Organization aims to reduce emissions

Western Climate Initiative's goal is 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020

By John Dodge | The Olympian • Published November 15, 2008

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A deteriorating state budget shouldn't stop the 2009 state Legislature from tackling some pressing projects to combat climate change, top state officials said this week.

At the top of the legislative agenda will be a request from Gov. Chris Gregoire and her climate change action team to authorize the state to participate in a regional greenhouse-gas cap and trade program.

The goal of the Western Climate Initiative, which involves seven states and four Canadian provinces, is to reduce the region's greenhouse-gas emissions by 15 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

The region's pollution budget for global-warming gases for each state and province would be set in 2010, and the program would go into effect in 2012.

"It's a huge issue, the headliner of all the climate-change legislation," said state Sen. Karen Fraser, D-Thurston County. "I hope it makes it through the session."

Also before the Legislature will be a bill to incorporate land-use decisions influenced by climate change into the state Growth Management Act, increase energy efficiency in buildings and reduce vehicle miles traveled.

"This is important," said Tony Usibelli, an assistant director of the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. "We don't want the budget crisis to slow us down."

Usibelli was referring to the state's Climate Advisory Team, a group of 25 business, government, utility, tribal and conservation leaders who are developing recommendations for a statewide plan to address climate change and build a clean-energy economy.

One of the major political battles will be fought over the details of the greenhouse-gas cap and trade program.

The Western Climate Initiative calls for states and provinces to sell at least 10 percent of the pollution credits they receive, ramping up to selling 25 percent of them by 2020. The rest would be given away.

Under a pollution-credit system, polluters can purchase credits from nonpolluters — essentially fining companies that pollute and rewarding those that don't.