Competing lawsuits have been filed over Initiative 2066 , which Washington voters approved last month to ban state and local governments from discouraging the use of natural gas.
Why it matters: The outcome of the lawsuits will decide the future of the state’s new energy-efficient building codes , along with other government policies that encourage the use of electric heat pumps over gas furnaces as a way to curb emissions and fight climate change.
State of play: One lawsuit filed this month by I-2066’s supporters calls on the courts to enforce the ballot measure, which took effect Dec. 5, by forcing a rollback of the state’s heat-pump-promoting building codes.
- The other lawsuit, filed Wednesday by I-2066 opponents, seeks to overturn the ballot measure, arguing it groups too many subjects under one initiative, violating the state Constitution , which limits legislation to a single subject .
- The city of Seattle and King County are among the plaintiffs challenging the initiative, joined by environmental groups and others.