Time for PSE to kick fossil fuel

It is now absolutely clear where our national leadership is chasing the rabbit: down the coal mine. I am proud to live in a state that immediately refused to follow the national lead, instead asserting our commitment to combating climate change. Unfortunately, however, in our little spectacular area of the world we have an energy company that, while spinning a great PR story touting their green credentials, is still on the coal train.

Puget Sound Energy remains determined to double down on fossil fuels. They have shown no indication of retiring boilers 3 and 4 of the Colstrip coal plant — the eighth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the U.S. — until 2035. And, they are looking at replacing them with new natural gas infrastructure. If we allow that to happen it will lock Washington into fossil fuels for the next 30 years. That would be unconscionable.

Our president may be stuck in a coal mine — but we don’t have to be. It is time for our local utility company to show some leadership for a clean climate — and put some reality behind its claims to being green. How about it PSE?

This story was originally published June 17, 2017 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Time for PSE to kick fossil fuel."