Gov. Jay Inslee joined other West Coast governors and mayors in response to President Trump’s Executive Order, which includes directives to withdraw and rewrite the Clean Power Plan, as well as weaken other standards that protect our air quality and reduce carbon emissions. Below individual responses, please find a joint statement signed by all three West Coast Governors and five big city mayors regarding the decision by President Trump.
“Climate change remains one of the most urgent issues facing leaders at all levels of government in all corners of the world. Washington state remains wholly committed to doing our part,” Inslee said. “Action is needed now to grow our economy, protect our health and secure our quality of life. President Trump’s decision to ax the Clean Power Plan cedes U.S. global leadership and increases the risk that climate change will continue to damage our state. We can’t afford to slow our efforts, and we won’t.”
Inslee has led aggressive action in Washington state to reduce carbon pollution and deploy clean energy solutions. Last year Washington adopted a first-of-its-kind Clean Air Rule that will limit carbon pollution from the state’s largest sources. Inslee also worked with the state legislature to create a Clean Energy Fund, through which the state is investing $76 million to deploy renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart grid and other clean energy solutions, alongside utilities and the private sector.
Inslee traveled to Paris for the announcement of the UN Paris Climate Agreement, in December 2015. He led other governors in support of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan, and also served on President Obama’s State, Local & Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness & Resilience, where he fought for modernizing federal environmental reviews to account for greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts.
Last week, Inslee joined other West Coast governors and mayors in a statement opposing President Trump’s energy agenda, and reaffirming their commitment to continuing the West Coast’s leadership against climate change.
“As the governors of Washington, Oregon and California and the mayors of Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles, we speak today in unified opposition to President Trump’s Executive Order withdraw and rewrite the Clean Power Plan. We won’t let the president’s misguided decision limit our region’s economic opportunities or our commitment to doing what’s right to make our cities and states cleaner and healthier for future generations.
“We speak as a region of over 50 million people with a combined GDP of $2.8 trillion. There is no question that to act on climate is to act in our best economic interests. Through expanded climate policies, we have grown jobs and expanded our economies while cleaning our air.
“This Order moves our nation in the wrong direction and puts American prosperity at risk. We will assert our own 21st century leadership and chart a different course. Climate change is one of our greatest threats, from more wildfires threatening our homes and communities to ocean acidification rocking our shellfish industry to drought hurting our farmers. Too much is at stake – from our health and safety to our jobs and livelihoods – for us to move backwards.
“We will honor our commitments to our communities to do what’s right to keep our residents safe, secure, healthy and prosperous as we accelerate our clean energy economy and put the interest of our people before those of big polluters. We will continue to invest in clean energy that creates local jobs and keeps utility bills low, and we will electrify transportation to provide convenient, safe, and affordable ways to get around our cities, and make our neighborhoods healthy and vibrant.
“Our cities and states will continue to assert our leadership and position our region for economic success. We urge states, cities and businesses from across the country to join us in leading and re-affirming our commitment to cut carbon emissions and reverse the damaging impacts to our communities of unfettered pollution.”
Jointly signed by:
California Governor Jerry Brown
Oregon Governor Kate Brown
Washington Governor Jay Inslee
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray