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Gov. Jay Inslee led a Washington state delegation to the Paris Air Show this week. The state?s booth was named ?best-in-show? and new investments and groundbreakings were announced.
Innovations taking flight from Washington state wowed the world this week at the Paris Air Show. Gov. Jay Inslee led a 100-member state delegation to France to attract new investment, and to impress upon the world that sustainable flight is possible. Washington is proof ? sustainable fuels are made here, planes powered by hydrogen and electricity have flown here, and the state economy is realizing the boundless opportunities of clean technology here.
The world took note ? the state?s booth was recognized as best-in-show, and new pledges announced at the show will yield massive new investments in sustainable fuel production.
Twelve, a new startup, will soon break ground on a facility in Moses Lake that will create jet fuel from carbon dioxide and water. Electricity from renewable sources and carbon dioxide from commercial byproducts are the two critical inputs that Twelve will use to produce a jet fuel that generates just a tenth of the emissions of regular jet fuel from production through combustion. The plant?s construction will create new jobs, its operation will create new jobs, and its production of ?e-fuel? may help ignite a clean-fuel revolution in the aviation industry. Twelve will break ground on July 11.
Twelve?s CEO Nicholas Flanders chose Washington state, ?because of the availability of green power, through hydropower, and sources of biogenic CO2, which is the carbon feedstock for our fuel, and the great policies of Washington state that are accelerating the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuel, green hydrogen and green power.?
ZeroAvia has been pioneering hydrogen-powered propulsion from Paine Field in Everett. Inslee announced from Paris that the firm will expand its operations to accelerate research and development. The company aims to develop a small, 300-mile range aircraft by 2025 and a larger, 700-mile range aircraft by 2027 - both powered by clean-burning hydrogen.
Inslee also met with global sustainability leaders to discuss renewable energy. The governor addressed representatives from the International Energy Agency and participated in an international panel discussion to highlight state efforts to nurture new innovation and destroy old barriers related to clean energy. Emissions reduction is a necessity as the world warms. And clean technology presents opportunities worth trillions as the industry matures. Washington state is ahead of the world in proving the possibility, and profitability, of greener thinking.
?The Washington delegation had a very successful trip to Paris,? said Inslee. ?We met some great companies that are going to create jobs in our state. And that?s been capped off by the Choose Washington pavilion being ranked number-one in the entire Paris Air Show. Congratulations to the businesses that joined us, and to the Department of Commerce for putting this together.?
 Gov. Jay Inslee, Washingtonians, and state lawmakers responded decisively to last year's "Dobbs decision" by passing laws to secure the right of reproductive freedom.
The U.S. Supreme Court dashed the right of reproductive freedom and decades of precedent by its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization last June. For 49 years, the right of a woman to seek an abortion had been protected by the court's 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. That protection is no more.
Over the last year, about half of U.S. states have taken steps to enact bans or restrictions on abortion care. Washington state has acted in favor of choice.
After the Dobbs decision, Gov. Jay Inslee and state lawmakers proposed a bevy of protections for the right of choice. Before a federal judge could ban a safe and common abortion medication, Inslee directed state agencies to buy a multi-year supply. When states threatened Washington doctors, the state Legislature passed shield laws. During this sudden, coordinated assault on women and doctors, Washington state has held the line.
?The right of choice is an issue of freedom,? Inslee said. ?Health care must remain the providence of individual Washingtonians. These laws will keep the tentacles of oppressive and overreaching states out of Washington.?
The consequences of the Dobbs decision are already clear. Doctors are fleeing conservative states and creating care shortages. Obstetricians nationwide report urgent problems treating unsafe pregnancies. Maternal mortality is creeping up in conservative states.?
Thanks to policies passed this year, women's bodies are safe in Washington. Their pregnancies are safer. Their rights are safe. Their doctors are safe. Their private health data is safe.
In a phrase, Washington has told patients: "It's your body. It's your choice."
As Washingtonians age, they?ll need help. The state will begin to collect a payroll tax on July 1 to help Washingtonians afford care and accommodations they?ll require with age.
The median age in the United States is climbing. Four in five older Americans will require care at some point. Within Washington state, the population of adults over 65 grew by 63% from 2010 to 2022. Washington is among the few states that have passed any serious legislation to respond to a looming crisis.
Independent research reveals that nearly half of Americans over 40 believe Medicare will cover long-term care, but that?s not so. Many more of those adults have done no planning for long-term care at all. Few have the means to afford the astonishing (and increasing) cost of long-term care, and few have considered alternatives.
The Washington Cares Fund established a maximum $36,500 benefit for qualified Washingtonians to help pay for a variety of seniors? needs, including long-term care. The benefit may also be applied towards transportation, mobility equipment, meal deliveries, home accessibility improvements, and even family caretaker compensation.
To pay for it, a payroll tax of 0.58% will take effect next week on July 1. A Washingtonian earning the median income of $37,656 will contribute $218 towards the fund per year.
The Washington Cares Fund is not a long-term care plan for seniors, but it?s starting to be recognized as a valuable safety net that most Washingtonians will someday be cushioned by.
New law cancels breast cancer screening co-pays
A new state law takes effect on July 23 to require insurers to cover the cost of breast cancer screening co-pays. The new law means that patients won?t have to think twice about an important procedure that may save lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend screenings every two years for women 50 to 75, and recommends that younger patients begin to consider screenings by consulting their doctor.
Federal funds will connect Washington homes and businesses to high-speed internet
Washington state has been awarded more than $196 million in federal funds to connect more than 33,000 homes and business across the state to high-speed internet. President Biden's American Rescue Plan contained a broadband infrastructure program that has invested more than $7 billion nationwide to improve connectivity. The new funds awarded to Washington state will serve communities with internet speeds below 25/3 Mbps, Native communities, and rural areas. The new, federal?Affordable Connectivity Program will also help Washingtonians connect to the internet by requiring providers to offer a discounted high-speed internet plan for which 40% of U.S. households are eligible.
New Native lifeline has helped 1,200 callers to date
Since launching last November, Washington state?s Native and Strong Lifeline has received over 1,200 calls from across the state. The lifeline is part of the state?s broader 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, designed to put resources just three digits away for callers in crisis. While 9-8-8 lifelines were established nationwide, Washington state has enhanced its lifeline with culturally-appropriate supports for veterans, LGBTQ+ persons, and Native persons. The Native and Strong Lifeline, for example, currently has 14 tribal crisis counselors with the right lived experience and resource familiarity to best help Native callers.
Invasive beetle found in Yakima County
First spotted in Washington state in 2020, the invasive and destructive Japanese beetle is a threat to agriculture. The state Department of Agriculture has discovered an adult Japanese beetle for the first time this year in Yakima County, and urges farmers to report other sightings. The beetle can feed on hundreds of plant varieties, and has already established itself permanently in many eastern states. The state Invasive Species Council maintains a list of priority invasive plant and animal species that residents should watch for and report.
Summer trip? Check WSDOT's travel map
Summertime is also orange cone season - significant construction is in progress across the state that may affect travel. The state Department of Transportation maintains a map with real-time traffic conditions and indicates where current construction and other disruptions are occurring. As you back your bag, check WSDOT's travel map to plan your trip to reach your destination on time.
State, Tribes continue work to fight the opioid crisis
Last month, the Lummi Nation hosted the first Washington State Tribal Opioid/Fentanyl Summit where Tribal leaders and state agencies discussed the scourge of addiction. The state Health Care Authority has since?published a report on the summit. State agencies are considering new legislative approaches to the issue, and another summit is planned for late August to maintain progress.
?It was an honor to participate," said Gov. Jay Inslee. ?Tribal leaders shared powerful stories about the damage of fentanyl and other opioids. It?s imperative we find a way forward and overcome this crisis that has claimed so many Native lives. Together, Tribes and state leaders will continue to identify the solutions that can help save lives.?
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