Yesterday both Mayor Durkan and City Councilmember Mosqueda sent letters to the Seattle City Employees Retirement System (aka SCERS) urging it to divest the pension fund from fossil-fuel investments. Three years ago when then-Councilmember Mike O’Brien, Councilmember Lisa Herbold, and former Mayor Mike McGinn tried the same thing, the request was met with sympathy but was still refused. This time it’s likely to get the same reply — but that doesn’t means that SCERS is ignoring climate change.
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Durkan signs executive order with Green New Deal actions
This afternoon Mayor Jenny Durkan signed an executive order specifying several actions that her administration will take in “Advancing a Green New Deal for Seattle.”
Continue readingHearing Examiner issues a mixed ruling on Transportation Impact Fees SEPA review
This afternoon the Seattle Hearing Examiner issued a long-awaited ruling on an appeal of the city’s SEPA Determination of Non-significance (DNS) for its first step in establishing Transportation Impact Fees (TIFs). He found that the city had impermissibly left a section of the SEPA checklist blank, and remanded it back to the city to at least partially complete it.
Continue readingHeating oil tax voted out of committee
This afternoon, the Council voted Mayor Durkan’s proposed tax on heating oil out of committee, setting it up for final approval next Monday.
Continue readingSEPA reform bill voted out of committee
This afternoon, the City Council voted out of committee a controversial bill making several changes to the SEPA appeal process, after making a handful of mostly minor amendments.
Continue readingO’Brien unveils bill prohibiting gas hookups for new buildings
This morning, Council member Mike O’Brien announced that he is introducing a bill that would prohibit the installation of natural gas piping systems in new buildings starting July 1, 2020.
Continue readingMayor floats proposal for heating oil tax
Last Friday, the Council had a first committee hearing on Mayor Durkan’s proposed new tax on heating oil. The details turn out to be very interesting (in a good way).
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Seattle’s Green New Deal
Earlier this year, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives “recognizing the duty of the federal government to create a Green New Deal.” It hasn’t gone anywhere, but it started a conversation about how to address the looming climate crisis while also creating new economic opportunities. Activists, understanding that the current political reality of Washington D.C. means that federal action is unlikely anytime soon, have begun to focus their efforts instead on local actions in cities with progressive political leadership — Seattle being one of those cities. In June, the Council signed a letter expressing their …
Continue readingCouncil, City Attorney preparing to sue fossil fuel companies (UPDATED)
(updated below) Earlier this week, the City Council sent a letter to City Attorney Pete Holmes indicating its support for his plan to sue fossil fuel companies over the damage that their product has done to the city due to anthropogenic climate change.
Continue readingNotes from Monday’s Council meetings
Short and sweet today.
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