Environment Washington 2024 Program Agenda

Environment Washington is a policy and action group with one mission: to restore and protect the natural world. Our staff works for clean air, clean water, clean energy, wildlife, open spaces, and a livable climate. Our members across the state put grassroots support behind our research and advocacy. Environment Washington is part of Environment America, a national network of 30 state environmental groups.

Here are our program priorities for 2024. 

Wildlife over Waste

Nothing we use for a few minutes should pollute the environment and harm wildlife for  hundreds of years. Plastic pollution is creating an environmental disaster for ocean wildlife:  plastic and other marine debris kills millions of seabirds and marine mammals every year. Plastic also contributes to climate change at every step of its lifecycle, from production to  pollution. It’s time to move beyond single-use plastic by getting rid of the most harmful waste,  and stopping the use of things we truly don’t need. That’s why Environment Washington supports:

• Making Waste-Makers Responsible. Washingtonians throw out an enormous amount of plastic every day. Yet, the companies whose products produce the most plastic waste have little incentive to change. That’s why we’re calling for producer responsibility laws like the ReWRAP Act, which will hold companies responsible for the waste their products create and incentivize less and more sustainable packaging in the first place.
• Phasing out unnecessary single-use plastics we can live without. In 2023, companies like Amazon and Costco made important commitments to reduce the amount of single-use plastic packaging they use. In 2024, we will continue to push companies to be part of the solution and reduce unnecessary waste.

Right to Repair

The throwaway economy causes us to generate too much waste, in the form of single-use plastics and packaging as well as short-lived consumer objects. Americans dispose of 416,000 cell phones per day, and only 15 to 20 percent of electronic waste is recycled. We are working to tackle planned obsolescence, and make sure consumers and small businesses have access to the parts, tools and service information they need to repair products so we can keep things in use and reduce waste. Environment Washington supports HB 1193, which will give Washingtonians the right to repair their own devices, consumer electronics, home appliances, agricultural equipment, and electronic wheelchairs.

Protect Our Oceans

Our state is rich with sandy beaches, rocky coves, towering sea cliffs and an astonishing variety of marine wildlife along our shores. Yet there are challenges. The previous administration pushed for oil and gas drilling in 90 percent of our coastal waters. The Southern Resident orcas that reside in Puget Sound and the Pacific Coast are staring at extinction due to reduced quantity and quality of their main food source, Chinook salmon, harmful pollutants, and excess vessel noise which can interfere with their hunting. Environment Washington supports:

• Restoring salmon and orca habitat through improving marine, freshwater, and riparian environments throughout the state of Washington and the greater range of the Southern Resident orcas. We support removing the four Lower Snake River dams seize a  once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead the largest river and salmon restoration in history, and we encourage members of Congress, state legislatures, and federal agencies to work with Tribal leaders and impacted parties to implement solutions that work for salmon and orca. 
• Protecting Washington’s underwater forests. Kelp and eelgrass improve water quality, stabilize shorelines, and provide habitat and hunting grounds for many underwater species. In 2022, Washington committed to conserve or restore 10,000 acres of Washingtonians underwater kelp forests and eelgrass meadows by 2040.  We encourage decision-makers to make appropriate investments to hit these goals. 
• Establishing marine protected areas where extractive and destructive human activity is limited.

Destination: Zero Carbon

Transportation is the number one source of our state and country’s carbon pollution, as well as contributing to air and water pollution which has significant health impacts. To slow global warming and reduce this pollution, we need to change how Washingtonians get around. New federal funding makes investing in clean transportation more accessible for Washington. We support: 

• Electrifying buses and trucks. Dirty diesel school buses add to our carbon emissions while putting millions of children at risk of cancer and respiratory diseases. That’s why we’re calling for all school and public transit bus fleets to transition to clean, fossil-fuel free buses by 2035. We support using funds raised from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act to electrify our bus fleets and reduce the number of carbon emitting buses on the road. 
• Electrifying cars. We support Washington’s commitment to get to 100% zero emission vehicles sold by 2035 and encourage decision-makers to keep investing in the infrastructure needed to help all consumers make the transition.
• Driving less, living more. We need to reduce the need to drive by making it easier, cheaper and more enjoyable to travel on foot, bike or public transit and investing in multi-modal transportation. 

Clean, Renewable and Efficient Energy

We have the ability to harness clean, abundant energy from the sun, the wind and the earth, and to fully repower our society with 100 percent renewable sources. But reaching Washington’s commitment to 100% clean energy by 2045 requires that we invest today in that future. That’s why Environment Washington supports:

• Clean energy homes: Not only are electric technologies like heat pumps and induction stoves more efficient, they can also be powered by renewable energy like solar and wind rather than fossil fuels. Federal tax credits and rebates passed under the Inflation Reduction Act and dollars from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act can make it easier and more affordable than ever to electrify our buildings. We urge the legislature to fully support this transition to all-electric buildings through both supplemental policies and funding. 
• Investing in Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage: Completing the transition to 100% renewable energy will not only mean building out more solar and wind energy, but will also require the ability to store energy for later. Building out electric battery energy storage in combination with solar and wind will allow us to reap more renewable energy, while also building a more resilient and reliable grid that delivers clean power when and where we need it most.

Zero Out Toxics

Too many Washingtonians are exposed to harmful chemicals like lead or PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) through everyday consumer products or even through their own drinking water. Environment Washington supports:

• Stopping Toxic PFAS: We are exposed to PFAS “forever” chemicals, which are linked to cancer and other illnesses, in water, food, and consumer products. We’re working to stop the use of PFAS in consumer products, clean up contamination in our water and communities, and to hold industry accountable for damage they have caused.
• Clean Lighting Standards: Fluorescent lights contain mercury – which is a potent and persistent neurotoxin – by design. Today, non-toxic, highly efficient alternatives are broadly available. Washington should phase out fluorescent lighting to eliminate a toxin from the waste stream, reduce energy waste and save consumers money.
• Getting the Lead Out.  In 2021, the Washington state legislature passed the Environment Washington-backed “Bruce Speight Act,” to establish mandatory lead testing in all Washington public schools, limit lead in school drinking water to 5 parts per billion (ppb) and help schools remediate their taps. But unfortunately, we still have work to do to prevent lead contamination in drinking water. Washington should utilize state and federal funding to proactively replace lead-bearing fountains with filtered water stations, install filters on all other taps used for cooking or drinking at schools, and replace lead service lines in the state.

Protect Our Forests

Our forests, both in Washington and across the globe, and on land and underwater, provide habitat for critical species and help us fight climate change. Environment Washington is calling on major companies like Costco to stop purchasing products logged from primary forests and require paper products to include at least 50% recycled content. State and local policies should protect critical forest and trees from logging, degradation and deforestation. 

Reconnecting Nature

Human development has fragmented key habitats into disparate populations. If these populations remain separated, species will be unable to adapt to climate change because of shrinking genetic diversity. Many salmon species are endangered due to disruptions in their migration from the sea to inland headwaters. Further, animals that try to cross roads that cut through their previous migratory routes cause increased animal-motorist collisions.   We support investments in infrastructure that reconnect nature, making it easier for wildlife to migrate, locate food and find mates. Additionally, we support Recovering America’s Wildlife Act in Congress, which would provide federal funding to help protect endangered species.