The Tumwater City Council adopted a resolution expressing its disapproval of a state ballot measure that, if passed, would prohibit the trade in carbon credits.
The council unanimously voted to support the resolution during its Tuesday, October 1 meeting.
“We don’t typically weigh in on state measures when there are state initiatives on the ballot, but I think I thought that this was an important one for us to bring forward because we have a lot to lose today, and we’ve got even more to lose tomorrow,” said Councilmember Michael Althauser.
State Ballot Initiative No. 2117 seeks to repeal sections of the 2021 Washington Climate Commitment Act and would prohibit the state’s cap-and-invest program by doing so.
The cap-and-invest program, administered by the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), is a market-based program to reduce carbon pollution and help the state achieve its emission goals.
According to Ecology’s website, the program sets a limit on emissions and requires businesses to obtain allowances equal to their covered emissions.
Repealing sections of the Climate Commitment Act also decreases needed funding for investments towards transportation, clean air, renewable energy, conservation, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Our adoption of this resolution to oppose Initiative No. 2117 supports our strategic priority to be a leader in environmental health and sustainability. The initiative, if passed, also holds the potential to cause the city to lose access to grants under the Washington Climate Commitment Act,” said Jason Wettstein, the city’s communications manager.
Councilmember Eileen Swarthout, who represents the city in the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan Steering Committee, noted that though the county continues to progress, it is difficult to do so without proper funding.
“We keep hearing from our constituents that we’re not doing enough, fast enough… And so it’s been difficult, but it’s all about funding and strategic planning like this.,” Swarthout said.
Community member and retired economist Jim Lazar expressed support for the ordinance when the council opened the ordinance for public testimonies.
“The Climate Commitment act is one of the most important and boldest steps that any state has taken to address the climate crisis…. Initiative 2117 would undo this bold step,” Lazar said.
Lazar added that several initiatives in the county have already been funded through the Climate Commitment Act, such as installing EV charging stations and energy efficiency projects in schools and public buildings.
CORRECTION: October 4, 2024 -- We misunderstood the details and originally published this story with an erroneous headline. We apologize for our error.
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curtzt
Unfortunately, the headline gets what the Tumwater Council did exactly backwards. As the story says, they voted unanimously to oppose I-2117, which would undo the Climate Committment Act and would prohibit the trade in carbon credits.They want voters to vote "No" on I-2117.
6 hours ago Report this
Chris_R
It appears all the groups in opposition to Initiative No. 2117 are ones that will lose the new money coming from the implicit gas tax, or as Tumwater communications manager Jason Wettstein explicitly states, "...if passed, also holds the potential to cause the city to lose access to grants under the Washington Climate Commitment Act.”
5 hours ago Report this
Acadian04
Agree, headline states the opposite of what the Council did. Please correct it.
5 hours ago Report this
DStusser
Mea culpa. Please see the corrected headline.
4 hours ago Report this
jimlazar
The Tumwater City Council did the right thing.
We have a climate crisis. Look no further than the devastating floods in North Carolina and Tennessee this week. We need to do what we can to slow the devastation of our home.
There is no Planet B.
50 minutes ago Report this