Initiatives 2066 and 2117 are closely linked, but polls and endorsements diverge.

Two of the four measures on Washington state's ballots this fall, Initiatives 2066 and 2117, take aim at the state's climate policies. I-2117, the better known of the two, would repeal the state's cap-and-invest law, the Climate Commitment Act. I-2066 would restrict Washington's ability to decarbonize buildings, the state's second highest emitting sector.

Yet support for the two initiatives diverges. Roughly 44 percent of respondents indicated they would approve I-2066 compared to just 30 percent who said they would approve I-2117, according to an October Seattle Times poll. Roughly a quarter of respondents were undecided on each measure. And some media outlets, such as the Seattle Times, recommend Washingtonians split their votes: approving I-2066, while rejecting I-2117. (In case you missed it, I fact-checked the Seattle Times editorial board's misleading and mistake-laden "yes" endorsement of I-2066).

Contrary to what the divergent polling and endorsements suggest, I-2066 and I-2117 are closely interconnected. So, too, are the underlying climate policies they would roll back.

Sightline does not support or oppose any 2024 ballot initiatives. But we do endorse clear thinking and consistent reasoning. And in this case, a split vote is inconsistent. Here's why:

Recap: What are I-2117 and I-2066?

I-2117 would repeal the Climate Commitment Act, Washington's landmark cap-and-invest law, and prohibit the state from enacting another similar policy in its stead. The Climate Commitment Act, which Washington elected officials passed in 2021, sets a declining limit on carbon pollution for the state's biggest emitters. The law has so far raised more than $2 billion for climate- and community-friendly projects in Washington since it went into effect in January 2023. Here's my detailed explainer of the Climate Commitment Act.

I-2066 takes aim at Washington's efforts to decarbonize buildings, the state's second highest emitting sector. It does this in two big ways. First, I-2066 would repeal numerous sections of a 2024 state law (HB 1589) that requires Washington's biggest utility, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), to develop a plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I-2066 specifically would get rid of a requirement that PSE create a plan for cost-effective electrification (e.g., swapping out gas-fired furnaces for high-efficiency electric heat pumps). Second, I-2066 would add preemptive restrictions on Washington cities, towns, and state agencies, making it harder to incentivize buildings in the state to transition away from burning gas and toward using clean electricity and to move toward all-electric new construction. Here's my detailed explainer of I-2066.

The contradiction: Maintaining Washington's emissions cap, while repealing a policy that aims to curb emissions

PSE proposed relying heavily on buying additional allowances - and passing those costs on to customers - to comply with the Climate Commitment Act, rather than reducing its emissions by helping its customers transition from gas to electricity.

If the latest polling is indicative, voters could reject I-2117, thus keeping the Climate Commitment Act as state law. At the same time, voters could approve I-2066, which would make it harder for Washington's biggest utility to achieve the goals of the Climate Commitment Act. Let me explain why.

The Climate Commitment Act incentivizes all big polluters in Washington, including utilities like PSE, to reduce their carbon pollution to levels consistent with the state's greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements. Gas utilities receive a set number of emissions allowances every year, each worth one metric ton of carbon pollution. Utilities receive fewer allowances each year proportional to the statewide emissions cap set by the Climate Commitment Act. (Washington provides utilities with free allowances to mitigate the cost of compliance with the Climate ...