requires manufacturers of powered wheelchairs and similar devices to make repair information, parts and tools available to independent repair businesses and owners.

• Reforming Parking Minimums  (SB 5184). Caps the minimum parking requirements that cities and counties can require for developers. Parking mandates for construction require large chunks of land to be covered in asphalt instead of being used for more housing and more green space/trees. This bill sets limits on how much parking can be required, thus reducing the cost of building new housing. This bill had the support of both parties, and passed the Senate 40-8. Washington State Senate Approves Sweeping Parking Reform Bill (The Urbanist). Lead by Sightline Institute.

• Including Riders on Transit Boards  (HB 1418). Most transit systems in the state are overseen by a board made up of elected leaders from the cities and counties covered by a Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA). This bill would encourage those boards to include two members who are regular users of the transit system. The bill would also require meetings to be accessible by public transit. Lead by Disability Rights Washington.

• Monitoring PFAS in Biosolids (SB 5033). Calls for the state to measure the forever chemicals in wastewater treatment facilities that generate biosolids. Lead by Zero Waste Washington.

These bills have been scheduled for a vote in the fiscal committee of the opposite chamber:

• Adjust Building codes for Sustainable and Affordable Housing (HB 1183). Requires a variety of tweaks to city building codes to make it easier to build affordable and sustainable housing and to retrofit buildings to be more sustainable. Lead by Sightline Institute.

• Sewage Spills Right to Know (HB 1670). Lead by Environmental Priorities Coalition.

• Safe Streets for Active Transportation (SB 5581). Strengthens requirements for complete streets and shared use paths.

• Legalize Shared Streets (SB 5595). Allow cities to designate neighborhood streets where cars, bikes, and pedestrians share the same space, but speed limits are low and pedestrians are the priority. 

• Transit-Oriented Development (HB 1491). Requires local zoning standards to allow greater density near transit across the state with some of it required to be affordable. There are different standards depending on distance from transit and type of transit. Near train stations the minimum zoning is higher and covers a greater area, but near bus rapid transit stations the minimum is lower and covers a smaller area. Lead by Futurewise.

• Encouraging the deployment of low carbon thermal energy networks (HB 1514)

• Establishing Priorities for Intercity Passenger Rail (HB 1837). Establishes priority targets to increase the frequency and speed and improve the reliability of the Amtrak Cascades route between Seattle and Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR.Lead by Climate Rail Alliance.

• Composting Bill (HB 1497). Improves the management and composting of food and yard waste to divert it from the landfill and avoid methane gas generation. It will help reduce wasted food, create cleaner compost, and provide more equitable service to multifamily residents. 

• Recycling Reform Act (SB 5284). Creates a producer responsibility program to reduce unnecessary packaging and paper products. Specific incentives are built in to reduce plastic packaging. This bill will bring consistent and accessible recycling to all state residents. Lead by Zero Waste Washington.

• Upgrade the Clean Fuels Program (HB 1409). Accelerates the carbon intensity reduction requirements for transportation fuels under the Clean Fuels Program (CFP) and establishes penalties and other enforcement powers specific to the CFP (more info here). Lead by Climate Solutions.

• Hydrofluorocarbons  (HB 1462). Reduces hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants that are potent greenhouse gases, promoting more climate-friendly alternatives and refrigerant recovery and reuse. Lead by Zero Waste Washington.

• GMA Housing Element (HB 5148). Strengthens the affordable housing provisions of the Growth Management Act.

• Transmission Authority & Streamlined Transmission Upgrades (SB 5466). This bill requires the state to make a detailed roadmap for getting the transmission we need, creates a transmission authority to oversee the process, even building it when utilities won't, and streamlines permitting upgrades to existing transmission infrastructure. Lead by Climate Solutions.

These bills need to be scheduled for a vote in the fiscal committee of the opposite chamber by April 8:

• Mosquito Fleet Act (HB 1923).  Encourages passenger-only ferry initiatives in waterside communities, especially those underserved by Washington State Ferries.