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Top 3 Environmental Priorities

What Are Our Real Priorities?

By Hildi Flores

The top three environmental priorities for the 2013 state legislative session have been chosen by the Environmental Priorities Coalition, but as some Thurston residents have asked: Are these the highest priorities?

Every year, the executive directors of 24 environmental organizations create a timeline of proposals and carefully choose three priorities on which they will concentrate their efforts in lobbying the legislature. The Carnegie Group and Sierra Club hosted Beth Doglio, campaign director of Climate Solutions, and Lisa Remlinger, Environmental Priorities Coalition Outreach Director, to talk about the priorities and why they were chosen.

For 2013, the Environmental Priorities Coalition chose the top state environmental priorities: 1) Toxic-Free Kids and Families, 2) Clean Energy Solutions, and 3) Conservation Works.

The Toxic-Free Kids and Families Act (SB 5181, HB 1294) would ban the chemical chlorinated Trist, a toxic flame-retardant found in an array of household foam products: changing tables, car seats, mattresses, and couches. Remlinger said the coalition attempted to pass a similar bill last year, but it failed. The coalition decided it was worth another year's persistence. "Not only does it deal with one specific chemical, it's saying better, safer alternatives are available that are less toxic, and those are the ones you need to use, you can't keep replacing it," she said.

Clean Energy Solutions consists of four different priorities that can be pushed as one, according to Doglio. The first is ending the oil tax exemption, which applies to the oil used to refine the oil. "What they use in their processing, they're not paying taxes on to the tune of $83 million biennium," said Doglio. The second is HB 1106, which would support third-party financing for solar panel installation, allowing the installer to own and maintain the facilities while the homeowner pays for the energy produced. Third is HB 1017, which would implement efficiency standards on appliances including toilets, urinals, battery chargers, and flood lights. Lastly are carbon prices, either through carbon taxes or a cap and trade system. "It's unclear the best direction Washington should go at this point," said Doglio.

The Conservation Works priority is to make use of an extra $100 million the Capitol budget has to allocate for various projects, according to Remlinger. "This priority is what we're saying we would like to see funded with that increase in funding." Conservation Works consists of three major components: storm water restoration and infrastructure investment, forest health through thinning and other fire prevention management, and the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.

Remlinger said if this funding were provided for the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, it could potentially be contributed to some of Thurston County's projects, including Capital Olympic Vista Park, Capital Land Trust, Deschutes Valley Trail, South Puget Sound Prairie and Oak Woodland Habitat, and Dept. of Natural Resources' work at Woodard Bay. Some, but not all of these projects are currently funded.

At the end of the presentation, Tom Holz questioned the coalition's priorities. "I don't think anybody would object to this wonderful program," he said. "All of these initiatives sound good. But the question that was raised and the reason for this meeting was: are they the highest priority?"

Holz proceeded to list specific imminent concerns in the Puget Sound area.

"Population in the Puget Sound basin is probably going to double in this century, and we are still building development using the same regulations which killed off the first half - ninety percent of the fish are gone, half the wetlands are gone. Puget Sound is hanging by a thread. What is the highest priority given that our whole quality of life is going to be gone unless something radically different happens? Isn't anybody going to mention to the legislature that development regulations currently will allow the rest of Puget Sound to deteriorate until it is like Chesapeake Bay? We've got at least three times more water allocated in our streams and groundwater than we have because we've issued so many water rights. At least study the water to find out how much we have and publish it so that we all can tell. Do we really have the highest priorities here?"

In response, Remlinger said "within the twenty-four groups, we put forth our priorities, but that in no way means that other groups aren't working on things in addition to this." She said some groups, including Future Wise and Transportation Choices Coalition, are coming together to address some of the issues Holz mentioned. "We focus on what's going on at the state level, and a lot of this stuff, especially land-use, is being updated at the local level."

Remlinger admitted the priorities for the year are not going to be easy wins, particularly receiving funding for conservation works and implementing carbon pricing. But Doglio was hopeful about the coalition's prospects this year due to the galvanized support for addressing the climate crisis in the wake of Superstorm Sandy and the growing awareness of the coal exports. Doglio said Governor Inslee is committed to the climate issue, and "if he doesn't do anything on climate and clean energy, he will not consider his first term a success. But, it also means we have a lot of work to do as a community."

Washington residents will have the opportunity to address any and all of the environmental issues they feel are most pertinent on Environmental Lobby Day, February 19, from 8:30 - 4:00 p.m. at United Churches of Olympia, 110 10th Ave. SE, Olympia. To register, visit www.environmentalpriorities.org.


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Updated 2015/01/07 21:14:22