Alliance members are working to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius by reducing emissions, accelerating action, centering equity, and tracking progress. 

Explore Washington's policies and actions across the Alliance's 10 key policy areas. Numbers presented below only reflect the number of policies in this database and thus may not reflect all climate policies pursued.

washington

GHG Targets + Governance

Just Transition + Equity

Industry

Pricing Carbon + Valuing Damages

Electricity

Transportation

Resilience

Natural + Working Lands

Climate Finance

Buildings

total

HB 2042, Green Transportation Adoption

Provides a retail sales and use tax exemption on sales and leases of certain clean alternative fuel vehicles and certain plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose through the 2023-25 biennium, the WSDOT Innovative Partnership Office is required to develop a grant pilot program to support clean alternative fuel car sharing programs that provide alternative fuel vehicle use opportunities to underserved communities and low- to moderate-income members of the workforce not readily served by transit or located in transportation corridors with emissions that exceed federal or state emissions standards. Nonprofit organizations or local governments, including housing authorities, with a demonstrated history of managing or implementing low-income transportation electric and shared mobility pilot programs are eligible to participate in the pilot program.

Green Transportation Capital grants provide funding to transit agencies for cost-effective capital projects that reduce the carbon intensity of the Washington transportation system.

This grant is supported by state funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA) (76.7 percent). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health.

Vehicles, equipment, and zero-emission transition plan applications must be two-year projects only. Construction projects may be two or four years.

Capital projects and related expenditures may include:

- Electrification of transit vehicle fleets, including battery and fuel cell operated electric vehicles.
- Updating or modifying facilities for fleet electrification and/or hydrogen refueling infrastructure.
- New facilities that directly and primarily support fleet electrification.
- Construction of charging and fueling stations to support transit fleet electrification.
- Necessary upgrades to electrical transmission and distribution systems.
- In-house staff directly managing a capital construction project.
- Acquisition of property rights for capital projects.
- Zero-emission fleet transition planning activities may also be an eligible project (contingent upon legislative appropriation of funding).

Green Transportation Capital Grant Program

The Zero-emissions Access Program grant provides funding for zero-emission carshare pilot programs. ZAP grants fund carshare pilot programs in underserved and low- to moderate-income communities that have limited access to public transportation or are in areas where emissions exceed state or federal standards.

The ZAP grant’s goal is to expand access to clean-fuel transportation options and provide opportunities for zero-emission carshare programs in underserved communities where access to public transportation is less available.

Zero-Emissions Access Program (ZAP) Grant

On August 1, 2019, Washington State reinstated the sales and use tax exemption for the sales of:
- Vehicles powered by a clean alternative fuel.
- Certain plug-in hybrids.

The exemption applies to dealer and private sales of new, used, and leased vehicles sold on or after August 1, 2019.
- New vehicle transactions must not exceed $45,000 in purchase price or lease payments.
- Used vehicles transactions must not exceed $30,000 in fair market value or lease payments.

These thresholds may also include the value of your trade-in, if applicable.

Clean Alternative Fuel and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Exemption

transportation

Multistate MOU to Accelerate Zero-Emission Residential Buildings

Washington State Department of Commerce joined a Multistate Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate the transition to zero-emission residential buildings. Washington joins California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia in signing the agreement, which sets a shared goal for heat pumps to meet at least 65% of residential-scale heating, air conditioning, and water heating sales by 2030 and 90% by 2040 across the participating states. The agreement, initiated in February 2024 by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), builds on a 2023 commitment by U.S. Climate Alliance member states and territories to collectively quadruple heat pump installations by 2030.

Reporting of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases

Washington’s WAC 173-441, updated in 2022 under the Climate Commitment Act, mandates that facilities, fuel suppliers, and electric power entities emitting (or supplying fuel that would emit) at least 10,000 metric tons CO₂e/year must register with the Department of Ecology, report annual GHG emissions (including CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, fluorinated gases, and biogenic sources), and maintain recordkeeping and verification. It replaces the prior transportation fuel-supplier program and aligns reporting rules with the state’s new cap-and-invest regime, adding new administrative provisions (e.g. fees, deadlines) and clarifications for emissions accounting, confidentiality, and alternative methods.

SB 5184

A city, including code cities, or county may not require more than 0.5 parking space per multifamily dwelling unit or more than one parking space per single-family home.

A city or county may not require more than two parking spaces per 1000 square feet of commercial space. 

A city or county may not require any minimum parking requirements for:

- existing buildings undergoing change of use from a nonresidential to a residential use or a change of use for a commercial use;
- residences under 1200 square feet;
- commercial spaces under 3000 square feet;
- affordable housing;
- senior housing;
- child care facilities; and
- ground-level nonresidential spaces in mixed-use buildings.

SB 5974, Addressing Transportation Resources

The Climate Active Transportation Account (CATA) is created and the account, beginning July 1, 2023, will receive 24 percent of the revenues accruing each year under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Account. The account is allowed to retain its own interest. The allowable uses from the CATA are limited to:

- Safe Routes to Schools;
- School-Based Bike programs;
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Grants;
- The Complete Streets grant program;
- The Connecting Communities grant program; and
- Pedestrian and bicycle, or other active transportation projects identified in an omnibus transportation appropriations act.

The Climate Transit Programs Account (CTPA) is created in the state treasury and the account, beginning July 1, 2023, will receive 56 percent of the revenues accruing each year to the CERA. The account is allowed to retain its own interest. The allowable uses from CTPA are limited to:

- Transit Support grants;
- Tribal Transit Mobility grants;
- Transit Coordination grants;
- Special Needs Transit grants;
- Bus and Bus Facility grant program;
- Green transit grants;
- Transportation Demand Management grants; and
- transit projects identified in an omnibus transportation appropriations act.

The expenditures from the CATA and CTPA are made subject to the same environmental justice assessment and investment for vulnerable populations within overburdened communities requirements as other Climate Commitment Act funding.

The Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council is created, to be jointly led by Washington DOT (WSDOT) and the Department of Commerce. The Council must:

- develop a statewide electrification strategy to ensure readiness for all new vehicle sales;
- identify all electric vehicle infrastructure grant related funding;
- coordinate electric vehicle grant funding criteria across agency grant programs;
- develop a robust public and private outreach plan;
- create an industry electric vehicle advisory committee; and
- ensure grants, program, and activities benefit vulnerable and overburdened communities.

A target is established that all passenger and light duty vehicles of model year 2030 or later be electric vehicles, and requires the Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council to complete a scoping plan for achieving the 2030 target.

All state transportation projects starting design on or after July 1, 2022 that are $500,000 or more must incorporate principles of complete streets design. WSDOT must identify locations on state rights of way that have inadequate bicycle and pedestrian facilities, consult with local jurisdictions to confirm existing and planned active transportation connections for integration of the state route to the local network, and modify speed limits appropriate to roadway design and local context.

The Washington State Legislature established the Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program (SWCCP) to improve active transportation connectivity for people walking, biking and rolling along and across current and legacy state highways (RCW 47.04.380). 

This program serves communities with high equity needs. These are communities most affected by barriers to opportunity and environmental health disparities. Lawmakers named the program to honor Sandy Williams. Williams was a community leader in Spokane who advocated to reconnect her African American neighborhood after the construction of Interstate 90 through the city of Spokane split it in half.

Sandy Williams Connecting Communities Program

All state transportation projects starting design on or after July 1, 2022 that are $500,000 or more must incorporate principles of complete streets design. WSDOT must identify locations on state rights of way that have inadequate bicycle and pedestrian facilities, consult with local jurisdictions to confirm existing and planned active transportation connections for integration of the state route to the local network, and modify speed limits appropriate to roadway design and local context.

Complete Streets Design Requirements

The Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council (EV Council) was established in 2022 to enable state agencies to collaborate on accelerating electric vehicle adoption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. The EV Council includes members of 10 state agencies who play a central role in the statewide effort to transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Agency members coordinate on policy development, program implementation, and funding opportunities so that all Washington residents can enjoy the benefits of EVs.

Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council (EVCC)

Target of 100% light-duty vehicles sold, purchased, or registered in the state be electric vehicles.