Initiative Measure No. 2066

This measure would repeal laws and regulations that promote electrification and discourage the use of natural gas.
Orca Conservancy’s Stance: Vote No

Initiative No. 2066 Explained:

Earlier in the year the Washington State Legislature passed the “Washington Decarbonization Act”, a law that regulates Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and requires them to report and forecast customer energy demand and provide proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the law, PSE must include a plan on how it will transition from natural gas to electricity in a cost-effective way. This plan must be submitted and approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC), which will then determine whether or not the plan meets energy efficiency targets at a reasonable cost to customers.

The Decarbonization Act also requires PSE to educate customers about the benefits of switching to electricity and the availability of incentives or rebates for electrical appliances which can help customers save money while reducing carbon.

If Initiative Measure No. 2066 is approved it will repeal or amend the Decarbonization Act, which will roll back efforts to transition Washington State to clean energy. 2066 will weaken the Clear Air Act and threaten health protections against harmful air pollution. Additional concerns of 2066 include the risk of increasing energy bills to consumers, rolling back modern standards to keep homes and businesses energy efficient, and preventing local communities from making decisions that work best for them.

One of the biggest threats impacting the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whale population is lack of food. Their main food source of Chinook Salmon is on the decline due to diminishing habitat, warming water temperatures, dams, and overfishing. Climate Change compounds these issues and poses a major risk to salmon survival, and therefore orca recovery.

Warming temperatures cause the rise in water temperatures which can cause harm and be lethal to salmon. Warmer water has less oxygen and fewer nutrients and can cause salmon physical stress. Prolonged exposure of salmon to warmer water temperatures can cause an increase in metabolic rates and cause nutritional stress, lower spawning success, and exacerbate disease and parasite loads. Water temperatures above 72°F are lethal to salmon.

The health of the river systems that salmon depend on is also at risk due to rising temperatures. In the Spring the snowpack accumulated from the winter begins to melt feeding the rivers which help salmon travel upstream to spawn. The snowpack also helps to keep rivers cool which salmon need to survive. The problem that is beginning to happen more frequently is those warm winters that produce little snowfall keep rivers shallow causing the already warm water temperatures to heat up faster while also making travel in the rivers more difficult and sometimes impossible with lower water levels and causing salmon to be more susceptible to prey decreasing their chances of spawning.

Initiative 2066 will exacerbate these issues by rolling back the clean energy transition that will help reduce carbon in the atmosphere that leads to global warming.

In 2021 Washington enacted the Climate Commitment Act which created a cap-and-invest program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program sets an emissions limit, or cap, on greenhouse gas emissions and then lowers that cap over time to ensure Washington meets greenhouse gas reduction goals. Under the Climate Commitment Act, large polluters are required to lower their carbon emissions or pay for “allowances” to cover their emissions.

Allowances act as a permit that allows businesses to emit certain amounts of greenhouse gases. If they exceed their allowances they are required to buy more. They are also allowed to sell their surplus allowances for profit, which incentivizes them to reduce emissions.

Under this program, large emitters are required to report their greenhouse gas emissions and submit their allowances. Failure to comply results in fines of up to $50,000 per violation a day.

Revenue generated by allowances and penalties are appropriated by the Legislature and must be invested in climate projects throughout the state such as clean energy projects, community programs, and other initiatives. This in turn creates jobs and stimulates the economy, providing financial benefits to various sectors as well as encouraging companies to reduce emissions over time which will help long-term environmental protection efforts.

If approved, 2117 will repeal the Climate Commitment Act and bar the state from implementing carbon tax trading programs which will result in less funding for conservation projects.

Initiative No. 2117 poses a risk to the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales primarily due to its potential impact on the environment and the availability of their main food source, Chinook salmon. 2117 will lead to higher greenhouse gas emissions, and allow certain industries to continue or expand operations without necessary restrictions and regulations increasing the threat of climate change and negatively affecting marine ecosystems.

Southern Resident killer whales rely heavily on Chinook salmon for their diet. Climate change can alter salmon habitats, reduce spawning success, and lead to population declines, making it harder for the whales to find enough food. Initiative 2117 will result in higher emissions which can lead to poor water quality and increased temperatures in rivers and coastal waters, further stressing salmon populations and disrupting their life cycles. The initiative could promote land and water use changes that lead to habitat degradation for both salmon and whales, further threatening their survival.

Repealing the Climate Commitment Act will also decrease funding for vital conservation projects that help protect the environment and recovery efforts for both salmon and orcas.

Overall, the risks posed by Initiative 2117 could exacerbate the challenges facing Southern Resident killer whales, potentially leading to further declines in their already vulnerable population.