Working to Make Washington Affordable for Working Families

Fighting climate change is one of the major challenges of our time. The science tells us that if we do not take effective action now, it will be exceedingly difficult or impossible to fix later. That is why Jesse was a sponsor of the Climate Commitment Act, which established a carbon cap and trade program in Washington State. 

We all deserve to live in a healthy environment and enjoy the Pacific Northwest's abundant natural resources and wildlife. 

Jesse is proud to be a leader in the Senate on environmental issues. Jesse states:

"I am not just interested in helping the environment. I feel deeply and emotionally tied to its health.  I worry, and at times despair, over the future of climate change and its effects on wildlife, the marine environment and a likely climate-related refugee crisis.  I spend as much of my free time as I can boating and hiking in our mountains and I see the negative changes already afoot. But we cannot be discouraged.  I am 100 percent committed to using my role in the state Senate to improve the environment and help people realize we must transition to clean energy right away or face devastating consequences for our children, grandchildren and future generations."

In his role as Vice Chair of Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources, Parks, and Water Committee, he is dedicated to protecting our state's natural environment and has had significant successes. In 2019, Jesse successfully sponsored a bill that made fracking illegal in the State of Washington, and wrote and passed SB 5273 which reduces the amount of shoreline destroying seawalls that rob our forage fish and salmon of vital habitat they need to survive.

Concerned about the prospect of wall street firms buying up water rights, Jesse also introduced a bill to stop wall street investment firms and hedge funds from buying and hoarding water rights.

Jesse is also proud to have been the lead sponsor of SB 6148, which passed into law as an identical House bill. It ends the use of motorized mining in salmon streams. The banned practice consisted of using motorized pumps to suck out the bottom of rivers to find gold, laying waste to fish and wildlife habitat in the process.

The way we plan our cities and towns contributes to the growth or reduction in climate-warming emissions. Jesse prime sponsored a bill to make fighting climate change a goal and element of the Growth Management Act, such that local governments must plan their development with the climate in mind. The bill failed to pass but will likely be reintroduced next session.

In 2022, Jesse introduced and passed SB 5042, closing a loophole that allowed developers to build urban sprawl even when the permits were later found to have been issued illegally.

Similar to the climate change issue, the way we plan our growth also affects, generally negatively, the viability of salmon habitat. Jesse drafted and introduced a bill that adds language to the Growth Management Act such that local governments must plan their development in a way that doesn’t harm salmon.  This bill will also be under consideration in the 2023 session.

Jesse is proud to have voted for a bill to move us to 100 percent clean electricity that will increase non polluting energy sources such as wind, solar and perhaps tidal power and other innovations. Developing a clean energy infrastructure will also create jobs.

We should also look for opportunities to reduce food waste because food production accounts for nine percent of greenhouse gases emitted in the U.S., due to diesel fuel used for tractors, fertilizer production, etc. Less food wasted means less carbon emitted per person.

Transportation accounts for 27 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. Efficient public transit can reduce emissions. We must also make it easier for people to drive and recharge electric vehicles. We should encourage gas stations to have battery exchanges or rapid charging stations so that drivers can travel long distances without undue delay. As the technology becomes more mainstream, the cost of electric vehicles will go down significantly.

We need laws that incentivize non-polluting energy sources such as wind, solar and tidal power. Developing a clean energy infrastructure will also create jobs.

Our urban area reaches to the foothills of the Cascades in the east and the Puget Sound in the west.  We need to leave the mountains to nature so we can enjoy the very things many of us love about the Pacific Northwest – hiking, skiing, hunting, birdwatching, and fishing. We need to adequately fund fish hatcheries and make sure we maintain our trail system, so that we can continue to enjoy our world-class outdoor activities.

The Puget Sound is in danger because of pollution and overdevelopment. Our stormwater infrastructure is outdated and unable to effectively filter toxins when it rains. The good news is that Jesse helped to secure $500 million in the 2022 transportation package to do just that. He is also exploring ways to eliminate 6ppd, a tire preservative that kills fish when it leeches off tires and is carried into streams by untreated stormwater.

Climate change is affecting our Pacific Northwest. Oil companies and corporations have spent billions lying to convince us that the threat is not real. This lie they have perpetrated is criminal. By delaying solutions, we have already guaranteed that the earth’s temperature will rise.  We are already experiencing heat waves, droughts, changes in ocean conditions, and extinctions of animal species. In the Puget Sound, salmon and Orca whales are in danger of extinction. Our own Washington State oyster growers are having trouble raising oysters because of changes in water chemistry resulting from climate change, and the crabbing industry may be next. We must continue to focus on the fight against climate change, including mitigating its effects.