Environment 2019 Session Paper

We must reassess our environmental priorities to ensure that we are receiving the most environmental benefit in a way that truly promotes long-term job creation and prosperity. Mandates drive costs up and a blanket approach on environmental policy often creates undue or extreme hardships in local jurisdictions.

We urge the legislature to:

• Give local jurisdictions more flexibility on environmental mandates to determine what is best for their local conditions.
• Insist that regulatory rulemaking follow the letter and spirit of the legislation it is based upon.
• Insist that environmental regulations, especially in urban areas, are market and incentive-based (not mandated) and that they have clearly defined, measurable outcomes. Focus on the financial/economic impacts of environmental regulations and sustainability initiatives – not just the environmental and social impacts. Maintain a healthy balance among these three pillars of sustainability.
• Require state agencies with broad environmental mandates to have more accountability to the private sector by requiring an economic analysis to accompany significant regulatory proposals. Have clearly defined outcomes and designate clear areas of authority for achieving the desired outcomes.
  Oppose the implementation of “Cap-and-Trade” at the state and local levels.
• Eliminate the state goal to reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled and replace with a goal to maximize the efficiency of the transportation system.
• Repeal the 2012 Phase II Municipal Storm Water Permit for Western Washington requiring a storm water management program.