5 Myths About the Climate Commitment Act

Less than two weeks from now, Washington voters face a critical choice: to protect the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) by voting NO on Initiative 2117, or to repeal the CCA and obstruct future climate action. The CCA is one of the most comprehensive approaches for fighting climate change and protecting our clean air and water. It has already raised more than $2 billion since 2023 from the state’s largest polluters and invested that money into projects that begin to reduce emissions and increase climate resiliency across Washington state.  

While we should always seek ways to improve public policies, Initiative 2117 does nothing to strengthen or replace the CCA—it only eliminates it, without offering any alternative. That’s not moving us forward; it’s taking us backward to a state of inaction at a time when we all know action to reduce emissions and increase climate resiliency is critical. Voting No on Initiative 2117 is essential to protecting Washington’s climate future.  

Across the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area – the spectacular landscape stretching from Seattle to Ellensburg, we are already observing the impacts of a changing climate: diminished snowpacks are altering stream flows and undermining irrigation systems in the Upper Yakima basin; hotter, drier summers are threatening forest health and increasing wildfire activity on both sides of the mountains; heat waves pose health risks to people and make watersheds less hospitable for salmon; the list goes on. To ensure voters understand what’s at stake, we are breaking down the top 5 myths about the CCA to unite against I-2117. 

Myth #1: Repealing CCA will lower gas prices  

Fact: The CCA is a cap-and-invest system targeting polluters, not a direct gas tax on consumers. According to AAA, average gas prices in Washington are about $0.70 per gallon less than a year ago even though the climate law has been in effect since 2023. Oil companies have made no promises to lower gas prices if the CCA is repealed and I-2117 will not require them to do so. The real solution? Transitioning away from fossil fuels. 

Myth #2: CCA Won’t Reduce Emissions 

Fact: The CCA enforces caps on carbon emissions that steadily decrease, driving significant pollution reduction over time. It does this by providing incentives for businesses to invest in clean technology, such as electrifying transport. As time goes on, businesses must either find new ways to emit less and save money or buy carbon allowances from the state. The cap decreases over time to meet state emission goals, which are a 45 percent reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050. 

Myth #3: Repealing the CCA Will Help Washingtonians Save Money 

Fact:  In addition to losing our state’s most potent tool to reduce pollution and protect air and water quality, the repeal of I-2117 would hurt Washington residents in numerous other ways: rebates for energy-efficient heating and appliances would likely disappear; utility discounts for low-income households could be lost; and billions of dollars for transportation systems would disappear as Washington scrambles to keep up with road maintenance, bridge repairs, and a depleted ferry system. 

Myth #4: There Are No Tangible Results from CCA 

Fact: Revenue from the CCA provides vital funding to protect forests, restore salmon habitat, and increase the resiliency of both our natural and built environments. In FY25, according to the WA Office of Financial Management, the CCA will provide $76.5M for land conservation, $7.5M for forest health treatments, and $58.3M for salmon habitat restoration. The CCA also funds significant investments to reduce emissions and increase efficiency of our energy and transportation systems. If the CCA is repealed, all of that funding will be lost and the good work it supports across the state will be substantially set back, even as the threats of a warming climate continue to mount. 

Myth #5: The Climate Commitment Act is Bad for Agriculture 

Fact: Millions of dollars generated by its carbon emissions auctions have already been invested into priorities for agriculture. For example, the Sustainable Farms and Fields program at the Washington State Conservation Commission received $28 million to advance dairy digesters and climate-smart livestock practices. Moving forward, the CCA could play a key role in funding agricultural priorities in Washington’s climate resilience strategy, which include access to water for farmers, soil health, voluntary stewardship, agricultural viability, farmland protection, and food security.

The Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust has always worked in collaboration with the business community because we know that a robust economy depends on a healthy and resilient environment. More than 150 businesses, including Puget Sound Energy and bp America, agree that the CCA is a fair way for those who create pollution to pay for addressing the impacts of pollution in our communities. That is what the CCA is for.   

Now is the time for us to speak up through our professional networks, our social media platforms, and public outreach to advocate for the CCA and ensure Washington stays on a path toward climate resilience. Vote No on I-2117.