Washington Gov. Orders Agencies to Cut Emissions

OLYMPIA, WA --- Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire on May 21 issued an executive order aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the state. 

According to the Seattle Times, the order requires the following: 

• The Department of Ecology must make emission-reductions plans for all of the state's top industrial greenhouse-gas polluters by next year.
• The departments of Commerce and Transportation must formulate ways to set standards on the amount of carbon emitted during production, distribution and use of certain vehicle fuels. 
• The Transportation Department must negotiate new plans with the state's largest counties and regional councils to reduce driving. 

Many of the actions were lifted from a climate bill the Washington Legislature failed to pass earlier this spring, the Seattle Times reported.  

The governor's executive order came shortly after she testified at a U.S. EPA hearing, in which she spoke in favor of the EPA's plan to name greenhouse gases dangerous pollutants.