Honeyford comments on governor's decision to bypass Legislature and enact environmental policies through agencies

May 21, 2009

OLYMPIA… After testifying in Seattle at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing on whether greenhouse gas emissions should be regulated through agencies at the national level, Gov. Christine Gregoire announced a plan to circumvent the Legislature and enact much of her failed greenhouse-gas bill through state agencies and executive order.

Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, the Republican Deputy Floor Leader and the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment, Water and Energy Committee, released this statement in response:

“This legislative session we heard testimony from environmentalists, scientists, electricity customers and employers. The governor’s environmental proposals went through hearings in the House and Senate. After all of that work, the people through their elected officials decided that now is especially not the time for expensive, job-killing environmental plans that have never been proven to reduce energy costs or protect the environment.

“The people of this state rejected energy taxes, risky cap-and-trade schemes, and restrictions on their ability to drive the vehicle that meets their needs; yet, the governor has decided to ignore the will of the people and legislative process and move forward with these job-killing measures.

“I support environmental proposals aimed at promoting new technologies to increase energy efficiencies, reducing fuel and heating costs, creating jobs, boosting national security and – most importantly – respecting individual choice and personal freedom.

“But I reject the governor’s approach, which focuses too much on the state controlling the lives and choices of citizens and businesses, creating a bureaucracy that will inevitably drive businesses to the point of extinction.

“These proposals keep us on the road to a cap-and-tax system, which will undoubtedly result in an increase in the cost of electricity, natural gas, gasoline, diesel fuel and any related product, including food, making them unaffordable, and ultimately hurting low- and middle-income Washingtonians the most, because they pay a higher percentage of their monthly income for food and utilities.

“This was backed up by the Congressional Budget Office, which reported that a 15 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions will result in an annual cost increase of 680 dollars for low-income households and 1,160 dollars for middle-income households.

“Before the governor moves forward with any of these plans, there should be a comprehensive and completely independent analysis of the economic costs her measures will have on the citizens and employers of our state.”