FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr 11, 2011
OLYMPIA – The state House of Representatives today approved the Coal-Free Future for Washington bill to responsibly transition TransAlta Corp.’s Centralia, Wash., power plant off of coal. This landmark legislation – representing an historic agreement between Washington environmental leaders, TransAlta, unions and Gov. Chris Gregoire – now goes back to the Senate, which approved an earlier version of the bill last month, for final passage.
“This is a win-win-win for our health, the environment, our economy and the Lewis County community,” said Coal-Free Future for Washington campaign director Doug Howell. “This legislation – the result of environmentalists, labor unions, health experts, faith leaders, the local community, the corporation, the governor and legislators all working together – will drastically reduce the harm to human health and our environment from coal pollution.
“Washington has created a model for the nation of how investing in the transition to a clean-energy future can create jobs and a healthy economy.”
ESSB 5769, one of the four environmental community priorities for the 2011 legislative session, passed with the House on a bi-partisan vote of 87 to 9 (to read the bill, go to http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5769&year=2011). The bill requires TransAlta to phase out its 1,460-megawatt coal plant in stages between 2020 and 2025. The timeline allows for an orderly transition for plant workers and the local community, and provides a greater opportunity to replace the power from one of the country’s largest coal-fired power plants (and largest, period, in the Pacific Northwest) with energy efficiency and clean resources such as wind and solar.
Specifically, the bill calls for TransAlta to:
· End half of its coal-burning in 2020 and the rest by 2025.
· Significantly reduce haze pollution by Jan. 1, 2013.
· Provide $30 million in direct economic development and energy efficiency jobs to the community and another $25 million to develop clean energy technology in the state.
The Environmental Priorities Coalition is a network of 24 leading environmental groups in Washington state who believe we can have a strong economy that provides everyone with the opportunity to prosper and a clean, healthy and safe environment for ourselves and our children.
Formed in 2003, the Environmental Priorities Coalition selects priority issues each legislative session that are important to protecting public health and welfare.