Key Findings

1. Initiative 2117 would repeal the “Climate Commitment Act,” (CCA) Washington’s new cap-and-trade law that puts a tax on CO2 emissions from energy sources.
    
2. Despite promises that it would add only “pennies” to the cost of gasoline, the CCA’s tax on CO2 emissions added about 43 cents per gallon and about 53 cents per gallon to diesel in the first year.
    
3. The initiative would repeal the requirement that CO2-emitting entities like universities, fuel suppliers, food producers and utilities purchase allowances at auction for every metric ton of CO2 they emit.
    
4. The initiative would also repeal regulations requiring assessment of CO2 emissions created by new or expanded construction.
    
5. Also repealed would be state code related to increasing emissions requirements for “overburdened communities” which includes some of the state’s wealthiest neighborhoods, like Bellevue, Redmond and Newcastle.
    
6. The initiative would not repeal the state’s CO2 emissions targets, which set a goal of cutting state emissions by about 50 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

Introduction

A group of concerned citizens called Let’s Go Washington gathered enough signatures to present a people’s initiative to the legislature, Initiative 2117, calling it the Stop The Hidden Gas Tax initiative. The measure would repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act and its carbon tax cap-and-trade system.

Initiative sponsors needed to collect 324,516 valid signatures (8% of the votes cast in the last election for governor) by December 31st to submit the measure for consideration in the 2024 legislative session.

Initiative 2117 supporters collected 469,000 signatures. The signatures were submitted to the Secretary of State’s office for verification and certification. On January 16th the Secretary of State certified the initiative and forwarded it to the legislature for consideration. The legislature had the option to adopt the initiative, provide an alternative or simply pass the initiative to the voters.  

Legislators took no action, so this fall, voters will determine if the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), which imposed a tax on CO2 emissions, will be repealed. Initiative 2117 would repeal the CCA, eliminate the tax on CO2 emissions, remove some permitting regulations related to CO2 accounting, and prevent state agencies from imposing a new CO2 cap and tax policy. The initiative is one of six submitted by Let’s Go Washington and received the largest number of signatures of any of the proposals. 

→ Download the full Citizens' Guide←