(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.
