Legislative Advocacy
Washington’s 2022 Legislative Session Wrap-Up
Every year, the Washington State Legislature gathers in Olympia, WA to craft, debate, and pass legislation that will be sent to the Governor and, if signed into law, will impact their constituents for years to come. The 2022 session recently ended on March 10. In this year’s session, the NW Energy Coalition worked hard to…
Read MoreSecond Quarter News at the Coalition
This newsletter is a snapshot of the work the Coalition and broader community have engaged in over the past quarter. It highlights but does not include all of the work staff are doing behind the scenes with members and other stakeholders. We look forward to continuing to share these updates with you! Justice, Equity, Diversity,…
Read MoreWashington’s Legislative Session Wrap-Up
During the 2021 Washington Legislative Session, we worked hard to support passage of policies and develop programs in Washington that advance transportation electrification, energy affordability, and investment in clean energy and efficient buildings. Last Sunday, April 25, the 2021 Washington legislative session wrapped up. The 2021 session was a historic session for climate and clean energy in Washington. Here are the highlights: NWEC’s Priorities The following bills are ones…
Read MoreWA Climate Legislation Implementation
Following the passage of important climate legislation in the 2019 session of the Washington legislature, many rulemakings are now underway to implement the intent of that legislation. Rulemaking for most of these bills concluded in 2020, while others will extend into 2021 or further. The NW Energy Coalition was involved in many of these proceedings;…
Read MoreCoalition recommends clean energy stimulus spending
To help Americans and businesses cope with the economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis, the federal government is considering targeted investments into the US economy. In the immediate future, more funds need to be invested in bill assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help utility customers with growing unpaid balances. In…
Read MoreMay 2020 Northwest Energy Update
May 2020 Northwest Energy Update NW Utilities’ COVID-19 Response The Coalition’s effort to persuade utilities to suspend service shut-offs during the coronavirus crisis has been quite successful, especially among the region’s largest utilities many of which are also increasing support for bill assistance and reconnecting those whose service may have been shut off before the…
Read MoreMay 7, 2020 Member Meeting Summary
MEMBER MEETING SUMMARY May 7, 2020 Organizational Update Executive director, Nancy Hirsh, reported that the Coalition is financially stable for the near and mid-term, but that given long-term unknowns is being cautious with its finances. Recently, the GiveBig campaign exceeded fundraising goals bringing in just over $14,000. This summer the Coalition will begin development of its next…
Read MoreCoalition finds DEIS energy analysis inadequate and misleading, calls for new study
The following is a summary of the formal comments the NW Energy Coalition is submitting on April 13, 2020 in response to the Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). You can download this summary and the full comment. The NW Energy Coalition and partners, including the Idaho Conservation League and the National…
Read MoreAvista rate case offers wins for customers, climate, Colstrip
Last week the Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission (UTC) approved a partial multiparty settlement in the Avista rate case. It also decided issues outside of the settlement, including fast-tracking refunds to customers to minimize rate increases for natural gas customers and to eliminate them for electric customers in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Avista’s…
Read MoreBrown issues executive order following legislature’s failure to pass cap & trade
Oregon Governor Kate Brown has signed an Executive Order (EO) that seeks to reduce carbon emissions in the state after the proposed Cap and Invest bill, SB 1530, failed to pass due to the Republican legislator walk-out. The Executive Order sets greenhouse emission (GHG) goals at 45% below 1990 levels by 2035 and 80% below…
Read More