Environmental Priorities Coalition

an introduction to the Environmental Priorities Coalition

Washington State Capitol Building The Environmental Priorities Coalition is made up of over twenty of the state's leading groups working together to protect our land, air and water. The Coalition started in 2003 and has become more and more successful. Each fall the coalition selects four environmental priorities for the upcoming legislative session. WEC helped create and continues to provide leadership for the Priorities each year.

The 2009 Environmental Priorities are:

Cap and Invest
By implementing real limits on global warming pollution, we will create new jobs and stimulate the growth of a clean energy economy here in Washington State. This effort starts by putting a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, and then having polluters pay when they pollute. This new revenue will be invested to reduce fossil fuel dependence and spur new clean-tech innovation, while assisting moderate- and low-income people with volatile energy prices. Through state action now, we will reduce global warming pollution in a manner that benefits Washington’s economy, helps us shape regional and national programs, and situates us at the cutting edge of the new clean energy economy.

Efficiency First
Promoting energy efficient homes, businesses and public institutions will save money, enhance energy security, and significantly reduce global-warming pollution. Energy efficiency is the cheapest and most immediate way to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and will create thousands of good, family-wage jobs in Washington. This bill will put “efficiency first” by promoting super-efficient, low-energy-use buildings, providing incentives to maximize energy efficiency, requiring energy use information on buildings offered for sale or lease; and making our public buildings models of energy efficiency. This policy will also help to ensure that low-income consumers can cope with rising energy costs.

Transit-Oriented Communities
Washingtonians want to live in affordable, walkable and transit-oriented communities. With population growth, we are facing increased traffic congestion, diminished quality of life, and ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Transit-Oriented Communities would revise the state’s transportation and land-use planning framework to assist local jurisdictions to plan for growth in a sustainable and climate-friendly way. The bill will provide incentives for cities and developers to create affordable, livable, transit-oriented development, increasing transportation choices.

Invest in Clean Water
From Puget Sound to the Spokane River, clean water is Washington’s lifeblood and our communities can’t thrive without it. This package of targeted polluter-pays fees will protect the taxpaying public and ensure that polluters take responsibility for the impacts of their actions. The effort will raise new revenue to fund critical projects to save Puget Sound and restore Washington’s rivers and lakes. By investing in stormwater infrastructure, toxics prevention and other programs, we create new jobs, relieve financial pressure on local government, and promote new economic stimulus.

Click here to read about how the 2008 Priorities fared in Olympia
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The Environmental Priorities Coalition is a collaborative effort of leading groups in the state pushing for improved protections for the health of people, land, air and water of the state. The following organizations make up the 2009 Environmental Priorities Coalition.

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The 2009 Environmental Priorities are:

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