OLYMPIA, Wash. — Just a few years after lawmakers passed the Climate Commitment Act in Washington, voters have a chance to overturn it.
A yes vote on Initiative 2117 would repeal the act that was passed in 2021 . It’s mission was to cap and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the industries and sources that use the most.
Opponents of the law and supporters of the initiative say it’s created a hidden gas and energy tax, driving up cost of living and that the state hasn’t done enough to meet its climate goals.
Gas prices in Washington did go up just a few months after the act went into effect , but they have since gone down. Supporters of Initiative 2117 say that’s because companies have backed off this year.
In an email to Cascade PBS , Chevron said the program led the company to raise gas prices by about 10 percent.
The state says auctions put in place by the Climate Commitment Act have generated more than $2 billion so far and are expected to raise $3.2 billion in revenue next year.