Gov. Jay Inslee and the battle against carbon pollution
Jan 23, 2018, 6:15 AM | Updated: 10:10 am
One reason Washington’s governor is pushing for a tax on carbon pollution is to nudge the state’s economy.
“The people who, today, have access to electric cars pay zero for the price of gas,” Washington State Governor Jay Inslee told KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross. “That’s a pretty good deal. Every major manufacturer now is offering electric cars, and it is our goal to help Washingtonians have more access to that technology; to pay zero for gasoline … this will accelerate that. It’s happening very quickly. In Norway today, 50 percent of all vehicles sold are electric vehicles.”
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As lawmakers in Olympia meet for their annual session, Inslee is spearheading an effort to establish a carbon tax. Though it will target the state’s biggest polluters, most residents will notice its effects at the gas pump where an increase of up to 18 cents or more will be possible. Inslee argues this will encourage investments that will reduce energy costs and get people into the cars of the future. For example, Volvo is one company that won’t be producing gas-powered automobiles after 2019.
The governor says that Washington isn’t alone in the effort. About eight Northeastern states have similar taxes aimed at their electrical grid. Washington’s neighbor British Columbia has one, too. He also notes that 15 states — 40 percent of the nation’s economy — are committed to reducing carbon pollution. The side benefit of all this will be an economy for the next generation, Inslee says.
“British Columbia has a carbon charge on carbon pollution and they have the best economy in Canada,” he said. “… we have found that a well-generated system actually increases your economic growth rather than decreases it … I think that’s been proven around the world where it’s been taken and you don’t have to go very far. You just go to British Columbia and look at their experience which is very positive.”
Washington is already investing in such next-generation businesses. Inslee points to Moses Lake where a carbon fiber plant makes materials for electric cars; Mukilteo where the world’s largest vanadium batteries are produced; or Bellingham where Itek manufactures solar panels.
Carbon pollution and offshore drilling
As Inslee pushes for a carbon tax, a battle has erupted on another front — Washington’s coast where the Trump administration has proposed offshore oil drilling. Upon hearing of the president’s wish to open the coasts to oil drilling, Inslee began making phone calls.
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One major objection is that it appears states, where Trump’s political allies live, can easily be exempt from offshore drilling.
“The president’s action (is) just giving his political buddies in Florida the continued protection and stripping Washington state and everybody on the West Coast,” Inslee said. “I’ve spoken to Secretary (of the Interior Ryan) Zinke about this last week. I said that I understand that the president has a golf course in Florida and he’s a friend of the governor, but our state is a beautiful place as well.”
“I said, ‘Are you telling me that the beaches in Florida are better than Washington’s?’ He said ‘no.’ I said ‘Are you telling me that our recreational industry is less important than Florida’s?’ He said ‘no.’ I said, ‘Are you telling me that somehow an oil spill in Florida isn’t less devastating than one in Washington?’ He said ‘no.’ I said, ‘What possible reason could you have for thinking about this?’ And he gave me no explanation whatsoever.”
Inslee, however, has doubts that Washington will see any offshore drilling. There is significant political opposition to the idea from both parties. And he believes the industry is moving away from it.
“I don’t know what the White House is thinking here,” Inslee said. “Maybe it’s tweeting gone wild. I don’t know.”
