Current Legislation

2012 Environmental Priorities: Protecting What’s Most Important

This year, the Environmental Priorities Coalition will work to protect the things that are most important to Washington’s families – our childrens’ health, rebuilding our economy, and maintaining our clean air and clean water. Given the challenging session ahead, our coalition has chosen just three priority proposals for the 2012 legislative session.

Pollution-Free Prosperity

From Washington D.C. to Washington state, certain interests are seeking to use the recession as an excuse to roll back environmental regulations, under the pretense that these basic public protections harm the economy.

Washingtonians know better. We have always valued clean air, clean water and healthy communities. From fishing to farming to tourism, a clean and healthy environment is essential to Washington’s prosperity. It also enables us to attract and retain leading businesses and well-qualified workers, the drivers for real economic recovery.

Although our economic situation has changed, our values have not. We don’t want attacks on our environment disguised as job creation – we want real leadership toward an economic recovery. Eliminating or delaying environmental protections will neither solve the state’s deficit nor create one job. A plan that leaves our citizens breathing dirty air, drinking polluted water, and driving through heavy traffic and sprawl - that’s not the vision we have for our future. 

Toxic-Free Kids

A few years ago, the Washington State Legislature passed legislation that stopped manufacturers from using PBDEs, harmful toxic flame retardants. In response, many industries bypassed safer options and instead switched to cancer-causing Tris flame retardants, without fully considering the health and environmental impacts to those decisions. Now our children are exposed to these flame retardants in nursing pillows, car seats, changing pads, and other items.

The Toxic-Free Kids Act seeks to put a stop to Toxic Tris Flame Retardants and help businesses switch to safer chemicals that won't harm health, the environment or their bottom line.

Fulfill Our Clean Energy Initiative

Initiative 937, passed by the voters in 2006, has generated about $7 billion in renewable energy investments in this state, especially in our struggling rural communities, and all-time-record efficiency savings for energy consumers. More investments, more savings and more jobs will come to us as long as we keep the pathway open.

I-937 reduces our reliance on fossil fuels, protecting us from pollution and volatile prices, and remains the No. 1 practical means for meeting the state’s official climate limits. We must continue its success in protecting our environment and the health of our families. 

For the past few legislative sessions, interest groups have attempt to amend I-937. Some changes were for the good and some would have undermined the intent and success of the initiative. This campaign will support those solutions that sustain the successes and keep Washington on the path to truly fulfill our Clean Energy Initiative, while ensuring I-937 continues to deliver real economic benefit through new renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The 2012 Environmental Priorities seek to maintain the core things that make our state great:  our clean air and water, our clean energy commitment, and the health of our children. Accomplishing these goals will take all of us working together. We’ll need your help more than ever. Throughout session, if you’re signed up for our email alerts (and if you’re not, you can easily sign up here), we’ll let you know when a phone call or email to your legislators is essential.

For decades, Washington has been a leader on smart environmental policies - and that record of success is because Washingtonians have consistently stood up to say that the health of our environment is important and affects all of our lives. Working together, we can continue this tradition.