Washingtonians support clean energy

Editor, The Times:

“Environmentalists say” is a phrase I’m getting increasingly weary of. I’ve heard it a lot surrounding the bill concerning a coal-free Washington [“Bid farewell to coal,” Opinion, March 8]. “Environmentalists say” implicitly marginalizes whatever is to follow as being the opinion of some cloistered faction of tree-huggers who don’t value business, jobs, community or growth. And it’s just not true.

In looking around at the people who dedicated their time and energy to get us to this unprecedented agreement to phase out coal burning in Washington state, it is an amazing tapestry of citizens from every cross-section of our community. “Environmentalists say” doesn’t quite capture it. It’s the moms, dads, neighbors, friends, businesswomen and men, entrepreneurs, colleagues, students, civil servants, labor workers, young and old of Washington. “Washingtonians say” seems more accurate. And this is one Washingtonian who says E2SSB 5769 is an important bill to pass and pass quickly for the future of Washington’s energy policy, our economic development and the health and well-being of us all.

This bill is the landmark agreement that will ensure a clean-energy future for Washington state while providing for the people that this transition will impact.

— Roxanna Davila, Seattle