State Democratic leaders on Thursday responded to Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen‘s new proposal to address climate change and reduce statewide carbon emissions.
Ericksen and Senate Majority Coalition members on Wednesday introduced an energy plan they say focuses on incentives over penalties. Democratic Sen. Maralyn Chase was also part of the rollout and spoke in support of the proposal, which allows utilities to meet green energy targets through alternative measures, such as installing electric car chargers.
Minority Leader Sen. Sharon Nelson said the mostly-Republican proposal is a start. “I’m pleased as far as climate change that we are actually hearing Republicans say there may be human impacts that are affecting climate change,” Nelson said. “That’s a major step forward.”
Over in the state House, Majority Leader Rep. Pat Sullivan said his caucus plans to push Gov. Jay Inslee’s carbon reduction proposal through an environment committee next week. Inslee’s plan would set a cap on statewide emissions and require the state’s top 130 polluters to buy allowances above a certain limit. House Bill 1314, the governor’s proposal, is scheduled for a committee vote on Tuesday.
Ericksen, who chairs the Senate Energy, Environment and Telecommunications committee, has said he will give Inslee’s plan a hearing in his committee if it passes off the House floor.
Although the MCC has not said whether its proposal is meant as an alternative to Inslee’s plan, Ericksen said in a statement that in the Senate “we’re about carrots, not sticks.” Instead of charging pollutors, the MCC plan would give power companies new ways to comply with voter-approved Initiative 937, which in 2006 required utilities to boost energy obtained from renewable resources.
Public utilities would be able to count as part of the initiative converting motor fleets and ferries to liquefied natural gas and creating more electric vehicle charging stations. Other bill includes tax incentives for expanding nuclear power with small modular reactors.
Senate Bill 5735 was heard Thursday in the committee, but has not been scheduled for a vote.