Fuse press conference, Sept. 9, 2008

Gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi claims his global warming plan is “the only serious proposal that would remove carbon from the air.”

A serious plan deserves serious review. That’s why Fuse, Washington Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club have conducted an emissions-focused analysis of Rossi’s approach to reduce the size of Washington’s carbon footprint. The analysis included only those components of the plan with substantial impacts on carbon dioxide emissions.

Our analysis was alarming. Far from Rossi’s assertion that his plan would remove millions of tons of carbon pollution from the air, the analysis found just the opposite. When you do the math, it shows Rossi’s global warming plan would in fact increase carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere in this state by more than 20 million tons.¹

What does 20 million tons look like? Picture 400,000 coal-carrying semi trucks stretched nose to tail across the nation twice – 4,968 miles from Seattle to Boston and back to Seattle again. Fill each truck to the brim with 50 tons of black fuel. Now add 335 miles more. Rossi’s proposed emissions addition looks like 400,000 coal trucks lined up for 5,303 miles.

That is the potential outcome of Rossi’s plan to reduce Washington’s global warming pollution. In the pages that follow, we evaluate the carbon emissions impacts of the key components of the Rossi plan, documenting the performance of a plan that would significantly increase our global warming pollution.

NOTE: Washington State law (SB 6001) requires the Governor to develop a plan that achieves the adopted goal of reducing Washington’s carbon dioxide emissions to 50% below 1990 levels by 2050. Although Governor Chris Gregoire has led the adoption and implementation of aggressive new strategies to reduce Washington’s global warming emissions, analyzing the results of her proposals is beyond the scope of this report.²

¹McGann, Chris. “Gregoire, Rossi battle for eco-credentials” Seattle Post Intelligencer. 26 May 2008.
² The Washington State Action Plan to Impact Climate Change and related policies developed during Gov. Christine Gregoire’s term can be found at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/gw/StatePolicyActions.nsf/exhibit?OpenForm&tier=0&state=Washington&type=state
The current recommendations of the Governor's Climate Advisory Team may be found at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/CATdocs/020708_InterimCATreport_final.pdf