CleanTech Alliance Makes an Impact in Olympia

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If one is an incident, two is a coincidence and three is a pattern…25 must be a groundswell.  That’s exactly what happened at CleanTech Day in Olympia sponsored by The Boeing Company.

On January 25, a delegation of 25 CleanTech Alliance members assembled in Olympia to brief key legislators on the current state of Washington’s cleantech economy and the success of the ongoing Clean Energy Fund programs.

Governor Inslee kicked off CleanTech Day in Olympia by sharing his personal view on state cleantech priorities, and summarizing key takeaways from the Paris Climate Agreement proceedings earlier this year. He thanked CleanTech Alliance members for continually pushing cleantech policy support forward and serving as a unifying voice for Washington State’s cleantech industry sector.

Every member of the Senate and House received a personalized packet of information, while 28 legislators were briefed individually – including most ranking and energy committee members. The key talking points for each briefing included:

  • The cleantech industry is important. With 101,593 green jobs across Washington State, cleantech is the fastest growing industry sector in the state. The CleanTech Alliance is the legislature’s connection to the cleantech industry.
     
  • The initial $36 million Clean Energy Fund is a resounding success. That investment attracted $60.5 million in additional funding to the state, benefiting our universities, businesses and homeowners. 
     
  • The $40 million Clean Energy Fund extension will build upon the initial fund’s success, strengthening our clean energy future and spurring our state’s economy.

Additional Clean Energy Fund successes are outlined in a column by Tom Ranken that ran in the Olympian on January 25.

“CleanTech Alliance members engaged in a lot of great dialogue with our elected representatives in Olympia,” said David Allen, Executive Vice President of McKinstry and the CleanTech Alliance Government Affairs Committee Chair. “We know these conversations make a real impact during the legislative process. CleanTech Day in Olympia served as an important reminder of the important role our growing cleantech sector plays in the Washington State economy and the need for continued legislative support through the Clean Energy Fund and other policies.”

The CleanTech Alliance, with support from The Boeing Company, will continue to press the legislature to support clean energy and clean technology investments. Contact Sharon Schierle for more information.