The current Washington State legislative session, which began in January and will end mid-April, includes two important environmental bills. Both bills are scheduled for hearings by state legislative committees on Thursday, February 4, and are supported by the Faith Action Network and Earth Ministry, two First Church partners. See the bill summaries below.
You can communicate with your state legislators about pending bills either before or after committee hearings. Helpful instructions and links are included at the end of this article.
The Church & Society/Social Justice Committee at First Church thanks you for voicing your support.
Clean Fuels Now: House Bill (HB) 1091, Senate Bill (SB) 5231
The transportation sector is responsible for nearly half of our state’s climate and air pollution. A Clean Fuel standard will help Washington State achieve its carbon reduction goals, support and incentivize more electric vehicles, and expand local economies with increased production of low-carbon, sustainable biofuels. Such a standard will require fuel producers and importers to reduce the carbon intensity of fuels by 20% by 2035 – a tested, effective policy to cut climate pollution, move us beyond oil, and create economic development in alternative power fuel sources such as electricity and local renewable biofuels. See the bill 1091 summary.
This bill passed out of the House Environment Committee on January 21 and is scheduled for a hearing on February 4 at 3:30 p.m. in the House Appropriations Committee. To voice your support, click here and select “pro.”
Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act: House Bill (HB) 5141 and Senate Bill (SB) 5141
Your race, income, language ability, or zip code should not determine how healthy and safe you are. But, tragically, health and well-being varies significantly according to those factors. The people suffering most from pollution are low-income, communities of color, or linguistically-isolated. If passed, the HEAL Act will implement Washington (WA) State Environmental Justice Task Force recommendations. See the bill 5141 summary.
The HEAL Act seeks to define ‘environmental justice’ (EJ) in state law, outline how state agencies should consider community needs and EJ in their work, establish a permanent EJ Council to help ensure compliance with the HEAL Act, and expand equitable community participation. The bill would distribute state environmental investments to ensure resources are allocated to and determined by communities most impacted by pollution. The bill also would help ensure tribal sovereignty and rights, identify cumulative impacts on overburdened communities, develop tools to measure the link between environmental quality and human health, and set measurable goals for reducing environmental health disparities in Washington State communities.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines environmental justice as, “…the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” Environmental justice addresses disproportionate environmental and health impacts by prioritizing vulnerable populations and overburdened communities, equitably distributing resources and benefits, and eliminating harm.
On February 4 at 10:30 a.m., the State Senate Committee on Environment and Energy is scheduled to hear this bill. If your state Senator sits on this committee, ask them to vote yes. See instructions below.
How YOU can voice your support for these bills
- You may call the legislative hotline (1-800-562-6000) to send your state legislator a message.
- Follow these instructions to state your position on a bill online.
1. Go to https://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/
2. Enter the bill number (see bill numbers listed above), then select “search.”
3. When the web page for the selected bill comes up, find and select “comment on this bill.”
4. Enter your address to find your legislative district number and state legislators, then select which legislators you would like to receive your comment.
5. Enter your name and email address. Phone number is optional.
6. Select if you “support,” “oppose,” or are “neutral” on the bill.
7. You may enter a comment – as short or long as you’d like – in the comments box, such as a statement about why you support the bill. This can be brief, such as “Please support this bill.”
To watch live or past proceedings of Washington State Senate or House committee hearings, follow this link: https://www.tvw.org/schedule-main