Washington state's Climate Commitment Act, a major law aimed at cutting carbon emissions and funding environmental programs, may be repealed by voters this fall due to opposition over rising fuel costs.
Hallie Golden reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The Climate Commitment Act requires high-emission companies to buy allowances to offset carbon pollution, but critics claim it has driven up gas prices by up to 53 cents per gallon.
- The law's repeal could jeopardize over $3 billion in state revenue planned for projects like wildfire prevention and clean energy.
- A coalition of tech companies, environmental groups, and even a fossil fuel giant is campaigning to keep the law in place.
Key quote:
"The grand policy goal is the higher-level thing of fighting climate change, reducing carbon emissions."
— Todd Donovan, professor at Western Washington University
Why this matters:
Repealing the law could halt essential climate programs, risking setbacks in Washington’s emission goals and efforts to inspire similar policies in other states.
Read more: Washington voters face costly decisions in the fight over climate and gas prices
