BILL REQ. #:  H-4581.1 

Read first time 01/26/10.   Referred to Committee on Ecology & Parks.

     TO THE HONORABLE BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, The United States currently spends approximately one billion dollars a day to import oil, and by 2030, United States Department of Energy estimates that without comprehensive clean energy legislation the country's reliance on foreign oil could cost eight and one-half trillion dollars; and
     WHEREAS, Under the nation's current energy policy, American wealth is being transferred to nations that are rich with oil, and many of those nations are politically unstable or unfriendly to the United States; and
     WHEREAS, High oil prices reduce the purchasing power of American consumers, spur inflation, and boost the prices of basic goods and services; and
     WHEREAS, Transportation is the second largest contributor to total United States greenhouse gas emissions and responsible for about one-third of United States carbon dioxide emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels; and
     WHEREAS, The effects of climate change include the increase of political and social instability in poorer regions of the world, thus presenting potential security challenges for the United States; and
     WHEREAS, Climate change poses a serious threat to the United States economy, public health, and environment, including variability of precipitation, degradation of air quality, damage to infrastructure, and loss of plant and animal species; and
     WHEREAS, Climate change will directly affect industries including tourism, skiing, fishing, agriculture, and forestry and will disproportionately affect communities with limited resources to adapt and cope; and
     WHEREAS, Climate changes are already underway in the United States, are projected to grow, and include increases in heavy downpours, rising temperature and sea level, rapidly retreating glaciers, thawing permafrost, lengthening growing seasons, lengthening ice-free seasons in the ocean and on lakes and rivers, earlier snowmelt, and alterations in river flow; and
     WHEREAS, Although agriculture is considered one of the sectors most adaptable to changes in climate, increased heat, pests, water stress, diseases, and weather extremes will pose adaptation challenges for crop and livestock production; and
     WHEREAS, Climate change will create health impacts related to heat stress, waterborne diseases, poor air quality, extreme weather events, and diseases transmitted by insects and rodents; and
     WHEREAS, Clean energy jobs are growing at a rate two hundred fifty percent faster than the rest of the economy; and
     WHEREAS, The United States Energy Information Administration projects clean energy job growth of up to two million new jobs resulting from comprehensive clean energy legislation; and
     WHEREAS, There is significant global competition for clean energy development that could weaken the United States economy and threaten American innovation, without comprehensive clean energy legislation; and
     WHEREAS, Thousands of businesses have joined together calling for comprehensive federal clean energy legislation, including among others members of the United States Climate Action Group and the Clean Economy Network; and
     WHEREAS, Over the past two decades, in the absence of comprehensive federal clean energy legislation, the states have been the true "laboratories of democracy" by advancing clean energy policies; and
     WHEREAS, Washington State has adopted renewable energy standards and goals that require a significant percentage of the state's electricity to be generated from nonfossil-fuel renewable energy sources, which sources have led to significant job growth in the clean energy sector of the national economy; and
     WHEREAS, State leadership has resulted in job growth and has reduced reliance on imported energy sources, thus resulting in opportunities for renewed economic development; and
     WHEREAS, A national statutory framework for clean energy will provide a predictable regulatory framework that will spur innovation and discovery in the clean energy sector; and
     WHEREAS, Without Congressional action, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced its intention to regulate greenhouse gas emissions through administrative rules rather than through legislation; and
     WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act on June 26, 2009, on a bipartisan vote, and bipartisan members of the United States Senate are currently considering and drafting the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act; and
     WHEREAS, The United States Congress has the historic opportunity to enact comprehensive clean energy jobs and climate legislation that will strengthen our national security, grow clean energy jobs, and reduce pollution;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States Congress passes comprehensive clean energy jobs and climate legislation;
     BE IT RESOLVED, That such national legislation create a unified framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That such national legislation protect low and moderate-income Americans from increased energy costs, and invest substantially in energy efficiency;
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That such national legislation support alternative sources of energy;
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That such national legislation acknowledge the carbon intensive nature of the United States economy and include emissions offsets that protect energy consumers.
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.