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Fate of Washington state's Cap and Invest Program rests on voters ahead of November ballot

The program charges polluters in the state in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.

SPOKANE, Wash. — It looks like Washington voters may decide the fate of the state's Cap and Invest program. The Secretary of State said an initiative that would ban such programs has enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

KREM 2 has been reporting on the impacts of the Climate Commitment Act for more than a year now. The program charges polluters in the state in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.

Carbon auctions raised $1.8 billion last year. However, critics said consumers end up footing the bill as oil companies pass on the extra costs to drivers at the gas pump.

When KREM 2 interviewed the implementation manager for the CCA in November, he said they estimate that the law it's driven up gas prices roughly 25 to 27 cents per gallon.  

However, other experts think the impact is even greater, possibly as much as 40 cents per gallon. Last week, Gov. Inslee defended the program, saying he won't allow the state to go backward on climate policy.

"Any delay would be a betrayal of our children's future," Inslee said. "We are now on the razor's edge between promise and peril."

Lawmakers are expected to discuss some changes to the Climate Commitment Act during their current session. However, it's highly unlikely that they would repeal the program.

That means voters would end up with the final say in November.

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