Here’s the latest from our region on climate. Note that open houses for the Comprehensive Plan continue, as noted below, and Councilmember Woo has committed to going to all the open houses and talking with residents about their concerns regarding the draft plan. Other council members may be attending the meetings in their districts, and it’s a good time to talk with OPCD and SDOT as well.
- Chief Sealth International High School, April 3 @ 6pm
- Garfield Community Center, April 16 @ 6pm
- Eckstein Middle School, April 25 @ 6pm
- City Hall, April 30 @ 6pm
- Virtual, May 2 @ 6pm
Seattle
The City Council Transportation Committee met, and the Levy Oversight Board gave a report that was an overview on the Move Seattle Levy, and a look ahead to the next Levy. They recommended a larger levy next time, citing the needs of Safety, Equity, Climate, Accessibility and Affordability in that order. They said that the bridge maintenance needs are both real and large, but that the City must also pay attention to these other needs, hence the need for a larger levy. Council also heard a report on Sidewalk Construction and Maintenance, and Councilmembers seem to be committed to improving sidewalk construction and repair. If we keep constructing sidewalks at the accelerated rate we are doing now, it will still take 400 years to complete the job.
The Equitable Development Pilot Proposal is before the Land Use Committee, and meeting some skepticism from Council members. The proposal aims to build more affordable housing by making it more cost effective to build, as well as allowing more homeownership opportunities for residents who have been shutout as a result of redlining and other inequitable former practices, and allowing aging in place opportunities for current homeowners. It would allow at most 36 buildings, but it has run afoul of tree advocates, who are opposed to the 5 foot setback allowed for these buildings. Perhaps more crucially, some Councilmembers were skeptical that the city should be making special allowances for people who are at 50% or higher of the area median income.
Climate protesters blocked entrances to Amazon headquarters on Weds morning to protest Amazon’s support for a new natural gas pipeline. As reported by the Seattle Times (paywall), “TC Energy’s Gas Transmission Northwest Xpress Project, which won federal approval in October and will expand compressor stations at Athol, Idaho; Starbuck, Washington, and Kent, Ore. The work would pump another 150 million cubic feet of natural gas each day.” Inslee has opposed the pipeline, which would add an equivalent amount of pollution to 750,000 additional cars. The protesters, a group called the Troublemakers, point out that although Amazon promised to use 100% clean electricity by 2025 and decarbonize completely by 2030, their emissions now are higher than when Amazon made the pledge in 2019. Further, a report from 2022 suggests that Amazon drastically undercount their emissions.
State
Retirements in State government. Jay Inslee will not run again which gives us a race for Governor, currently with front-runners Attorney-General Bob Ferguson (D) and former Congressional Representative Dave Reichert (R), as well as Sen. Mark Mullet, a conservative Democratic state senator. Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig of Spokane is retiring. Senate Pro Tempore Karen Keiser is retiring. With Mark Mullet running for Governor, his state senate seat in Issaquah is open. Sen. Sam Hunt, the chair of the State Government & Elections Committee, is retiring, which could change the outlook for voting reforms, and Jessica Bateman, who has been very active in housing, will run for his seat. Kevin Van De Wege, chair of the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee is running for Lands Commissioner, which leaves his seat open. Frank Chopp, former state Speaker of the House and representative from the 43rd is not running for reelection. Shaun Scott, who ran a strong race on the left in D4 in 2019 has announced that he will run for that spot. House Minority Leader, J.T. Wilcox is also retiring. There are also a number of Senate leaders who don’t need to stand for election this year, but are running for other offices. With all of these seats changing, we should expect a lot of change next year.
A new electrification website for Washington debuted. It has lots of useful information for home electrification, including detailed information about rebates, and how to find contractors in your area. Heat pumps, water heaters, dryers, electric fireplaces, EV chargers, grills, it’s all here. Information for renters as well as homeowners available.
Elsewhere
A study has been released on how climate change is contributing to inflation. The study finds that higher temperatures, more intense and frequent heat waves and other factors are already driving up the prices of food and other goods worldwide. Although the effect goes across the entire economy, the study anticipates inflation in food prices globally by 1-3% per year between now and 2035, with the effect stronger in places with a naturally warmer climate. It is unfortunate that inflation is used as a justification for higher interest rates, which in turn decrease investments in clean energy alternatives.