Electric ferries, Inflation Reduction Act, nurses and teachers, heat and smoke



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Washington?s three largest ferries will go electric
The M/V Wenatchee approaches the Seattle Skyline in 2011.

The M/V Wenatchee approaches the Seattle skyline. The Wenatchee and its Jumbo Mark II sibling vessels, Tacoma and Puyallup, will each be retrofitted for hybrid-electric power. (Image courtesy of WSDOT)

The three largest ferries in Washington state will soon run on hybrid-electric power. Washington State Ferries announced Tuesday that it awarded a shipyard contract [ [link removed] ] to Vigor for the conversion of WSF?s three Jumbo Mark II-class ferries: the "Wenatchee", "Tacoma", and "Puyallup".

WSF operates the largest ferry system in the U.S., burning 19 million gallons of diesel fuel each year to transport as many as 24 million passengers a year. Built in the late 1990s, Jumbo Mark II-class ferries are each powered by four massive engines generating 16,000 horsepower to propel as many as 2,500 passengers to their destinations. By converting to hybrid-electric powertrains, the state?s largest-emitting ferries will have their emissions slashed by 95%.

?This contract is a big step toward providing our ferry-served communities with better air quality and more sustainable service,? said Matt von Ruden, system electrification program administrator for WSF.

WSF intends to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The agency will retrofit six ferries, build 16 new hybrid ferries, and add charging power to 16 terminals. The "Wenatchee" will undergo conversion this year, and the "Tacoma" and "Puyallup" will be converted over the next two years.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed an executive order in 2020 [ [link removed] ] to accelerate the electrification of the WSF fleet, and signed the Move Ahead Washington package in 2022 with $1 billion in appropriations for the state ferry system. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently visited Seattle to tout the state?s progress on electrification.

?We?re leading the nation in electrifying almost every transportation system, starting with the ferry boats,? said Inslee.

?Gov. Inslee is not only leading the way on climate but understands the importance of infrastructure and has put resources into that,? said Buttigieg.

The cost to retrofit the three vessels amounts to $150 million [ [link removed] ], of which the federal government will assist with $44.6 million [ [link removed] ] in already-announced funding. All three vessels were already due for substantial mid-life maintenance work.

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One year in, the Inflation Reduction Act is making a difference
Vice President Kamala Harris spoke in Seattle this week to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke in Seattle this week to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act. Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to pass the bill in the U.S. Senate.

Vice President Kamala Harris? vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022 broke a Senate tie to send the bill along to the U.S. House of Representatives. It would pass the House and would be signed by President Joe Biden to become the largest single investment in climate action in national history.

?There is no acceptable tie with climate change - it must be defeated. Thank goodness we have a vice president who broke the tie with the vote to pass the Inflation Reduction Act to combat climate change,? said Gov. Jay Inslee [ [link removed] ].

Harris visited Seattle on Tuesday to tout the first anniversary of the bill?s passage.

?President Biden and I are taking on one of the most urgent issues of our time, and of course, that is the climate crisis,? said Harris. ?Every day around the world, the impact of the climate crisis is stark and vivid ? we are seeing it in real time.?

The Inflation Reduction Act set aside $27 billion for states to deploy zero-emissions technology to reduce pollution, as Washington state is doing by electrifying its ferry fleet and building an electric-vehicle charging network. Another $8.6 billion was set aside to help consumers retrofit their homes for energy efficiency, and $2 billion was allocated for forestry conservation and land acquisition programs. The act is expected to create more than 9 million jobs [ [link removed] ] by 2030.

The U.S. Climate Alliance, co-founded by Gov. Jay Inslee, issued a statement Wednesday [ [link removed] ] to herald the anniversary.

?Since we launched the Alliance in 2017, the urgency of climate action has only grown,? said Inslee. ?The Inflation Reduction Act is the most important federal action yet for super-charging state efforts to go further, faster in transitioning to clean energy. States are using these investments to create jobs and invest in communities. The IRA has helped put the United States back in the game in the global fight against climate change.?

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New state program will train more teachers and nurses
Gov. Jay Inslee lends a hand with chest compressions in a health careers classroom at Mount Tahoma High School.

Gov. Jay Inslee lends a hand with chest compressions in a health careers classroom at Mount Tahoma High School. The governor has supported career-connected learning and apprenticeship opportunities to address a shortage of nurses and has signed legislation to improve working conditions within hospitals.

Teachers and nurses are sorely needed across Washington state and across the nation. Schools in rural and lower-income communities nationwide have been challenged to hire teachers, and there is a general shortage of qualified special education teachers [ [link removed] ]. Likewise, nurses are in short supply [ [link removed] ] nationwide.

On Thursday, the state Department of Labor & Industries announced a new apprenticeship program for nurses and special education teachers backed by $5.6 million in funding. L&I, the state Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and the Washington Education Association (WEA) are each funding the program.

?Our Career Connect and apprenticeship efforts are all about connecting students and workers to the many incredible career opportunities in high-demand fields, including education and health care,? said Gov. Jay Inslee. ?The collaboration among state agencies and union partners is paying off and we appreciate the support of the federal Department of Labor.?

Apprenticeship programs for special education teachers will focus on the Walla Walla, Federal Way, and Mukilteo school districts. The grant will open the possibility of a career in teaching to a new universe of potential educators by requiring only a bachelor?s degree rather than a master?s degree.

The program will also fund on-the-job training for licensed practical nurses in long-term care facilities serving veterans including the Washington Soldiers Home, Washington Veterans Home, Spokane Veterans Home, and Walla Walla Veterans Home.

In the most recent legislative session, Inslee signed bills to address the nursing shortage [ [link removed] ] and signed a budget with record investments in special education [ [link removed] ] to help districts attract and retain qualified educators.

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News you might have missed:

#MauiStrong: Inslee invites Washingtonians to join in helping Hawaiians

At least 100 people are confirmed to have perished in fires that swept across Maui last week. The fires devastated entire towns. Gov. Jay Inslee expressed his solidarity [ [link removed] ] this week and invited Washingtonians to help by supporting the Hawaii Community Foundation [ [link removed] ]. The foundation has raised more than $43 million to date to support recovery efforts, including food and shelter for displaced locals.

Amtrak?s first electric bus will run between Seattle and Bellingham

Amtrak provides mid-day bus service between Seattle and Bellingham between morning and evening train service. That bus has always run on diesel ? until now. The state Department of Transportation and Amtrak have announced that Amtrak?s first-ever electric bus [ [link removed] ] will inherit the route, saving more than 10,000 gallons of fuel and 109 tons of CO2 emissions per year. The bus will make the 200-mile trip on a single charge.

New heat rules protect outdoor workers

Employers in Washington are required to safeguard their employees [ [link removed] ] from intense heat. When temperatures exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit, employers must encourage cool-down breaks, provide shade or other cooling, provide drinking water, and observe employees for signs of heat illness. On even hotter days, employers must require a 10-minute paid break every two hours during temperatures over 90 degrees, and a 15-minute paid break every hour during temperatures over 100 degrees.

Wildfire smoke causing unhealthy air

Much of Washington state is breathing unhealthy air [ [link removed] ] due to wildfire smoke from fires in Washington and Canada. Air quality alerts [ [link removed] ] are active for many Tribal nations and 13 central Washington counties. The state Department of Health recommends residents in affected areas monitor air quality, close windows, filter indoor air, check on vulnerable loved ones, and keep pets indoors.

?Wildfire smoke season is here in Washington, which means we need to be proactive about taking steps to protect ourselves,? said DOH air quality policy specialist Kaitlyn Kelly.

Seattle hosts world economic leaders for APEC 2023

Ministers and officials from the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) [ [link removed] ] visited Seattle this week to discuss economic opportunity and sustainable innovation. The Seattle area exported $50 billion in goods to the Asia-Pacific region in 2018, and Washington state is a subnational leader on clean energy and emission reduction. Gov. Jay Inslee addressed the group Wednesday, touting Washington state?s progress to transition to renewable power.

23 WA salmon projects awarded federal funding

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell recently announced that 23 Washington state salmon habitat restoration projects [ [link removed] ] were awarded a total of $58 million in federal funding. The projects will remove culverts blocking salmon migration in nine Washington counties.

"Washingtonians are going to see more salmon coming back to rivers all across the Evergreen state. The 23 projects funded by this historic first round of National Culvert Grant awards will restore miles of salmon and steelhead habitat, helping revitalize communities that depend on these iconic fish for their livelihoods, recreation, and Treaty rights,? said Cantwell.

Dolly Parton sings, reads, inspires in Tacoma

Dolly Parton visited Tacoma [ [link removed] ] this week to celebrate the success of her Imagination Library program in Washington state. More than 69,000 Washington children are enrolled in the childhood literacy program. Participants are mailed books from birth through age five.

Dolly Parton?s childhood literacy program, her Imagination Library, distributes books to more than 69,0000 Washington children.

Dolly Parton?s childhood literacy program, Imagination Library, distributes books to more than 69,0000 Washington children and countless more internationally. Parton discussed the program in Tacoma this week.










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