Gov. Inslee signs climate bills at event in Seattle

Gov. Inslee addresses the crowd. Sen. Carlile is next to him.
Photo by Mary Jo Heller

Gov. Jay Inslee held a signing event on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 for a sweeping package of legislation that takes meaningful action on climate change and will reduce Washington’s carbon footprint.

The event was held at the Rainier Vista Neighborhood Park in the 36th LD represented by Sen. Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) Chair of the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee, who sponsored SB 5116, the centerpiece of the legislation.

Rep. Gael Tarleton (D-Ballard) sponsored House companion legislation to the clean energy bill and was also part of the event, which was witnessed by 300 people.

Dennis Heller of Shoreline talks to the operator of the portable solar generator that
powered the event.  She goes to music events and other venues that formerly used
smelly, loud generators. She offered to charge his electric car but he hadn't brought a cord!
Photo by Mary Jo Heller

The bills commit Washington to 100-percent clean energy from renewable and zero-emission sources like wind, hydro and solar polar (Senate Bill 5116), a centerpiece of Inslee’s climate action agenda. 

They also aggressively electrify our transportation infrastructure (House Bill 2042), create incentives to build ultra-new efficient buildings (HB 1257), adopt new minimum appliance efficiency standards (HB 1444) and ban products containing super-pollutants, like hydrofluorocarbons (HB 1112).

“As a husband, father and citizen legislator, it is a personal and professional honor to have played a role in helping to pass the most substantive environmental agenda in a generation,” said Carlyle.

“Our work this year goes beyond traditional political clichés and embraces a bold climate action agenda that will make a meaningful difference in our grandchildren’s grandchildren’s quality of life. 

“Our dream of reaching Paris Accord-level carbon reductions in the years to come is no longer a fantasy, but a serious aspiration that is within our reach.”

On display - a watercraft with an outboard motor powered by a non-polluting battery pack.
Pure Watercraft  Photo by Mary Jo Heller

Tarleton, who chairs the House Finance Committee and who sponsored House companion legislation to the clean energy bill, commented: 

“Today we are celebrating a strong ground game that brought together communities from all over this state, from utility partners, industry partners, environmental champions, labor leaders, communities of color, many of you here today. 

"When we move beyond coal and embrace clean energy sources, we get a win not only for Washington State, not only for the western states, but for the whole country and the world.”