Washington to Design Extended Producer Responsibility Program
In response to failure to pass legislation to establish an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, the legislature provided in its budget $500,000 for the Department of Ecology to fund a third-party contractor to gather stakeholder input and recommend a design and implementation for an EPR program. This report is due to the legislature by December 1, 2023. Food Northwest will participate in the stakeholder process and work to influence legislation for 2024. |
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Washington’s First Cap & Invest Auction Raises about $300 million
Washington’s first auction of allowances under the Climate Commitment Act raised about $300 million. The Department of Ecology announced that it had sold almost all of its 6.2 million allowances, each representing one metric ton of greenhouse gas emissions. The settlement price was $48.50 per ton, more than twice the floor price of $22.20. Businesses that are regulated under the Climate Commitment Act can purchase allowances to cover a portion of their emissions. The revenue from the auctions will be used to fund greenhouse gas emissions reduction projects and research. The Governor’s two-year budget would spend about $1.7 billion in auction revenue. The state will hold up to four auctions each year. For additional information see: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/was-first-greenhouse-gas-allowance-auction-raises-estimated-300-million/ |
