Thread by @GovInslee

After signing a bill that bans fracking for oil and natural gas within WA state, I shared how the emerging science emphasizes the urgency of #climatechange and the environmental impacts of natural gas make it clear that our state needs to invest in #cleanenergy infrastructure.

We’ve always leaned on science to guide our efforts on #climatechange. The accelerating threat and the emerging science on the damaging impacts of natural gas mean we must focus our efforts on developing clean, renewable, fossil-fuel free energy sources.
governor.wa.gov/news-media/ins…

Being committed now to #100percentclean electricity and signing a bill prohibiting fracking in WA, we want to be consistent to a spirit of progress. I cannot in good conscience support construction of a liquefied natural gas plant in Tacoma or a methanol facility in Kalama.

I want to be clear that my stance on these projects does not change WA's regulatory process. As is the case with any project, our agencies will comply with state and federal laws to ensure a rigorous and objective review of projects. The age of consequences is upon us.

But it’s time for us to modernize and update the ways we weigh the costs and benefits of all fossil fuels, including natural gas. I’ll be working with agency directors in the coming weeks to discuss the way forward. We have to act based on clear science.

WA is embracing a #cleanenergy future and the clean, healthy, sustainable jobs & benefits that come with it. We should be confident in our ability to build our economy while sustaining record economic growth and record numbers of good-paying construction and building jobs.