WA Legislatures Passes Climate Change Proposal

ENVIRONMENT 

By Austin Jenkins

Olympia, WA  March 6, 2008 9:37 a.m.

The Washington legislature has passed sweeping climate change legislation. It mandates major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

It also calls for a major reduction in the number of miles people drive their cars each year. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins has details.

Washington has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The state’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter is transportation – mainly cars and trucks.

That’s why the legislation that just passed calls for an 18 percent reduction in the number of miles driven by 2020 – adjusted for population.

Incentives could include more public transit, compressed work weeks and telecommuting.

Jay Manning directs the Washington State Ecology Department.

Jay Manning: “Given that we have 50-percent of our emissions coming from the transportation sector. We need to have a much cleaner fleet of vehicles in this state. And we need to reduce vehicle miles traveled.”

Opponents argue that majority Democrats are trying to legislate people out of their cars.

The bill that passed also sets up a plan for monitoring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions. And paves the way for a regional cap-and-trade system.

The bill now goes to the governor.

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© 2008 KPLU