Climate Bills Advance in the Legislature, April 2019

Four climate bills have been introduced, passed committees and passed at least one chamber of the Washington State Legislature. They involve “Clean Energy” (100% renewables for electricity), electrification of transportation (incentives for electric vehicles), “Clean Fuels” (reduced fossil fuels in fuels), and hydrofluorocarbons (highly potent greenhouse gases). The”Clean Energy” bill, the hydrofluorocarbons bill and the electrification of transportation bill have passed the legislature but the clean fuels bill has strong opposition.

• The “Clean Energy Bill,” SB 5116, would require utilities to have 100% renewable energy by 2045. It would end coal-generated electricity by 2025 and phase down other fossil fuel energy starting in 2030. It has passed the Senate and the House. This is the climate bill with the best prospects.
• The electrification of transportation bill, HB 1512 was passed by the House and Senate; it would require utilities’ installation of electric vehicle infrastructure and incentives.
• The “Clean Fuels Bill,” HB 1110, has passed the House and the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy and Technology. It would require fossil fuel distributors to gradually increase the amount of renewable sources for transportation fuels. It is pending at the Transportation Committee and then would need to go to the Senate floor for final passage. It has strong opposition from businesses so it may not pass the Senate.
• The hydrofluorocarbons bill, HB 1112, passed the House and the Senate. It would phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons, highly potent greenhouse gasses that were introduced to replace chlorofluorocarbons when the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depleting Substances was adopted. There is strong opposition from agriculture and food processors who rely on hydrofluorocarbons for refrigeration.

This legislative session has been one of the most productive for climate action in recent years. It has not yet addressed some of the more difficult issues of climate change such as building efficiency, but the trends are in the right direction.