Trenton Miller: Don’t let Initiative 2117 rob Spokane’s future

By Trenton Miller

Spokane is already feeling the harsh realities of climate change, from encroaching wildfires and shrinking winter snowpack to increasingly dangerous heat waves.

Yet, Initiative 2117 is asking us to turn a blind eye to these threats by repealing the Climate Commitment Act – Washington’s most effective tool for building a resilient, climate-prepared community.

Voters should reject this initiative.

The Climate Commitment Act does two critical things. First, it uses a cap-and-trade auction system to put a price on greenhouse gas pollution – a market-driven approach that has proven effective at reducing emissions and pollutants in similar implementations. Second, it reinvests the proceeds from these auctions into communities, funding projects that build resilience and improve quality of life.

Spokane County is already seeing benefits from the CCA. Today, anyone younger than 18 can ride public transit for free across the state. Avista recently distributed $200 in energy bill rebates to low and moderate income residential customers. Construction of the North Spokane Corridor is progressing, and plans for rapid bus transit along Division are moving forward. All of this is happening because of funding generated by the CCA – these projects and more would be delayed or canceled if Initiative 2117 passes.

There is still so much more that CCA funding will bring to our communities. Just last week, Eastern Washington University was issued a grant from CCA funds to implement a pilot carbon capture system, in search of new methods of reducing carbon emissions. The first carbon auctions began in 2023, and funding distributions have been ongoing since then. Yet, the backers of Initiative 2117 want to dismantle the CCA before many of these programs have even had a chance to take effect or reach completion.

Now is not the time to tie our hands as we work to make our state resilient for the future. Wildfires are getting bigger, heat waves are lasting longer and we must ensure we have every option available for mitigation and preparedness. The CCA provides critical funding for wildfire restoration and prevention. Without it, firefighters would be left underfunded and unprepared for the increasing severity of wildfires in Washington.

Proponents falsely portray the CCA as a gas tax. In reality, cap-and-trade programs like the CCA allow businesses the flexibility to choose how they reduce emissions, rather than enforcing rigid, one-size-fits-all mandates. If Initiative 2117 passes, it would create a major shortfall in the state’s transportation budget. Ironically, without the CCA’s funding, the state’s alternative method to fund transportation projects such as the North Spokane Corridor would likely be to increase the existing gas tax.

Those behind Initiative 2117 argue the CCA has flaws; we can agree on that. The state can and should do more to ease the burden at the gas pump, improve transparency and find ways to offset increased energy costs for residents.

But the most damaging aspect of Initiative 2117 is not just that it repeals the CCA – it also bans all forms of cap-and-trade in the state, severely limiting our options to combat climate change. If you were to purchase a home and discover that it has flaws, you don’t immediately sell it and swear off homeownership forever. You make repairs and improvements to make it work for your needs. That’s what we should demand as a community.

The Climate Commitment Act has already delivered millions of dollars to the Spokane region for projects we all benefit from. As snowpack melts, wildfires rage and heat waves become more frequent, Initiative 2117 asks us to give up, abandon the CCA and ban similar programs indefinitely.

We should not give up. Vote no to reject Initiative 2117.

Trenton Miller is a lifelong Washington resident who currently lives in the city of Spokane. He is the current president of local nonprofit organization 350 Spokane.