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| | | Emission Reduction, Burn Bans, and Rabid Bats | Governor Ferguson’s office is under scrutiny for not only overestimating how much a major climate initiative would cut emissions, but also for not issuing a correction for several weeks despite knowing the numbers were wrong. [AXIOS] | - History: The Climate Commitment Act (CCA) caps and reduces greenhouse gas emissions from Washington’s largest emitters. It's meant to help reduce emissions by 95% before 2050. In November 2025, the state reported that the cap-and-trade program had cut about 8.6 million metric tons of emissions. However, late last year the Ecology Department realized they’d made a mistake based on incorrect Department of Commerce data and wanted to issue a correction, but that correction was held up by the governor’s office and wasn’t released until January 6, 2026. A longer correction was reported in March.
- Burns: The report of inaccurate information comes at a perilous time in Washington, as fires continue to burn across the state and a Red Flag warning was issued for the Cascades and Olympia.
- Bans: Locally, King County has issued a Stage 2 burn ban, which means no burns at Golden Gardens and Alki. You can still use a gas and charcoal grill at home, or natural gas and patio appliances, but please be safe. Douse any coals you use, and place them in a regular trash can once they cool fully.
- Bats: You’ve probably heard stories of rabid bats being in close proximity to humans this summer, including this most recent story when a bat swooped down at a person and subsequently tested positive for rabies. Well, bats feel the effects of climate change too, according to this study from Bat Conservation International, and a large part of it is habitat loss.
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| What Seattle’s Talking About |
| 👮 Interim chief says ‘this is a place I chose to come to.’: Erica C. Barnett has an interview with interim police chief Andre Sayles about taking over for Shon Barnes, policing a big city, budget issues, LGBTQ issues, and more over at PubliCola. In the interview, Sayles speaks of wanting to be more involved in the community and work closely with the mayor and the CARE department. | | 💵 Millionaires tax projections increase: The number of people paying the proposed ‘millionaires tax’ will be higher than expected, producing hundreds of millions of dollars more than initially projected. The number has been revised upward from $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion. This assumes that voters don’t do away with the tax by voting ‘yes’ on Initiative 645 this fall. [Washington State Standard] | | | 🧊 Hunger strike at ICE facility: Over 140 immigrants currently held at Tacoma’s Northwest Detention Center have gone on strike to demand healthier food and medical attention for diabetes and other issues of inhumane treatment at the GEO Group’s facility. [Through the Static] |
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MOHAI will be hosting a memorial for beloved Seattle historian Paul Dorpat later this summer. Sounds like a great event for a figure that so many loved. |
| — Liam | Ashley Smith edited City Cast Seattle this week. |
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