The Washington State Department of Commerce has led a year-long process to update our state’s Energy Strategy. This is the Strategy developed to guide our state in achieving our greenhouse gas emission targets and build off our 100% clean electricity law. The draft Strategy has short- and long-term actions needed to address our climate crisis and invest in a clean, efficient and equitable economy. It calls for phasing out fossil fuels from our buildings, transportation sector and economy. It calls for systemic change across all sectors to truly transition our economy. And, it highlights the importance of acting now.
We know this is what it takes to tackle climate change, and now the fossil fuel industry is pushing back and trying to weaken the Strategy. This is our opportunity to be clear that the Strategy needs to be strengthened – not weakened – while it is still a work in progress.
Make your voice heard by submitting a public comment!
When: Monday, December 7th – Two public comment periods: 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm
What: Comment on the Draft State Energy Strategy
Where: Register here for the virtual meeting. If you are not able to attend, you can submit written comments via email to energystrategy@commerce.wa.gov.
Suggested talking points:
- The draft State Energy Strategy is a critical document to direct the state and public funding to achieve a clean energy economy that creates good jobs and advances equity.
- While the Strategy should be updated and strengthened to more clearly advance specific priorities and better center those communities most impacted by climate pollution, the state must also move forward and take action now, and across the state agencies, to achieve our greenhouse gas emission goals.
- Key priorities for updating the Strategy:
- Integrate and update equity processes, decision-making, and priorities across the strategy;
- Ensure no new fossil fuel build outs and phase out fracked gas and fossil fuels, prioritizing the most impacted and polluted communities first;
- Capture momentum with cross-sector priorities;
- Establish a detailed implementation plan.
- Cross-sector call outs:
- Focus on behavior change priorities around land use and transportation; and
- Manage energy demand across all sectors towards energy equity between households and aggregated statewide consumption.
- Sector-specific call outs:
- Transportation: prioritize VMT goals and incorporate these across state action/priorities & pass a Clean Fuel Standard;
- Buildings: all new buildings should be zero carbon by 2027 & prioritize energy efficiency and building retrofits for existing buildings in a way that addresses displacement and economic impacts;
- Electricity: ensure efficient and clean electricity use and localize production to extent possible;
- Industrial: create just transition planning, tools and investments to grow low carbon industries including addressing high consumption sources, electrifying appropriate industries, and deploying appropriate clean technology.
- This document creates the foundation upon which to act – please move this forward!