Rep. Ramel | Seeing Legislative funding in our community & addressing climate change

||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. ALEX RAMEL |||

I hope your August is off to a great start! It is an honor and a privilege to serve and advocate for our community’s interests. Last month, I was able to spend a significant amount of time with local service providers and stakeholders working to improve our community.

Rep. Ramel touring the construction site of the Mt. Vernon Library Commons.

One visit I found especially meaningful was at the Anacortes Family Center’s Landing Apartments & Discovery Center (early learning in partnership with Skagit Boys & Girls Club), which received $300,000 in legislative funding, plus another $100,000 for the Boys and Girls Club. This project will provide 37 additional slots for childcare, and 40 units of housing for individuals living at 30-50% of the annual median income (AMI). At another stop, I was able to visit with leaders from the Samish Tribe and learn about a building that houses essential Samish government services, known as the Cannery building. Unfortunately, their 40-stall parking lot and sidewalk areas are needing a severe amount of repair, so the legislature allocated $110,000 for an engineering review to sustainably rehabilitate the area and prevent future degradation. We also toured a cottage housing project with the Samish nation and discussed their partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Recreation and Conservation Office to research new designs for the Tommy Thompson trestle in Anacortes. We agreed that the ultimate goal should be to restore the area to its original saltmarsh design.

I also met with the City of Mount Vernon, which received $2 million from the 2023 state transportation budget to support the Mount Vernon Library Commons Project. The new Library Commons will provide a diverse range of programming and services, including literacy programs for children, STEM training, and resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs. When the project is completed, our community will also have 270 structured parking stalls with 75 public electric vehicle stations, a regional park and ride location, and flyer transit stop less than 1000 feet from I-5!

These are just a few examples of the visits I’ve made in the district. I’ve also spent time with local law enforcement and outreach agencies, other housing providers, and have been taking meetings with our local students, school superintendents, and school board members.

A Closer Look: Climate Change

As many of us spend more time in the outdoors this month and enjoy the warm weather, it is important to reflect on an increasingly severe reality for our state – extreme heat and wildfire smoke. Last month, our planet experienced the 3 hottest days on record – consecutively. The wildfire at Sourdough Mountain near the North Cascades Institute is another stark reminder. We know that these trends are driven by pollution from fossil fuels and that they are not sustainable for our agricultural industry, wildlife, public health, and our economy.

During the last few legislative sessions, we’ve passed important funding to turn the tide on climate change including:

• $163 million for building upgrades including heat pumps and other high efficiency .
• $120 million for statewide electrification of commercial vehicle infrastructure.
• $60 million for Western Washington University’s (WWU) Science and Engineering Building which will receive a LEED platinum rating and serve as a hub for education around energy science, and net energy neutral building.
• $406 million of Climate Commitment Act dollars is being invested in climate planning and response.

But, much more work remains to be done. For example, we know the biggest bottle neck in clean energy deployment is going to be building the workforce, so utilizing WWU to help meet that challenge is an important step in turning the tide of climate change.

A three-dimensional rendering of Kaiser Borsari Hall Building courtesy of WWU.

It is important to keep oil corporations accountable, especially given the fact that they were aware of the climate impacts of fossil fuels and chose to sow doubt in climate change instead. They are still trying to pass the buck and blame everyone else for problems we know they are responsible for. We can’t let unfair gas price gouging divide us on the meaningful progress we’ve made on addressing climate change via the Climate Commitment Act.

I am excited to return to Olympia next January to pass House Bill 1391 creating a statewide building energy upgrade navigator. We’re spending this summer and fall learning and sharing ideas about how to effectively implement a program to help as many people as possible access federal resources and implement clean energy upgrades on their home or business. 

WA State Ferry Passenger Demographic Survey

Washington State Ferries (WSF) is conducting a passenger demographics study to learn more about the communities they serve. For many of you, using our ferry transportation system is a daily or weekly part of your life. WSF has online surveys in both English and Spanish. The last day to provide your feedback is Thursday August 31^st. Here is the link: www.wsf23.com.

Staying In Touch

Our beautiful corner of the state is home to world class views of the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands, British Columbia, and the Cascades. But where we really shine is in our commitment to stay civically engaged and improve our community year after year. I encourage you to share your perspectives with me, review the recent mailer from Senator Lovelett, Rep Lekanoff and myself, and to follow me on Facebook. Thank you for all you do!