Episode 1896
The People Have Spoken: Defending Natural Gas in Washington
A significant legal battle is unfolding in Washington State as the newly approved Initiative 2066, which protects the use of natural gas as an energy source, faces opposition from local government officials. Despite nearly 2 million residents voting to support this initiative, climate advocates and city leaders have filed a lawsuit to overturn the will of the voters. Host Eric G. discusses the implications of this conflict, highlighting the disconnect between the elected officials and the constituents they represent. As the state grapples with energy transition concerns, many residents fear rising utility costs and the potential loss of access to reliable natural gas. Tune in as Eric G. reflects on the importance of listening to voter sentiment and the future of energy policy in Washington.
A significant legal battle is unfolding in Washington State regarding Initiative 2066, which protects the use of natural gas as an energy resource. With nearly two million residents voting in favor of this initiative, the episode highlights the clash between the democratic process and governmental authority, as local officials in King County and Seattle attempt to block the will of the voters through legal action. Eric G. provides an in-depth analysis of this conflict, emphasizing the implications for residents who rely on natural gas for essential services and the potential increase in costs that could arise from the push to eliminate it.
Throughout the episode, Eric articulates the concerns of Washington residents who fear that the actions taken by their elected leaders will disregard their needs in favor of broader environmental goals. He points out that while transitioning to cleaner energy sources is essential, it should not come at the expense of those who depend on natural gas for heating and cooking. This nuanced discussion invites listeners to consider the complexities of energy policy and the role of public opinion in shaping legislation. Eric's commentary sheds light on the challenges faced by voters when their choices are undermined by those in power.
As listeners navigate this complex landscape, Eric encourages them to remain active participants in the democratic process. He underscores the importance of holding elected officials accountable for their actions, particularly when those actions conflict with the electorate's desires. The episode serves as both an informative update on a pressing issue and a rallying cry for civic engagement, reminding listeners that their voices matter in the ongoing discourse surrounding energy policy and governance in Washington State.
Takeaways:
- Washington State voters approved Initiative 2066 to protect natural gas usage in homes.
- There is ongoing legal action against the voter-approved law by climate advocates and local officials.
- Governor Jay Inslee and Seattle leadership oppose the initiative, claiming it is overly broad.
- The situation reflects a larger issue of urban versus rural perspectives in policy-making.
- Many residents fear rising energy costs if natural gas is phased out too quickly.
- The podcast encourages listeners to stay informed about legislative changes impacting their energy sources.
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Transcript
It's around the House.
Speaker A:When it comes to remodeling and renovating your home, there is a lot to know, but we've got you covered.
Speaker A:This is around the House.
Eric G.:Welcome to the Round the House show, the next generation of home improvement.
Eric G.:I'm Eric G.
Eric G.:Welcome to our midweek update.
Eric G.:Merry Christmas everybody.
Eric G.:Happy Hanukkah.
Eric G.:Whatever you believe in out there.
Eric G.:It is Christmas Eve a day early for our midweek because I'm not going to be doing this on Christmas morning.
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Eric G.:By the way, we do have a great show coming up this weekend.
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Eric G.:So who doesn't like that?
Eric G.:Today I wanted to talk about a battle that's going on up in Washington state, not where I live, but close by.
Eric G.:And the voters this last election did something surprising for Washington.
Eric G.:They stood up for themselves and said, no, you're not going to legislate that out of us.
Eric G.:What am I talking about?
Eric G.: s voted to approve Initiative: Eric G.:This month's climate advocates joined by King county, which is the county around Seattle, and the city of Seattle filed suit in court to block the will of those voters.
Eric G.:So here's what's been happening is they've been banning natural gas and new developments and people said, hey, no, we've had enough of it.
Eric G.:And Washington state has a great initiative system where the voters can stand up and say we don't like what government's doing we're going to change the law.
Eric G.:And you know something?
Eric G.:Those people in King county and the governor love to try to go around that and beat that back down again.
Eric G.:It's been happening for decades in Washington.
Eric G.:Somehow they keep voting for the same people.
Eric G.:But that's not my problem.
Eric G.:I'm not a Washington voter.
Eric G.:So the votes, the courts are gonna have a final say.
Eric G.:But Governor Jay Ins and Democratic legislative leaders support killing off what they see as misguided and overly broad initiative.
Eric G.:So they are trying to ban natural gas and the people of the state are saying, no, you don't get to do that.
Eric G.:And now we're going to see some battles.
Eric G.:So their view brushes aside the concerns of the majority of state voters.
Eric G.:Those leaders fail to see a genuine fear that of course during this clean energy transition that their rates are going to go up, which they have been.
Eric G.:A lot of people rely on that natural gas.
Eric G.:They have natural gas furnaces.
Eric G.:They have all the things, gas ranges, gas dryers, gas furnaces, all those things.
Eric G.:So they are really trying to battle that out.
Eric G.:And it's gonna be interesting to see how this plays out, the lessons of this fall's election.
Eric G.:Guess what happens.
Eric G.:They're not paying attention to that.
Eric G.:They are slow to the thing in, in Washington.
Eric G.:So King county is basically sticking the middle finger up at the rest of the voters of Washington saying we know better, you stupid idiots.
Eric G.:And so we'll see what happens with this.
Eric G.:It's interesting.
Eric G.:Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pederson, Democrat Seattle, said the voters were in sync with recently enacted policies.
Eric G.:A cap and trade market for polluters, payroll deduction for long term care and capital gains tax.
Eric G.:But they think that they know better.
Eric G.:So it's going to be interesting to see this.
Eric G.:The voters were smart because they voted for the things that they wanted.
Eric G.:But then they're dumb because guess what?
Eric G.:They didn't.
Eric G.:So be very careful.
Eric G.:I've seen something here now work.
Eric G.:And I think it's really important for people out there that are trying to protect their natural gas.
Eric G.:And I think the important thing to hear, to see is that even if you voted in, make sure it's gonna withstand, do your due diligence to make sure that it's gonna withstand the courts because those people that you've elected in are gonna vote against what the will of the people want.
Eric G.:So now we need to close this loop for all of the people out there.
Eric G.:If they're voting against this and saying, hey, we're gonna file suit against your will, the people should start paying attention to who these people are, maybe think twice about electing them back in again.
Eric G.:But the problem that we have is that on some of these west coast states is you have one population center, which is King county, and then you have the rest of the state that basically gets to abide by what they think over there.
Eric G.:So it's a battle and it's an unfortunate situation because you have so many square miles voting for the entire state.
Eric G.:And that does happen there in the state of Washington just like it does in Oregon.
Eric G.:So this is something that happens over here, which is why you're seeing many parts of the states, Washington, Oregon, the eastern side of those states, are trying to join into Idaho and become a larger state because they don't want anything to do with the larger metropolitan areas.
Eric G.:So don't want to get into politics today.
Eric G.:But they are trying to protect their natural gas rates and I like them for it because there's room for both out there.
Eric G.:I think competition between the electrical provider and a natural gas provider is what keeps everybody honest.
Eric G.:And I think that also keeps it from being monopoly where those electricity rates or those natural gas rates can get very, very expensive.
Eric G.: e out Everybody on Initiative: Eric G.:So we'll see what happens here with the new governor that comes in.
Eric G.:If that changes.
Eric G.:I don't think it will cause Bob Ferguson is just another Jay Inslee and I think that's going to be an interesting one.
Eric G.:The good news is though, people like the Seattle Times editorial board and people like that are actually supporting the will of the people.
Eric G.:That's a nice change up there.
Eric G.:So I wish the people of Washington state luck up there and maybe natural gas isn't something that's going to go forever, but it should be there as they transition into cleaner energy, which is them building nuclear plants on the eastern side of the state.
Eric G.:We'll see what happens with that.
Eric G.:All right everybody, I'm going to keep this short.
Eric G.:We got a great show coming up.
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Eric G.:We've got some great interviews coming up here in the future as well.
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Eric G.:Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah.
Eric G.:From all of us here at around the house, we'll see you.
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