Climate Action Plan
My Proposal for Urgent Climate Action
We need urgent climate action through investments in green infrastructure, mandates for the new clean economy, support for marginalized communities, and programs that advance equity and economic justice.
My Dad went to work at age 12 in the coal mines of Roslyn, Washington. When he turned away from fossil fuel work, he found a good union job as an electrician – a job that provided a living wage and health benefits.
I’ll fight for a just transition to the clean economy that creates thousands of new union jobs. Working people will benefit by leaving behind fossil fuels, just like my family. In the model of the Green New Deal, I’ll pair climate action with economic justice to benefit us all.
I’ve helped build a Green Power – Blue Collar coalition made up of unions, tribal leaders, communities of color, and climate experts to pass major climate bills. I’ll keep building broad coalitions to turn rhetoric into reality.
As a community organizer, bringing impacted communities to the table is always my first step. After hearing from advocates, I ask for feedback as a policy takes shape. As I work to enact this list of proposals, I’ll continue to follow this process to ensure climate policy reflects the needs of communities across Washington.
Here’s my Climate Action Plan, with sections on electricity, transportation, buildings & land use, climate justice, and environmental protection.
Electricity:
- Carry out the 100% Clean Electricity Mandate, enacted with my support and leadership in 2019, which will decarbonize the electricity sector by 2030 and fund energy assistance for low-income households (such as rooftop solar installations).
- Ensure equity in the design of our electricity systems, including more community-based and public ownership of electric resources. This includes community solar where the community benefits from the electricity and the economic rewards from it.
- Improve resilience and prepare for climate change. This includes building microgrids to reduce the impact of power outages and make sure our electricity system is resilient to fires and natural disasters.
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Read more: A closer look at Washington’s superb new 100% clean electricity bill
Transportation:
Gas-powered vehicles are the largest source of carbon emissions in our state. I’ll push legislation to rapidly electrify cars, trucks, and buses, and promote low-carbon transportation options, like public transit, cycling, and walking.
- Enact the Clean Fuel Standard again, which I helped push through the State House twice, only to be stopped by the Senate.
- Electrify government fleets of vehicles at the state and local levels.
- Enact progressive revenue for transit:
- Reverse I-976 to re-establish car tab fees
- Allow counties to charge a motor vehicle fuel tax to fund public transit
- Create an air quality surcharge, an upfront charge on the projected lifetime emissions of a new car, incentivizing the purchase of cleaner cars and creating a new revenue source for public transit.
- Protect funding for Sound Transit to ensure light rail is built as quickly as possible.
- Include a new climate element in the Growth Management Act, ensuring that we develop and plan our communities in ways that cut carbon emissions and boost sustainability and quality of life.
Buildings and Land Use:
I’ll work to end fossil fuels in buildings, including natural gas. Children that live in homes that rely on natural gas have a 42% higher chance of developing childhood asthma. Studies show that babies born near fracking sites have a 50% higher chance of premature birth. Our use of natural gas perpetuates fracking, an environmentally destructive form of extraction that disproportionately affects Native people and low-income folks.
- Broaden the Clean Buildings Act for commercial building standards that I helped enact in 2019, and extend them to the residential sector.
- Help people affordably transition to electric heating – on bill financing from utilities, tax credits for electric upgrades, & low-interest financing from a public bank or financing tool.
- Pass a progressive carbon price to fund the transition to a carbon-free economy with financial assistance for low-income folks, tribes, and local Green New Deal programs.
- Clean up toxic sites in low-income and communities of color by increasing taxes on fossil fuel companies and products.
- Build affordable housing near transit – expand innovative programs like Home and Hope, an effort Frank started to transfer underutilized public land and “air rights” above transit stations to non-profit housing agencies.
- Promote density along transit routes to reduce energy use and enable folks to commute via bus, bicycle, or walking.
- Ensure that the Growth Management Act’s incorporates climate change and our state’s carbon goals — new utility infrastructure must cut our reliance on fossil fuels, not increase their use.
Climate justice:
Environmental justice is a part of every section in my plan. Here’s a summary of what I would do to address injustices and promote a more equitable future.
- Pass the Healthy Environment for All Act (HEAL), proposed by Front and Centered to require state agencies to use “all practicable means” to address environmental injustices.
- Make fossil fuel companies pay for toxic site clean-ups in communities that have been exposed to environmental toxins and air pollution.
- Fund robust public transit service, prioritizing neighborhoods with more transit-dependent populations.
- Increase energy assistance funds to help low-income households weatherize, increase home efficiency, and install roof-top solar panels.
- Ban utility shutoffs year-round for all low-income households.
- Require utility companies to provide free utility hook-ups for low-income housing that meet Green Building standards.
- Electrify vehicles to reduce air pollution, which is most acute in low-income communities near highways.
- Create a new environmental justice component in the Growth Management Act, ensuring that we build our communities to counter historic inequities.
- Fund local Green New Deal grants, controlled by people who have been impacted by environmental injustices to ensure community members can choose the right investments to help their communities transition away from fossil fuels.
Protecting our environment:
- Save the orcas and our salmon. For example, fully fund culvert replacement projects for fish passages, with a “penny plan” – 1 cent per year gas tax increase for 4 years with a local jobs programs to reconstruct culverts across the state, with a focus on needs expressed by Native communities.
- Remove dams where it makes sense to boost salmon runs, protect the orcas, and respect the traditions of tribes.
- Fund forest management, working with Native communities to revitalize damaged ecosystems and prevent dangerous wildfires.
I’m running a people-powered campaign, with no fossil fuel money. If you’d like to offer feedback, please reach me at info@frankchopp.com. I’d love to hear from my constituents!
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Rep. Frank Chopp Follow 281 758
Former director @SolidGround. Speaker Emeritus. Check out my plan to fund #childcare4all, #housing4all, & more with a capital gains tax ↙️
So excited to see this pass today--providing critical funding for #childcare, early learning and education and helping balance our state's tax code! Special thanks to @NoelFrame @gruberobinson Sen Rolfes @ChoppRep for your partnership! #capitalgains #taxfairness #waleg https://twitter.com/InvestWANow/status/1386438517811679236
THANK YOU #waleg, thank you @TanaSenn @NoelFrame @gruberobinson Christine Rolfes for your strong leadership! Send your thanks NOW! --> http://bit.ly/thankyouwaleg <--
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electfrankchopp
Oct 27
Honored to be sole endorsed by @oneamericavotes! I’m so proud of our work together — including passing the #DreamAct and free college for DREAMers.
As COVID disproportionately impacts immigrant communities, I’m working to invest in community childcare providers, expand stimulus for ALL, and more.
To our neighbors who can’t receive federal aid: you could receive up to $1000 in stimulus through the WA COVID Immigrant Relief Fund. Click here: https://www.immigrantreliefwa.org/
Washington provides the most stimulus to immigrants in the nation. Just as I lobbied Gov. Inslee for this #DownPayment for immigrant relief, I’ll lobby my colleagues to fund the full $100 million requested by the community. ...
electfrankchopp
Sep 25
Today, nurse practitioners endorse my campaign — along with unions representing 50,000+ frontline healthcare workers. Together, we’ll fight for healthcare for all, no matter your income or zip code.
I’ve passed free, single payer healthcare for all low-income kids. With your help, I’ll expand care to all Washingtonians. ...
electfrankchopp
Sep 8
This #laborday, I’m reflecting on the positive impact #unions have had on working families.
During COVID, unions have fought for much-needed hazard pay and PPE.
To address climate change, we need unions to help facilitate a just transition to the future green economy.
I’ve worked with unions to raise and minimum wage, enact the 100% Clean Electricity Act, and much more. We’ll keep working together to pass COVID relief and more funding for social services.
I’m proud to be the labor candidate in this race, endorsed by unions representing over 500,000 workers in Washington! ...
electfrankchopp
Sep 3
Thrilled to announce the @sierraclubwashingtonstate has endorsed our campaign!
I’ll prioritize an ambitious #climate agenda that builds a fairer economy for us all.
Top of my agenda? Eliminating transportation emissions by electrifying cars & buses, funding public transit, & building transit-oriented, affordable housing. ...
electfrankchopp
Aug 12
Over the past several months, I have personally urged @govinslee to provide unemployment aid (direct cash assistance) to our state’s 220,000 undocumented residents.
I'm thrilled that the governor responded to the undocumented community and created this #downpayment for COVID relief!
It’s critical that our progressive state leaders protect immigrant communities and migrant farmworkers, who have disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 and job loss.
I’ll keep advocating with organizations like @oneamericavotes for more aid for our undocumented residents and to protect programs that benefit #undocumented folks — like the Washington College Grant, which provides free and reduced college tuition to thousands of undocumented students. ...
electfrankchopp
Aug 6
While we face today’s challenges head-on, we must invest in urgent #ClimateAction.
The climate crisis is already affecting communities across our state, and like every other systemic issue, it’s falling hardest on Native, Black, immigrant, and homeless communities.
We must fight against climate change like our lives depend on it and pass legislation to rapidly reduce our carbon emissions.
I’ve worked hard to pass breakthrough climate legislation, including the 100% Clean Electricity Mandate, which puts Washington on the fastest path in the nation to zero-emission electricity.
I call the coalition we assembled to pass the mandate “Green Power—Blue Collar” because we're made up of environmentalists, labor unions, frontline community leaders, and working families.
Next up: electric vehicle mandates, progressive revenue for public transit, and more. I passed 2019 and 2020’s biggest #climate bills in the state legislature, and I’ll do it again in 2021. ...
electfrankchopp
Aug 5
Thank you 43rd district!!
70% of the votes cast in this race are for Democrzatic candidates, and I am pleased with the strong first place showing we have.
In these challenging times voters are clearly responding to the call for progressive leadership that can truly deliver for the priorities of Seattle.
I'm so proud of the coalition of labor, student and education groups, pro-choice and community leaders that have given our campaign this great momentum. I look forward to the general election! ...
electfrankchopp
Jul 28
During a global pandemic and economic crisis, cutting bus service would be a gut punch to thousands of working families who rely on #transit every day.
I will work to repeal or overturn the disastrous I-976, which threatens to cut bus service, end the ORCA Lift program, end free transit passes for high school students, and reduce para-transit service for disabled riders.
We should be investing in bus service, which makes our city more affordable and accessible, not cutting it.
Beyond repealing I-976, we need to allow localities to fund transit with progressive revenue. We shouldn't have to choose between a regressive sales tax and a cut to bus service.
When I voted to authorize the Seattle Transportation Benefit District (#STBD), it included a car tab tax -- a progressive revenue source. Tim Eyman's I-976 cut that tax and left us with sales tax as the only mechanism to fund transit. This is unacceptable.
I have a progressive revenues plan to fund housing, healthcare, public health, childcare, & cash assistance for working families.
I will fight for the same for transit. With more progressives in the legislature than ever before, I know we can get it done. ...
electfrankchopp
Jul 8
I wear a mask to protect the most vulnerable in our community.
Folks without access to housing & healthcare are most at risk during this pandemic — especially our 10,000+ neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. Wear a mask for them. #MaskUpWA ...
electfrankchopp
Jun 28
As #pride month comes to a close, I’m thinking about the incredible progress we’ve made on LGBTQ rights — and I’m reminded of the work we still have to do.
Last year, advocates asked us to ban medical discrimination. I worked with my seatmates Rep. Nicole Macri and Sen. Jamie Pedersen to pass SB 5602 to guarantee access to gender-affirming reproductive healthcare for all Washingtonians.
When advocates asked us to protect transgender students, we passed SB 5689 to ban discrimination based on gender expression in public schools.
And when advocates asked us to improve equity in state government, we established the Washington State LGBTQ Commission.
For all our progress, we must do more to protect the most vulnerable in the #lgbtq community — especially trans women.
Last year, Nikki Kuhnhausen was murdered in Vancouver, WA. She was just 17 years old, and she was one of 330 trans people killed worldwide in 2019.
Our work for justice & civil rights is far from over. I promise to listen to the trans community, work with them to develop policies to protect their lives, & fight like hell to get it passed. #transrightsarehumanrights ...
electfrankchopp
Jun 14
Thank you @cmtmosqueda for your support! On affordable housing, expanded childcare, COVID relief, and so many other issues, I’m eager to work together for Seattle’s working families! ...
electfrankchopp
Jun 11
Let’s reinvest police funding in affordable housing and social services! I raised millions of dollars for the future Youth Opportunity Center at Broadway/Pine, which will create 80 apartments for homeless youth. This type of community investment is a much better use of public funds than using toxic chemicals against peaceful protesters #seattleprotest #capitolhillautonomouszone ...
electfrankchopp
Jun 5
I strongly support these reforms, proposed by @girmay, and I pledge to work with community leaders to make them happen. We need WAY more funding for housing, homeless services, and our social safety net. Reducing police funding to pay for these priorities shouldn’t be controversial. ...
electfrankchopp
May 14
I pledge to take #NoFossilFuelMoney. Climate change is the defining issue of our time. I will fight for a Clean Fuel Standard, investments in transit, cleanups for toxic sites, and everything else we need to defeat the climate crisis. Join my campaign to say no to the fossil fuel industry and yes to a livable future for us all. ...
electfrankchopp
May 14
I’m running for re-election because we need experienced leadership to fight for our communities.
We have to look out for our most vulnerable neighbors, as I’ve been doing for decades at the Fremont Public Association. Most of all, we need a progressive state government that understands the urgency of this crisis, that rejects austerity, and spends the money needed to protect our health and our economy. I have 20 years of experience leading a Democratic house majority in Olympia. I’ve faced two economic and budget crises in 2000 and 2008. I know how to stand up for our community and fight for a progressive response to this pandemic. Together, we can create a safer, healthier, and fairer Washington for all of us. ...