Advocacy Update from Our Friends at PCC: Top Five
Advocating for the issues you care about goes beyond our stores. Read on to find out what bills have caught our eye in the first month of the 2021 state legislative session!
2021 Session Sparklers
One month into the state legislative session a combined total of 992 bills have been introduced by the House and Senate. There has been a lot to review and process, but PCC’s lobbyist, Joanna Grist, has been hard at work keeping our advocacy team up to date on the session’s social and environmental responsibility stars. Here is a list of the top five categories catching our attention:
Carbon Pricing. With Climate Change top of mind for all, there was little question that in this session we would see the introduction of some kind of carbon pricing proposal (much like ballot Initiative 1631, which PCC supported in 2018). Sure enough, two carbon pricing options have been introduced. Governor Inslee’s requested Climate Commitment Act (SB 5126) lays out a cap and invest carbon pricing framework, while Washington Strong Bill (SB 5373), introduced by Senator Liz Lovelett (D-Anacortes), seeks to establish a carbon tax and green bond program. Both present potentially important steps forward toward introducing a new tool for combating climate change, but both would also benefit from stronger directives to ensure more accountability and equity. (Read up on Washington Environmental Council’s recommended guidelines on how to make these bills even stronger.)
Salmon Habitat. After working for nearly two years with our partners at the National Fisheries Conservation Center to develop our PCC Chinook Sourcing Standard, we knew we had more work to do concerning the problem facing these iconic species through supporting legislation aimed at increasing salmon recovery, addressing climate change, and reducing habitat destruction. Legislators in Washington seem to agree and have introduced a number of salmon-focused bills, including HB 1117 (integrating salmon recovery and net ecological gain components within Growth Management Act requirements) and HB 1382 (streamlining permitting for salmon recovery projects).
Environmental Justice. There is no question that communities of color have born the disparate impacts of environmental hazards for far too long. Led by Senator Saldana (D-Seattle), legislators have introduced SB 5141, known as the HEAL Act, which aims to implement recommendations from the Environmental Justice Task Force on how state agencies can reduce environmental health disparities.
Equity in Food & Farming. Much like the federal Justice for Black Farmers Act, created to address the troubling legacy of discrimination against black farmers and resulting disparity (black farmers make up about only 1.3% of U.S. agricultural producers), state legislators have introduced a bill (HB 1395) that would ensure the inclusion of historically underrepresented communities in farming and ranching. The bill aims to expand inclusion in the development, implementation, and enforcement of food and agriculture laws, rules, regulations, policies, and programs within the Washington Department of Agriculture.
Forests. The direct connection between healthy forests and healthy food systems was brought into stark relief last summer as our state hunkered down under smoke-heavy skies in addition to a pandemic. From crops to salmon, impacts from the catastrophic 2020 wildfire season could be felt throughout the state. Commissioner of Public Lands, Hilary Franz, worked with representatives to create a bill (HB 1168) to address a wide swath of forest health and management issues.
All of these promising bills need your input! Let your senators and representatives know with a call or email what you like and what still needs some improvement. Your voice can make the difference!
Reprinted with permission from PCC Community Markets
