OLYMPIA, Wash. – Governor Jay Inslee (D) signed a clean energy bill in March which, among other things, incentivizes the development of electrical appliance infrastructure over natural gas. Gubernatorial candidate Dave Reichert (R) has joined conservative advocates in opposing the bill.
Initiative 2066 would roll back the clean energy bill’s electrification incentives and require every utility provider in Washington to provide natural gas to consumers.
Reichert has placed his support behind the initiative, which is led by the conservative policy group Let’s Go Washington.
“Looks like Initiative-2066 is going to make it on the ballot! There’s still time to send in your petitions. Let’s give consumers a choice when it comes to gas or electric!” Reichert said via social media.
Natural gas stoves became a political lightning-rod in March 2023 when the US Consumer Product Safety Commission requested scientific research about the potential health hazards of gas stove emissions.
Conservative media personalities slammed the move, with Fox News claiming “Biden’s green energy push could fry [the] power grid” in April.
Let’s Go Washington’s language echoed Fox’s, and named both the Democratic party and Inslee as opponents of the initiative.
“I-2066 is a pushback against one party rule in Olympia. It is a pushback against Jay Inslee and the majority party ignoring the will of the voters,” the organization’s founder Brian Heywood said.
Now that the signature campaign has met the requisite level of support to appear on the ballot, it is likely that voters will consider the initiative in November.
