SB 6335 Expands GMA Pt 2
I’m Bob Larson. Senate Bill 6335 would expand the Growth Management Act to require rural counties to further mitigate for climate change. The bill would require counties to reduce their total greenhouse gas emissions through restrictions on land use and the total number of miles you drive.
The Washington State Farm Bureau’s Tom Davis says the bill also strips away your right to legally challenge these new requirements …
DAVIS … “I know the governor likes to talk about “One Washington.” When we see these kind of bills, it’s clear we’re not “One Washington.” They have no concept of what rural life is like and the gentleman who sponsored this bill lives north of Seattle and there isn’t any farm ground in his district.”
Davis says they did have a hearing on the bill …
DAVIS … “Well, I think, it lined up just as you would expect. So, you had the planning folks, the cities and counties saying hey we have some concerns, the ag group saying absolutely no. This is a ridiculous concept and then you ad the environmental groups who lined up and said hey this is the best thing we’ve ever seen.”
Now, Davis says it’s up to legislators to determine how much pain they want to inflict on rural counties …
DAVIS … “I feel confident that we’ll get a fair judgement from the chair of this committee, but then again, what happens once it goes, if it gets out of committee, you know, from there that’s where we get pretty concerned. But, these bills are also in the House and so there will be opportunities for them to pass out of the House.”
Davis says contact your district Reps and Senators to let them know how your feel.
Email the following Senators, and/or your district Reps and Senators and tell them you oppose the bill: Sen. Dean Takko, committee chair dean.takko@leg.wa.gov … Sen. Jesse Salomon, bill sponsor jesse.salomon@leg.wa.gov … Sen. Liz Lovelett liz.lovelett@leg.wa.gov
