Scientists have spoken for years about melting glaciers on Mount Rainier and a potential future of increasing conflicts over water with less of a snowpack in the Cascades.
But up until this point, there hasn’t been a lot of political action on the state level on climate change. On Thursday, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into a law a bill that could be the basis for state efforts to reverse that.
The new law sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 50 percent below 1990 levels over the course of the next four decades.
It also forbids utilities from entering into long-term contracts with coal-fired power plants that produce a lot of greenhouse gases.
“I think it’s a pretty good step forward,” said Craig Engelking, legislative director of the Cascade chapter of the Sierra Club. “It definitely puts Washington as a leader in the country in addressing climate change.”
He said emissions actually have to be reduced by about 80 percent by 2050 to stabilize the climate. But he said he sees indications that the state could be headed in that direction.
The big question that is mostly unaddressed in the new law is what Washington state might do to reduce emissions enough to meet its goals. The governor’s Climate Advisory Team is to recommend possible steps this winter.
Environmentalists said the new law’s limits on getting power from coal-fired plants will help keep the problem from getting worse while the state works out long-term solutions.
The measure passed the Legislature overwhelmingly. But there were legislators, like Richland Republican Sen. Jerome Delvin, who questioned if humans cause global warming.
Tim Boyd of the Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities fought the bill out of worries that it would increase the cost of power.
Boyd said Thursday that the bill was changed to lessen some of those concerns. He said though, that it’s still possible rates could go up.
“Any time you limit the options to develop new sources of generation you potentially impact rates,” he said.
Boyd also said the new law put the focus on stopping energy from pulverized coal rather than on encouraging alternatives such as hydropower.
The law essentially forbids utilities from building or entering into contracts with plants that don’t meet greenhouse gas standards. Plants could inject excess emissions into the ground if emerging technologies make it possible for that to work.
The proposed coal gasification plant in Kalama, Cowlitz County, would either have to inject excess emissions underground or buy and close another high-emitting plant to offset its impact.
Bill LaBorde, a member of the Tacoma Public Utilities board, said the bill won’t be a problem for Tacoma Power.
“The utility has no need or even any capacity for signing long-term contracts with a coal-fired power plant,” he said.
LaBorde worked on the bill as director of the Washington Public Interest Research Group and said he’s excited about it.
The governor, in signing SB 6001 into law, said, “We are saying that, here, in this Washington, no more delay, no more doubt, no more excuses. Today, together, we take action.”
Sean Cockerham: 360-754-6093
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