Well, we\u2019re not in Kansas anymore Dorothy! The dust is settling from our spring advocacy efforts \u2013 many thanks to all of you who put your faith into action with Earth Ministry \/ Washington Interfaith Power & Light. Before we all are swept up in summer fun, here\u2019s an update of where things stand with our work for environmental justice in Washington State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we shared in\u00a0Earth Ministry\u2019s legislative recap<\/a>, we are celebrating that our top two priority bills passed! The HEAL Act will implement environmental justice in state law and a Clean Fuel Standard will address pollution from our transportation sector. These are big wins for climate and communities!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when Governor Inslee signed the Clean Fuel Standard into law, he issued a veto of the contingency requiring passage of a transportation package before the policy could be implemented. This will speed up the timeline but also was a major compromise that made some supporters unhappy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Governor likewise vetoed the transportation contingency in the Climate Commitment Act, a cap and trade bill championed by some environmental organizations. Earth Ministry did not support this legislation at the request of our partners at Front and Centered, the largest coalition of communities of color-led groups in the Pacific Northwest. We encourage you to read more about why some frontline communities opposed the bill in\u00a0this blog post<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Front and Centered\u2019s legislative recap<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are incredibly disappointed that the Governor also vetoed the portion of the Climate Commitment Act requiring meaningful consultation with tribal nations. This subsection gave tribes authority to pause or halt projects found to adversely impact their cultural resources and sacred sites. These are treaty protected rights that are frequently disrespected, as seen with the Tacoma LNG facility. You can\u00a0read more in this article<\/a>\u00a0and this\u00a0press release from tribal leaders and legislators<\/a>. Looking forward, Earth Ministry will follow the leadership of tribes to advocate for this provision to be reenacted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Governor also vetoed the Clean Cars 2030 portion of HB 1287. He stated that this was because of an amendment that tied implementation to a road usage charge. You can\u00a0read more here<\/a>\u00a0from our partners at Coltura regarding this disappointing outcome. Earth Ministry will continue to work with our coalition partners to advocate for vehicle electrification \u2013 stay tuned for upcoming action this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around the same time as these vetoes,\u00a0you may\u00a0have seen\u00a0media reports that\u00a0Gov. Inslee and Sen. Murray\u00a0oppose\u00a0removing the four\u00a0Lower Snake River\u00a0dams to restore salmon.\u00a0Their joint\u00a0statement<\/a>\u00a0was more nuanced, calling\u00a0for a\u00a0\u201cformal, regional process that is based on science, consensus, and ensuring all voices in the region are heard.\u201d\u00a0They\u00a0also said,\u00a0\u201cit is critical that this process takes all options into consideration, including the potential breaching of the Lower Four Snake River Dams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are short on time to recover endangered salmon and orcas. We know what we need to do, we just need the political will to do it and the funding to support infrastructure investments needed when the four lower Snake River dams come out. In late May, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians unanimously approved a\u00a0resolution<\/a>\u00a0calling for breaching of\u00a0these\u00a0dams.\u00a0To emphasize the urgency of this situation, Earth Ministry and our partners sent\u00a0versions of\u00a0this letter<\/a>\u00a0to Governor Inslee, Senator Murray, and President Biden. It will be imperative for all of us to hold these leaders accountable to their words and commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You are not alone if you are feeling frustrated with these recent decisions made by our Governor. He has a moral responsibility to make true amends with tribal nations as well as meaningful strides on salmon recovery. Earth Ministry\/WAIPL will continue to monitor the landscape of these environmental justice campaigns and will share timely action opportunities as they arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, thank you for being a faithful advocate and following these complex issues. Remember that our role as people of faith is to hold a firm moral compass and bring values into the conversation. We’ll continue to do so together as we navigate this turbulent terrain.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jessica Zimmerle (she\/her)
Program & Outreach Director<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PS: You can see the outcome of all our bills on\u00a0Earth Ministry\u2019s legislative webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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