Cities and counties across Washington are ready to plan for our climate reality and for a more resilient future.

HB1099 would provide critical guidelines and support to enable local jurisdictions to do this critical planning so that we protect our most vulnerable communities from the worst impacts of climate change, while re-thinking the ways that we design our urban areas to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels.

HB1099 retains the ground-up aspect of the GMA and community-based planning by giving local jurisdictions the ability to choose measures and actions to meet the emissions reductions and resiliency requirements in the bill. HB1099 also increases participation in the planning process from highly impacted communities, to ensure that the solutions that are implemented at the local level actually meet the needs of those most impacted by the climate crisis.

Below you will find testimony from local elected officials across the state calling on the WA Legislature to pass HB1099 in strong form, fully funded, with critical greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled reduction requirements included.

The best time to add climate change to the Growth Management Act was when it was first enacted in 1990. The next best time is now. We must pass and fund HB 1099 in strong form this year in order to impact the next round of local comprehensive plan updates.

The full testimony from these climate champions was compiled and sent in a letter to leadership in the WA Senate. You can read the full letter and testimony here: https://bit.ly/1099electedsupport