Category: Public Policy

Thursday, December 13, Olympia, WA – Brian Bonlender today announced his planned departure as director of the Washington Department of Commerce. He has been in the position since Feb. 1, 2013, and his last day with Commerce will be Jan. 15, 2019. Bonlender, 48, said that while the Commerce job has been the most rewarding he […]

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Tuesday, December 11 The Colorado Energy Office is helping launch a “green bank” that will leverage private dollars to enhance and spur investment in clean-energy projects. The energy office has formed the nonprofit Colorado Clean Energy Fund, which will team up with the Coalition for Green Capital and other organizations. The coalition, whose partners include the U.S. Department of […]

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Monday, December 10 Here are three problems with the [The Govenor’s proposal] and better alternatives. Require Environmental Effectiveness The proposal promises to spend money on several projects that are politically popular, but extremely wasteful. For example, the proposal highlights spending on “solar energy systems.” According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Western Washington is the worst place (other than […]

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Gov. Jay Inslee was joined today by Democratic legislators and climate action supporters to unveil a plan that would launch a dramatic reduction of Washington state’s greenhouse gas emissions over the next 15 years.

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Monday, December 10 The USAID has created the Small Business Applied Research (SBAR) Pilot is a field-based initiative to expand USAID’s access to emerging technology, products, services, methodologies, and scientific applications developed by U.S. based small businesses. Through a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), USAID is seeking solutions from eligible U. S. small businesses that are […]

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Wednesday, December 5 Olympia, Wash. – State regulators today denied Canada-based Hydro One Limited’s proposed acquisition of Spokane-based Avista Corporation, finding the proposed merger does not serve the public interest. The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission determined the proposed merger agreement does not adequately protect Avista or its customers from political and financial risk, nor does […]

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Wednesday, December 5 Global emissions of carbon dioxide have reached the highest levels on record, scientists projected Wednesday, in the latest evidence of the chasm between international goals for combating climate change and what countries are actually doing. Between 2014 and 2016, emissions remained largely flat, leading to hopes that the world was beginning to […]

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Wednesday, December 5 Electricity generated by the 30.2 kilowatt solar project will be credited to the electric accounts of 31 REA members who enrolled in the program. In August REA members were given the chance to buy the energy produced from 550 solar units. One solar unit is about one-sixth of one solar panel used […]

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Wednesday, December 5 [Washington Voters] know that climate change is real and a threat both to us and to future generations. They know it is such an enormous problem that an international response is necessary. But they also know we cannot wait and that we must begin addressing climate change now, and at the local […]

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Tuesday, December 4 Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced two new prizes as part of its Manufacturing Innovator Challenge, an effort to crowdsource solutions for next generation manufacturing to increase energy productivity and strengthen America’s industrial base. DOE is seeking new concepts in biobased materials for additive manufacturing. Large-scale additive manufacturing allows for rapid […]

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