Our legislature needs to hear from you about the need for legislation that will bring our planet back to 350 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere…i.e. what’s necessary to stabilize the climate. Right now, there is no WA legislation currently active that recognizes the significance of this number or the consequences of failing to return us to 350 ppm. While HB 1646 — a carbon tax bill introduced by Representative Joe Fitzgibbon — would likely lead to carbon reductions in this state, the targeted emission reductions would lead us to 450 ppm, not 350. (Read here if you want more background information about carbon legislation in the legislature.)
What you can do:
* Call the vice-chair of the House Environment Committee, Strom Peterson (360) 786-7950), and ask him to amend HB 1646 to include the emission reduction targets that were included in HB 1372 (a bill that has since died in the legislature.)
* Also call Representative Joe Fitzgibbon (chair of the House Environment Committee) (360) 786-7952) and make the same request.
* Also call your own representatives and ask them to request that Representative Joe Fitzgibbon amend HB 1646 as discussed above. You can find your own representatives’ phone numbers here.
SUGGESTED CALL SCRIPT FOR FOR STROM PETERSON, JOE FITZGIBBON AND FOR YOUR OWN LEGISLATORS : Hello. My name is _________ and I live in Washington. (If you are a constituent, say so.) While I support HB 1646, I am urging you (or if you are calling your own rep you would say “I am urging you to ask Representative Joe Fitzgibbon”) to amend this bill to include the stronger emission reduction targets that were in HB 1372. These targets are designed to return our atmosphere to 350 ppm of carbon in the atmosphere, something climate scientists urge is essential if we are to have a stable climate. Right now we have over 400 ppm of carbon in the atmosphere and we are seeing coral reefs dying, forests withering, droughts, famine, fires, crop failures and sea levels rising. Please amend the bill so that Washington can be a leader in doing what is necessary for our children and grandchildren. I am also asking you to be a climate champion in the legislature in general so that our planet can be healed for all of us.
