The WA State Legislature passed the CAA in 2021 to make our air and our environment safer for all Washingtonians. It creates a system where polluters are required to pay for their damaging, polluted emissions. With this critical legislation, we are leading the nation in efforts to cap pollution by creating emission limits toward WA being a zero-emission state by 2050.
Billions of dollars have already been raised to help endangered communities live healthier lives. The funds generated by CCA will monitor air quality and create capacity grants as well as addressing the cost of fuel helping low-income residents with a Residential Heating Assistance Program for using fuels other than natural gas and electricity.
Examples of Current and Planned Investments: Improving Air Quality in Overburdened Communities Initiative Energy Assistance Food Waste Reduction Grants Hybrid ferries Transit support grants Community EV charging Wildfire restoration Salmon recovery Green jobs and infrastructure grants School District Indoor Air Quality and energy efficiency Community Solar Weatherization plus health Home electrification and appliance rebates
Environmental justice and equity are at the core of the CCA mission. Our communities that bear the brunt of the burden of climate change, including air pollution, will benefit greatly from this new legislation. Those impacted most by breathing “dirty” air at home, school, and their jobs have much higher rates of respiratory conditions that adversely impact everything in their lives. Dirty air hits our seniors, our children and low-income communities the hardest. Healthier air to breathe creates healthier citizens with fewer youths and adults developing life changing chronic debilitating conditions.
The warming planet and increase in wildfires also adds to these risks. This last year- 2023 – was the hottest year for our planet.
Asthma, heart disease, and debilitating lung conditions like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) are all linked to the toxins in the air we breathe that are produced by the air pollution from burning fossil fuels.
Children are the most vulnerable to these conditions. University of Washington performed a health impact analysis in 2013 evaluating the communities in King County where kids are most impacted by climate pollution.
The Duwamish watershed and surrounding waterfront communities are hit the hardest. Beacon Hill, Georgetown and South Park are neighborhoods where residents have a 13 year shorter life span and a 40% higher rate of hospitalization for children with asthma.
(Seattle Times, Health Section, 5/30/2023)
Initiative 2117 aims to eliminate the CCA and its life saving carbon reduction effort. The projected reduction path we are on to reduce emissions 50% by 2030 will be eliminated if the initiative passes, not only will we see a rise in emissions and resultant pollution in our neighborhoods, and monies also earned will disappear leaving health projects for our most vulnerable citizens without funding. Learn more about the Climate Commitment Act here.
The health and welfare of our children and most vulnerable citizens hangs in the balance.
Vote NO on Initiative 2117, let’s keep the Climate Commitment Act of 2021!
Cheryl Berenson, RN, MS, MPH; Neighborhood House Board of Directors Secretary