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2019

2019: Washington passes 100% Clean Electricity Legislation The Washington State Legislature passed the strongest clean electricity bill in the nation. The 100% clean electricity legislation will eliminate coal power by 2025 and transition the state to 100% clean and renewable electricity by 2045. The state’s commitment to clean electricity will boost jobs and strengthen energy equity through energy assistance programs for low income households and equity considerations in the planning and acquisition of new sources of electricity. The bill also ensures new clean energy jobs that include strong worker protections and pay family wages.

2019

2019: Orca recovery bills passed The Legislature passed a package of four major bills that address several needs facing Southern Resident orca recovery and survival. The bills protect salmon and forage fish habitat, prevent oil spills in Puget Sound waters, reduce vessel noise and disturbance, and reduce sources of toxic pollution. This package represents recommendations put forward by Governor Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force last November that brought together experts and advocates from across the state to find solutions to save resident orcas and restore Salish Sea.

2019

2019: Legislature passes overhaul of toxic clean-up program This legislative session, state leaders secured a landmark law to ensure that Big Oil pays their fair share for toxic cleanups, managing and preventing pollution, and supporting communities. This bill would reform the financial structure of the Model Toxics Control Act, the state’s toxic site clean-up program. Washington now has the tools we need to get to work tackling the more than 6,000 polluted sites we still have left and prevent pollution from flowing into our neighborhoods, homes, and waterways in the first place.

2018

2018: Puget Sound designated as a No Discharge Zone The Puget Sound No Discharge Zone was established by the Department of Ecology in April. This rule prohibits ships and boats from discharging raw or partially treated sewage across 2,300 square miles of marine waters as well as waters around Lake Washington and Lake Union. After six years of public process and tens of thousands of supportive comments from you and members of our coalition, the rule went into effect on May 10. Puget Sound will now join more than 90 other Zones around the country, including in the Great Lakes and the entire California coast.

2018

2018: Largest Oil Terminal in the Nation Defeated For five years, our state has rallied together to support the community of Vancouver, WA in resisting a proposal by Tesoro Savage to build the nation’s largest oil terminal on the shores of the Columbia River. The massive increase in dangerous oil trains and threats to our environment and economy galvanized communities along the railroad lines to show up for hearing after hearing through the very end. We saw many victories along the way, from elections of two Port commissioners to unanimous rulings by state boards to a strong decision by Governor Inslee. WEC and the Stand Up To Oil coalition are proud to have organized hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians to say no to oil and yes to protecting the health, safety, and sustainability of our state!