350 Wenatchee Climate Conversations NCW

We fought hard for energy justice, and we won! Thanks to our coalition’s advocacy, Puget Sound Energy has been ordered by the state to do better on clean energyplanning.

Front and Centered has been advocating for PSE to plan for an equitable transition to clean energy for over four years as part of implementation of the Clean Energy Transformation Act, a law we shaped and helped pass.

Now, thanks to our advocacy and partnerships, our state’s largest energy utility is required to transition away from fossil fuels and to cleaner sources even faster—and in a way that’s more transparent and equitable, prioritizing our frontline communities who are most impacted. This includes better tracking of energy prices by income and of disconnections for nonpayment, as well as nearly doubling PSE’s commitment to community solar projects.

Thank you to our frontline coalition members as well as our partners, NW Energy Coalition and Earthjustice! To learn more about what Washington State is requiring PSE to do and how exactly this ruling will benefit our frontline communities, check out our press release.

Speaking of good news, earlier this year we announced that Front and Centered secured $400,000 to support and fund frontline community organizations to shape implementation of the HEAL Act and create an Environmental Justice Community Participation Fund!

Applications open in July and we’ll be granting the funds out to community-based organizations around Washington State. Membership in our coalition is not a requirement for application, so talk to your networks and let them know to keep an eye on our website and follow our social media accounts for more information! It’s up to us to make sure that equitable governance under HEAL becomes a reality and not just a vision.

Hope you all are having a happy ✨🌈Pride Month🌈✨ and stay tuned for more good news from our coalition!

In solidarity,

James Lee

Communications Lead