Landmark Cap-and-Invest Bill to Cut Climate and Air Pollution Heads to Governor Inslee’s Desk, Raises the Bar for Climate Leadership

(Olympia, WA – April 24, 2021) Today, the Washington State legislature passed the Climate Commitment Act (Senate Bill 5126) with the state Senate concurring with the House of Representatives’ adopted version. The cap-and-invest legislation makes Washington the second state to put a binding limit on climate pollution across all major sectors of the economy— a powerful and essential tool to aggressively slash emissions to meet the state’s 2030, 2040 and 2050 goals. The bill includes innovative measures designed to reduce local pollution in historically overburdened communities alongside reductions in global climate pollution.

“Washington has modeled what states across the nation should do: turn climate pledges into concrete policy that delivers. The Climate Commitment Act makes good on Washington’s promise to meet the urgency of the climate challenge by putting a strong, enforceable limit on climate pollution. 

“This week President Biden pledged to cut U.S. emissions by at least half by the end of the decade. Washington’s leaders are matching that ambition with bold policy that drives real, immediate progress toward that goal.

“Governors across the country—as well as state and federal policymakers— should take note of what just happened in Olympia. The Climate Commitment Act raises the bar for climate policy by tackling both climate pollution and local air pollution. By slashing greenhouse gas emissions across major sectors of its economy, while also providing new tools to drive down local air pollution that disproportionately burdens many low-income communities and communities of color, this bill delivers big wins on health and on climate – ensuring that a low-carbon economy will also be a healthier and more equitable economy.

“We applaud Washington State’s climate leadership and look forward to Governor Inslee’s signature on the Climate Commitment Act.”

• Nathaniel Keohane, Senior Vice President for Climate at EDF