The Second District is also home to parts of the Puget Sound, the nation’s largest estuary by water volume, and its connecting rivers and streams, diverse wildlife and marine ecosystems. I will continue to lead efforts to restore critical habitats and secure the federal funding, through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, necessary to preserve Washington state’s public lands and waters. I will continue to protect important species like orcas and salmon and oppose rollbacks of vital conservation laws like the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act.
A healthy environment is vital to Washingtonians’ way of life and the regional economy. Outdoor recreation is responsible for an estimated 7.6 million jobs in the U.S. and plays a significant role in the rural economies and for local businesses in the Second District. Fishermen, hunters, boaters, hikers, snowboarders and tourists spend billions of dollars in Northwest Washington. I will continue to encourage tourism and recreation in the Northwest, and work to protect Washington’s environmental heritage for the future.
I will also continue to advocate for a comprehensive federal energy policy to create and keep clean energy jobs in the U.S. Northwest Washington is a leader in renewable energy and I am working to strengthen the region’s role as a hub for sustainable energy. I am also committed to promoting environmental sustainability and strengthening investments in renewable energy and solar technology.
Scientific evidence leaves no doubt that the global climate is changing as a result of greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activity. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s leading organization in assessing climate change, has found that greenhouse gas emissions have risen to unprecedented levels. I am committed to protecting Washington state’s environment and mitigating the devastating effects of climate change.
Accomplishments
Washington's Public Lands & Waters
- Reauthorized and increased funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has helped preserve open spaces for 50 years, including Ebey’s Reserve, Chuckanut Bay and the Wild Sky Wilderness.
- Led the passage of the bipartisan America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which doubled per-project funding for the Puget Sound Adjacent Waters Restoration program to restore the Puget Sound’s tributaries, waters and shorelines.
- Cosponsored legislation to support the 51 national monuments established between January 1996 and April 2017.
- As Co-Chair of the Congressional Estuary Caucus, led a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the National Estuary Program to fund local efforts to restore and protect sensitive estuaries and their wildlife.
- Successfully designated the San Juan Islands a National Monument.
- Successfully designated Illabot Creek in Skagit County as Wild and Scenic, protecting Illabot Creek’s habitat for endangered salmon and trout and maintaining access for fisherman and hunters.
- Successfully protected Ebey's Landing, the nation’s first historical reserve to protect farms and farming communities.
- Successfully passed legislation to create the Wild Sky Wilderness Area and preserve 106,000 acres of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Preserving Key Environmental Standards
- Strongly opposed President Trump’s decision to remove the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, an agreement between 195 countries to slow the impacts of global climate change.
- Urged the administration to recognize climate change as a national security threat.
- Opposed the administration’s decision to rollback clean vehicle emissions and fuel economy standards.
- Opposed the EPA’s proposal to replace the Clean Power Plan with a rule that could result in fewer carbon reductions and may lead to adverse health outcomes for folks in Northwest Washington.
- Fought against the EPA’s proposed rule to selectively and arbitrarily bar the use of scientific evidence in environmental rulemaking.
Investing in Green Jobs
- Fought for assistance for state and local governments to become more energy efficient. For example, Whatcom County is using federal funds to weatherize thousands of homes, creating good jobs and saving families money on energy bills.
- Cosponsored legislation to promote manufacturing of clean energy technology to create green jobs.
- Supported legislation to promote emerging careers and jobs in clean and renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change mitigation.
Supporting Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
- Led the passage of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2018, which protects funding to develop new aircraft technologies to reduce noise and carbon emissions impacts on local communities.
- Joined a resolution to establish a national goal of 50 percent clean and carbon-free electricity by 2030, and to enact legislation to accelerate the transition to clean energy.
- Supported establishing the WSU Center for Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and the Environment, which seeks to develop cleaner fuel to reduce carbon emissions.
- Cosponsored legislation to promote public-private research partnerships on energy efficiency, energy storage, carbon capture, climate resiliency and other key issues.
- Secured significant funding for key transit agencies in the Second District to reduce carbon emissions from current bus fleets.
- Supported the Navy’s ongoing efforts to reduce energy use. Naval Air Station Everett is a national leader and is home to one of the most sustainable barracks buildings in the Navy as rated by the U.S. Green Building Council.
- Cosponsored legislation to grant full investment tax credit eligibility for all homes and businesses with solar energy storage through 2021.
- Voted for tax credits for renewable energy to allow wind and solar projects in Washington state to move forward.
Salmon Restoration and Fisheries
- Secured $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) in the Fiscal Year 2018 spending package to support salmon habitat restoration and recovery projects. Since 2000, over 275 projects in the Second District have collectively received $22.65 million from the PCSRF.
- Called on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address the impacts of hundreds of thousands of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon in Washington state waters.
