We members of the Spokane Audubon Society thank 3rd District Sen. Andy Billig for taking time earlier this year to hear our concerns about climate change effects on both human and bird health, and then leading the state Senate in one of the most productive sessions for climate and environmental justice in state history.

His leadership in brokering a “grand bargain” helped achieve something years in the making – passage of a Clean Fuel Standard and a carbon pricing program (the Climate Commitment Act). The standard requires transportation fuel providers to lower particulate emissions from fossil-fueled vehicles or purchase credits from companies supplying cleaner fuels like electricity.

The act establishes a cap-and-invest system that will steadily reduce carbon emissions and air pollution while investing in green infrastructure, multimodal transportation, and monitoring air quality in communities that suffer disproportionate environmental and health impacts.

While the governor vetoed some of the key pieces of the “grand bargain,” Spokane area birds and other wildlife, and all of us who appreciate how they enrich our lives, are appreciative of the work Senator Billig did to get these important climate policies through the legislature.

Madonna Luers, Spokane Audubon Society

Mead