$200 credit for WA households struggling to pay energy bill with Climate Commitment Act’s future in doubt

The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) is providing some financial relief for approximately a fifth of Washington households and their energy bills.

A $200 energy credit per household will be paid out in September, according to The Seattle Times. Approximately 675,000 low- and moderate-income households will be a part of this relief, with the program, funded by CCA, costing $150 million in total.

The one-time credit will be distributed directly to eligible customers and families by Sept. 15. Customers can go to WA Clean Energy Credits‘ website to see if they qualify. In order to see if you qualify, please have the name of your utility, your account number, the county you live in, the number of people in your household and your total gross annual income for 2023 for all household members.

This relief comes at a necessary time for some households, as both Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy have proposed raising electricity rates by 11% and 17%, respectively, over the next two years.

More on energy bill price jumps: Puget Sound Energy rate hikes are about to hit customers

The CCA requires the state’s largest polluters to reduce emissions through buying “carbon credits,” which has raised more than $2 billion. Through a cap-and-invest program setting a limit, or cap, on overall carbon emissions in the state — requiring businesses to obtain allowances equal to their covered greenhouse gas emissions — companies can obtain these allowances through quarterly auctions hosted by the Washington State Department of Ecology. They can also be bought and sold on a secondary market, like a stock or bond.

However, opponents of the CCA claim the legislation is the cause of increased gas prices. The Washington Policy Center stated the CCA has raised gas prices from 43 cents to 53 cents per gallon.

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In November, Initiative 21-17 will be on voters’ ballots, asking residents whether the state should repeal the Climate Commitment Act.

“Some are stating that if I-2117 is repealed, CCA money for transportation projects would go away. This is not accurate,” Washington Representatives Mike Steele and Keith Goehner wrote. “The CCA funding does not go toward roads, bridges, and ferries. You already pay for these projects through the state’s gas tax. It is imperative our citizens are aware of these intimidating and deceptive tactics. A repeal would not impact critical infrastructure.”

More on the CCA: WA’s second carbon auction nets $500M, gas prices could jump

Still, Governor Jay Inslee argues the energy credit for low-income households is one of the many ways the CCA will benefit Washington residents.

If the CCA remains a part of Washington’s infrastructure in 2025, the program will continue to work toward its goal of reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 95% by 2050.

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.