Gas price transparency, Spokane electric bus line, OTC birth control



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Big Oil needs 'radical transparency'
Gov. Jay Inslee speaks at a press conference in front of electric buses.

Gov. Jay Inslee hosts a press conference to demand "radical transparency" of oil companies. He was joined by legislators and labor representatives for electrical workers, firefighters, and health care workers at Highline School District's bus yard in front of a row of new electric buses.

Gas prices have surged nationwide and in Washington state. Gas companies have deflected blame towards Gov. Jay Inslee's climate policies, saying "it's not their job to go bankrupt" [ [link removed] ] by reducing emissions. Chevron issued the statement despite a $6.6 billion quarterly profit - more than double Amazon's first-quarter profits.

?We should not yield an inch to these rapacious oil and gas companies that are now using [the Climate Commitment Act] as an excuse,? said Inslee. ?Instead we should hold them accountable for their outrageous pricing. We?re not against profits but we?re against price gouging.?

Inslee and state lawmakers announced new efforts to require "radical transparency" of oil companies and gas prices Thursday in Burien. California Gov. Gavin Newsom inked similar legislation [ [link removed] ] in March that created an independent watchdog group to check the industry for abusive pricing. Inslee and Sen. Joe Nguyen will lead exploration of similar mechanisms for Washington state.

Oil and gas conglomerates raked in??monster profits [ [link removed] ]? last year, and first-quarter results for 2023?look even rosier [ [link removed] ]. At the very same time, the planet cooked under the hottest month on record [ [link removed] ]?and global carbon dioxide emissions reached new record heights [ [link removed] ].

Gas companies have known for 40 years [ [link removed] ] that their product contributes to global catastrophe. In that time, they've made every effort to juice profits and extort their influence while expending near-zero effort to restrain emissions or innovate clean energy.

Washington's geography has always contributed to higher gas prices [ [link removed] ]. The region is served by fewer pipelines and refineries, limiting supply. The region has also grown enormously and Washingtonians drive more than average, increasing demand.?Pipeline maintenance issues [ [link removed] ]?also affected prices in June, according to AAA.

*Read the full story on Gov. Jay Inslee's Medium. [ [link removed] ]*

Headlines contrast climate disaster with record oil & gas profits

As the world burns, quarterly profits by oil and gas companies have soared beyond the stratosphere.

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Spokane opens new electric rapid bus line
Gov. Jay Inslee and Spokane officials pose in front of a new electric bus.

Gov. Jay Inslee visited Spokane to celebrate the opening of the City Line, an electrified bus rapid transit route. The bus banner reads, "HOW A GREAT CITY MOVES."

Spokane's new City Line bus rapid transit [ [link removed] ] (BRT) route began to operate last weekend. Buses run every 15 minutes on a six-mile route from Spokane Community College through downtown to the University District. The City Line boasts frequent timing, late hours, and zero emissions. The electric buses will also cleanly and quietly ease congestion downtown.

Gov. Jay Inslee and local officials gathered in Spokane this week for the grand opening [ [link removed] ].

"Where is the city that will stand up to decarbonize their transportation system so we can attack climate change," said Inslee. "The answer, I'm proud to say, is in Washington state. It's in Spokane this morning."

The City of Spokane has big plans for the area along the route. Inslee met with planning officials who have begun?the South Logan Transit-Oriented Development project that will use existing infrastructure, new transit, and new thinking to improve economic growth and connectivity in the neighborhood. The new City Line serves the Logan neighborhood and presents an opportunity for smart mixed-use development along the route.

Transit-oriented development and electrified mass transit are coming to many more Washington communities in the coming years, thanks in large part to revenue from the Climate Commitment Act. Under the program, polluters are effectively paying to improve public transit and slash emissions in Washington cities.

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Commerce grants bring homeless youth back inside
Gov. Jay Inslee visited Rod's House in Yakima last July.

Gov. Jay Inslee visited Rod's House in Yakima last July. The facility offers supportive services for youth at risk of homelessness, and recently received a helpful grant from the state Department of Commerce.

The state Department of Commerce last week announced a $40 million round of grants [ [link removed] ] funding 112 local programs to reduce youth homelessness.?

The Blue Mountain Action Council is leading a rapid re-housing project in Walla Walla County. Partners in Prevention Education operates transitional housing in Thurston County. Rod's House in Yakima County offers supportive services to at-risk youth.?

Thanks to Commerce, these agencies and many more received vital funding to sustain youth-oriented programming. The department convened 60 young people, each with lived experience of homelessness, to prioritize investments in high-impact programs.

?Hearing from those we serve, particularly those with lived experience of the challenges we are addressing, is core to Commerce?s commitment to equity and transparency in our program design and funding decisions,? said Commerce's director Mike Fong. ?We are grateful for the time, passion and invaluable insights these young people contributed to make this a better and more inclusive process.?






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News you might have missed:

*FDA approves over-the-counter birth control*

For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an over-the-counter form of birth control [ [link removed] ] sold without the requirement of a prescription. The decision will improve access to birth control in many states. The pill may be available early next year online and in stores.

Droughts pinch water supply in eastern Washington

The state Department of Ecology has alerted water right holders [ [link removed] ] along several basins of dry conditions requiring curtailed water usage. Climate change has increasingly raised temperatures and depressed rain and snowfall over time, leading state officials to encourage water users to plan to expect more of these challenges long-term. The department is working on several projects to withstand these conditions and sustain water access and hygiene.

Federal grant delivers 1.8 million hours of outdoor time to kids

A federal grant of $6.7 million for the No Child Left Inside program [ [link removed] ] will help more than 47,000 Washington kids enjoy the outdoors. The grant will support 92 outdoor programs across the state.

?The No Child Left Inside grant program is once again providing opportunities to have more young Washingtonians experience the outdoors, learn about the world around them, and apply this understanding to improve themselves and their communities," said Gov. Jay Inslee.

State funds to blaze trails and inspire outdoor recreation

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office awarded nearly $190 million in grants [ [link removed] ] on July 18 to improve outdoor recreation and conserve habitats statewide. The City of Des Moines, for example, received funds to replace a restroom at Redondo Beach and the City of Kent received funds to buy land for a new trailhead at Mill Creek Canyon Park.

Yakima orchards pay back wages

The owners of two Yakima orchards have paid $500,000 in back wages [ [link removed] ] to more than 400 workers determined to have been underpaid by the state Department of Labor and Industries.

?Farmworkers do backbreaking work, and they deserve to be paid every dollar they earn,? said Attorney General Bob Ferguson. ?We will continue to stand up for farmworkers, and fight to ensure that all workers are paid every dollar they are owed, including interest on the wages they were denied.?








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