Estuary protection bill

Critical estuarine habitat in the Pacific Northwest and across the country would receive better protection as a result of a bill introduced Feb. 12 by Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, and Rep. Frank LoBiondo, NJ-02.

The bill would reauthorize the National Estuary Program through 2020, funding local efforts to restore and protect sensitive estuaries and their wildlife.

“In the Pacific Northwest, we know that healthy estuaries like the Puget Sound support healthy fish, birds and other wildlife, as well as important economic activity such as trade, fishing, tourism and outdoor recreation,” Larsen said.

Transportation package

The Senate transportation funding package was released on Thursday, with Senate Democratic lawmakers Sen. Pramila Jayapal (D-Seattle) Sen. Kevin Ranker (D-Orcas Island) and Sen. Cyrus Habib (D-Kirkland) voicing some concerns.

“It is a top priority for me to pass a transportation package that funds transit, multi-modal options and projects like I-405/SR-167 interchange, as well as maintenance for our roads and highways,” Jayapal said. “But in the current form, this package includes a provision that would take us backward as a state in addressing climate change, and gets all the funding from gas and sales taxes that fall on working Washington families. As this bill moves through the process we must reconsider these conflicts. We need to get to a transportation package that helps Washington’s families, environment and economy while not taking much-needed funds from the operating budget that could be going to other priorities like education.”

The package includes an 11.7-cent gas tax increase, $1.8 billion for the Puget Sound Gateway project, including SR 167, and $450 million for I-5 through Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Transportation has been funded only at maintenance levels for several years, delaying essential projects, funding for ferries and transit and leaving commuters in increasing gridlock on the state’s freeways.

As part of the negotiation, Senate Republicans included a provision that if the governor were to take certain actions on low-carbon fuel standards, all funding for transit would be stopped.

Some Senate Democrats argue that this puts the burden onto Washingtonians who rely on low-fuel prices to get to work, and removes responsibility from the 130 corporate polluters who would be subject to a carbon tax under Gov. Inslee’s proposal.