Recent events in Olympia regarding climate change legislation have left me in disbelief. Right now is a key time to create new green jobs and work toward a sustainable future. It just doesn’t seem like our legislators get it.

Every day, there is more research showing that climate change impacts are more severe than originally thought. Scientists at a summit in Copenhagen recently said that sea levels could rise by a meter or more by 2100. With 600 million people worldwide living in low-lying areas, this is a big deal.

Why has the governor’s climate change bill (HB 1819; SB 5735) been watered down to a do-nothing bill? This bill was intended to create jobs that aren’t dependent on fossil fuels and lower our emissions. I urge Reps. Kevin Parker and John Driscoll to make it meaningful by including a mandatory cap on greenhouse gas emissions.

Secondly, how on earth can we allow SB 5840 to pass, which seeks to gut the citizens’ Clean Energy Initiative 937? Washington taxpayers stated their opinion by passing I-937 in 2006. SB 5840 will undermine this success and make Washington the first state to lower renewable energy standards – we cannot let that happen.

Cole Hoover

Spokane