Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Washington State Carbon Tax Dead; Initiative in Works (South Sound Business Examiner)

(OLYMPIA, WA) -- The carbon tax in Washington is officially dead as of March 1. The following day, however, a group of labor and environmental organizations filed a citizen’s initiative with the Secretary of State’s Office that introduces carbon-pricing.

The initiative would begin January 1, 2020 and would establish a carbon fee that would cost $15 per metric ton. The price would add an additional $2 for inflation each subsequent year.

If Washington’s 2035 greenhouse gas reduction goal is met, and emissions are in line with progress towards its 2050 goal, the carbon fee will be flat. The “Clean Up Pollution Fund” would be the sole beneficiary of the funds collected.

The initiative is supported by the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Washington State Labor Council, Washington Conservation Voters, and The Nature Conservancy, among others. Initiative backers have until July 6 to collect 259,622 signatures for the measure to appear on November’s ballot.

Senators Doug Ericksen and Michael Baumgartner introduced SB 6629 on March 6, which is nearly identical to the initiative.