We can move to renewable energy sources but I-937 as currently codified, (1) disadvantages Washington homeowners and employers, (2) undermines state climate change goals, and (3) will result in unnecessary job losses.

Opponents of the bill, Senate Bill 5840, have said that it is an attempt to gut I-937.  To the contrary, we can improve the law by removing unnecessary geographical limitations and the unrealistically narrow definitions of renewable energy it contains...if an unintended consequence of I-937 is energy bills many families simply cannot afford, we can avoid this and improve the law while still upholding the people's will for cleaner, greener energy in Washington state.         ---Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown in Seattle Times  3/9/09

It is ridiculous that at the same time we are addressing Climate Change and trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we have other laws on the books that will penalize some Washington State businesses and utilities that use clean hydro power instead of higher carbon footprint gas power.

Voters Favor Amending I-937
“In 2006, Washington voters passed Initiative 937, which requires electric utilities to get 15% of their power from new non-hydro power sources, such as wind and solar, by the year 2020. Would you favor or oppose amending I-937, so that hydro power is considered renewable energy?”

                                            
                                                                                          Moore Information 2009

It is also wrong that Washington utilities are put at a competitive disadvantage with California and businesses in other states competing for optimum wind and solar production sites in the West.  California and other states permit such facilities to count against renewable energy goals, but Washington limits its credits to a much smaller geographic area.

           In the end these problems mean unnecessarily higher utility bills for the citizens of our state.

Senate Bill 5840 takes a small but important step towards addressing these problems and making our state environmental policy more consistent. For more details see SB 5840 & I-937 Issues section.