Say ‘No’ to an Attempt to Undermine WA’s Leadership on Climate Action

On Tuesday, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at undoing states’ ability to fight climate change and advance a clean energy economy. 

The co-chairs of the U.S. Climate Alliance – a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors – came out in opposition to the order: 

“The federal government cannot unilaterally strip states’ independent constitutional authority. We are a nation of states — and laws — and we will not be deterred. We will keep advancing solutions to the climate crisis that safeguard Americans’ fundamental right to clean air and water, create good-paying jobs, grow the clean energy economy, and make our future healthier and safer.”

Clean & Prosperous Washington joins partners across Washington and the U.S. Climate Alliance in opposing this Executive Order, which specifically identifies cap-and-invest and carbon pricing programs like those in Washington, California, and the Northeast as targets. This order is an attempt to undermine our state’s ability to advance nation-leading climate change and clean energy policies like the Climate Commitment Act, which is commonsense, effective, and was affirmed by Washington voters in November, demonstrating a clear endorsement of and mandate for the policy. 

From Washington Governor Bob Ferguson: “Voters upheld the Climate Commitment Act by a landslide, with 61% approval. I am confident we will be able to preserve this and other important laws protecting our climate and investments in clean energy from this latest attack by the Trump administration.”

As the federal government recedes our national and international climate commitments, states like Washington continue to step into the breach and demonstrate solutions that both grow our economy and advance climate progress.

Carbon markets appeared to validate the durability of cap programs in place across the country. Washington’s carbon market was undeterred, with it barely registering in secondary market allowance prices. Related analysis on the legal validity of the Executive Order is available here. 

We and the unprecedented, uncommon coalition of 600 businesses, labor unions, environmental groups, Tribal Nations, and public health professionals who came together last year to resoundingly protect Washington’s climate progress remain committed to defending our progress.

Congressional Attempt to Roll Back State Regulation of Vehicle Emissions

Some members of Congress are attempting to dismantle a key tool needed to improve air quality and reduce transportation emissions, which account for nearly 40 percent of Washington’s greenhouse gas emissions. 

From the Washington State Department of Ecology: “Under the federal Clean Air Act, states can either follow federal emissions standards or adopt California’s more stringent standards, but they can’t create their own…In 2020, the Legislature passed [a] law requiring us to implement California’s zero-emission vehicle standards.”

Revoking the waiver that allows California to have stricter clean car rules would mean that California – and the 16 additional jurisdictions like Washington that have adopted their policies – could no longer enact more ambitious and impactful vehicle emissions standards than the federal Clean Air Act requires. 

Here’s why this matters: These vehicle emissions standards are an important component of Washington’s ability to reduce transportation emissions, increase the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs), and spur innovation while mitigating climate change. A state analysis found that without this requirement, in 2030 EV adoption rate would be 59 percent, versus 68 percent with the more ambitious standard in place. 

In this state model, you can see the dramatic impact waiving this policy would have on our emissions. From the 2024 Annual Report by the EV Council: “…any combination of [vehicle emissions standards for clean trucks] delay and federal repeal of [Inflation Reduction Act] tax credits could add one million metric tons of carbon pollution in 2030, making it impossible to meet the state’s statutory emissions limit.” 

Waiving California’s vehicle emissions standards would drastically impact our ability to combat climate change, would hurt human and environmental health, and would set economic and job growth back. 

What You Can Do About It

While the situation is fluid and changing every day, here are two concrete actions you can take at the federal and state level to help preserve our climate progress: 

1. Contact your member of Congress to oppose any efforts to roll back or waive California’s vehicle emissions standards. 
2. Contact your state legislator and urge them to invest at least $50 million in the Instant EV Rebate program (operating budget) and $50 million in Community EV Charging (capital budget), along with a final funding level for the Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle voucher program that improves upon the $110 million included in previous transportation budgets. You can find more information on the importance of EV funding in this coalition letter.