Thirty years ago, Washington passed the Growth Management Act (GMA)—legislation that has helped communities across the state plan ahead for growth while protecting the lands and natural resources that make the Evergreen State so special. In the face of a changing climate, it’s become clear that the GMA also needs to be updated to respond to the climate crisis by addressing our need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and building community resilience.
hb 1181 would make the following updates to the growth management act:
Add climate change and climate resiliency as an explicit goal of the GMA and as an element that must be included in comprehensive planning by the fastest-growing cities and counties,
Require certain counties and cities to address adverse impacts of climate change on frontline communities and ecological systems through their comprehensive planning,
Direct the Department of Commerce to produce a model climate element, and guidance to support local implementation,
Direct the Department of Ecology to update its Shoreline Master Program to address the impacts of sea level rise and coastal climate change impacts.
For the past several years, TNC has worked alongside lawmakers, organizational partners, and communities across the state to update the GMA to incorporate considerations of climate change. This policy proposal has been heavily negotiated with local jurisdictions and community organizations, and, in the 2022 legislative session, a previous version (HB 1099) nearly passed into law, only to run out of time on the House Floor in the last few hours on the last day of session. Thanks to the collaborative hard work of many, it has been re-introduced as HB 1181 this legislative session.
Many communities are facing increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, rising sea levels, more extreme rain, flooding, heat, and drought. Planning for climate resilience today means that those communities will be better able to lessen the impacts of such events and recover more quickly. Plus, doing things like reducing vehicle miles traveled reduces further contributions to climate change that would exacerbate impacts.
Updating a planning framework like the GMA to incorporate climate change will have cascading benefits statewide. It’s less expensive to invest in preventative, impact-reducing efforts than pouring resources into community recovery and habitat restoration in the aftermath of a climate disaster. Recovery efforts that are costly by today’s standards will only get more expensive in the future (assuming they’re achievable to begin with; a forest destroyed by intense wildfire can’t just be replanted and provide the same benefits the next year). By updating the GMA now, those benefits will be realized sooner.
It’s important to note that climate change and resiliency planning will look different across Washington’s communities, too. It could look like incorporating projected flood patterns and wildfire risk into zoning and land use decisions. In service of lowering emissions from vehicle miles traveled, this could mean planning for housing closer to transit corridors, improving public transit networks, and encouraging walkable communities so people don’t need to drive. The hope is to ensure communities across our state are more resilient, well-connected, and sustainable for our future.
It's time to finally add climate considerations into the GMA and pass HB 1181 into law this year. Let's get this across the finish line!
Banner photo: View of Capitol Lake and the State Capitol building.
(C) The Nature Conservancy
Washington’s landmark climate law takes effect on January 1 — and you can still help shape it!
This week, the 2022 Washington state legislative session concluded, with a few notable achievements for the environment in our state. Here at The Nature Conservancy in Washington, we built off the achievements from the 2021 session by securing investments and action in key climate and conservation areas.
We are thankful to have many environmental advocates in the Washington state Legislature, but with limited time, we’re calling on leadership to ensure climate, wildlife, and our lands aren’t sidelined as we make it over the finish line.
This year, the Washington state Legislature has the opportunity to pass funding to build green stormwater infrastructure under the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge in downtown Seattle, the busiest freeway corridor in the state.
A clean and just transportation package would greatly transform Washington while helping achieve the state’s climate goals, reducing emissions, and investing in a greener and more equitable future for all Washingtonians.
Read about two major ways the Legislature can help salmon recovery efforts this year, and how you can help make it happen!
Speak up for forests, trees and the people who depend on them by urging your legislators to support the Keep Washington Evergreen proposal this session.
The success of the 2021 legislative session wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of Tribal nations, Black- and Latinx-led organizations, and voices from communities of color calling for progress on climate justice.
Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy life, no matter where they live, which languages they speak or how much money they have. The HEAL Act is a step in that direction.
The state House of Representatives passed historic climate legislation today.
The Legislature is close to several BIG wins for people and nature — can you help get us across the finish line?
Here is a highlight of our most recent media successes related to fire funding and House Bill 1168, featuring a few of our own Nature Conservancy staff members!
Washington and the world urgently need climate action, and that action must not be taken in a way that exacerbates harm in communities already overburdened by pollution and other impacts of climate change.
Our spirits are high as we pass the halfway point in the 105-day Washington state legislative session. Many top priority policies have made it past the first major policy deadline, known as “House of Origin cutoff,” when bills introduced in the House must be approved by a House floor vote, and likewise in the Senate.
Why do we keep asking you to “sign in” on bill proposals? If you’ve signed in once, do you need to do it again?
Let’s make progress toward environmental justice in Washington with the HEAL Act.
Public conservation and natural resource programs really work - not just for restoring wildlife habitat and functioning ecosystems, but by supporting good jobs that often involve spending time in beautiful places.
The 2021 session - in Olympia and online - can mean a LOT of progress for people and nature in Washington.
Your voice makes a difference. Your actions matter. And there’s no time to wait - people and nature need everyone to learn, share and act toward a better future today.
A few highlights and a big missed opportunity marked the 2020 Legislature’s work for nature and people.