350 Wenatchee Climate Conversations NCW

More than 1,000 supporters signed in “pro” before Washington STRONG’s first committee hearing! And nearly 50 other supporters showed up early Thursday morning to testify live in front of legislators.

As Jessie Martin, Executive Director of Carbon WA said, “The outpouring of support for this bill… is proof that Washingtonians are all in and they’re waiting on you. That’s because this bill was crafted by community. It was not conceived by special interests or an elite few behind closed doors. Instead it has benefited from the unique local expertise of people all across the state. It protects working families and farmers, and provides the economic support they need to transition. It protects our communities from climate and economic disasters by investing in resilient infrastructure and healthy ecosystems. And it protects rural and urban livelihoods alike with good jobs, transportation choices, and reliable utilities. This is one of the best shots we have at meeting this crisis with the speed and scale it demands.”

Thanks to the hard work of the bill’s legislative sponsors and *your* advocacy, we have built a broad and enthusiastic coalition of supporters. With this formidable base of support, we can — and we must — continue to push this legislation forward.

So, What’s Next? A Vote in the Environment Committee

Now that the members of the Senate Environment Committee have heard the case for WA STRONG, it’s up to the Chair of the Committee, Sen. Carlyle to schedule a vote. This is where you can help take this bill to the next phase. Please email Sen. Carlyle (and copy the other committee members) to ask that a vote be scheduled on SB5373. Sample script:

The Washington STRONG Act (SB 5373) immediately provides a multi-billion-dollar dedicated investment to transition to a sustainable economy without leaving anyone behind.

Having learned our lessons from the prolonged recovery from the Great Recession, Washingtonians know we can’t afford to think small in fighting the twin crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. By generating billions of dollars for
climate-conscious investments that will create thousands of family-wage jobs in our hardest hit communities, the WA STRONG Act can be an integral part of a comprehensive policy program aimed at solving both those crises.

At the hearing on March 4th, Representatives Lekanoff, Shewmake, Harris-Talley, and Hackney delivered powerful testimony about the need for immediate, bold action on the climate crisis and to create a prosperous, clean economy. The WA STRONG Act also drew support from local government officials, residents in rural communities, environmental justice advocates, healthcare providers, faith leaders, scientists, small farmers, youth advocates, and industry officials during the hearing. (Did you miss it? You can watch it here.)

Please schedule a vote for this urgently important bill. We cannot afford to wait. Thank you.
Share the News!

You can help further build support for this legislation by sharing these hearing highlights with your friends, colleagues, family, and neighbors.

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Learn more about Washington STRONG by visiting our new website. To help us fund additional advocacy support for this important legislation, click here to contribute. *Carbon WA ACTION is a 501(c)(4) organization. Donations made using these links are not tax-deductible.