East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

OLYMPIA–When the 2021 legislative session begins January 11, Rep. Mary Dye, R-Pomeroy, will lead the House Environment and Energy Committee for the state House Republicans. Committee assignments were released Friday in Olympia.

The committee considers issues relating to the State Environmental Policy Act, the Growth Management Act, the Shoreline Management Act, air quality, aquatic lands, oil spill prevention, recycling and solid waste, hazardous waste, toxics, and climate change. It also considers issues related to renewable energy standards and energy availability, production and conservation, and oversees the Puget Sound Partnership's activities in Puget Sound and Hood Canal.

Dye has served as assistant ranking member on the committee, but now becomes ranking Republican in this leadership position.

"The governor's climate policy package will be among issues we expect to debate in this committee. I'm very concerned of how it would implement a massive regulatory program that demonizes employers as corporate polluters. It would also be costly for Washington families and mean fewer jobs during a time of high unemployment and rising uncertainty," noted Dye. "Washington is a climate leader. We should emphasize our strength and build upon it. I believe a better approach is to use new and innovative ideas that partner with our leading companies through incentives to achieve the same results."

"Climate change is a global problem with major contributions from foreign nations," she added. "The state can better prioritize its resources addressing the unsatisfactory conditions in our waters and forests, and the pollution created by our cities."

The 9th District lawmaker will also continue to serve on the House Appropriations and Capital Budget committees.

The Appropriations Committee considers the operating budget bill and related legislation, budget processes, and fiscal issues such as pension policy and compensation. The Capital Budget Committee considers the state capital budget which approves money in the state capital budget for the construction and repair of public buildings and for other long-term investments, such as land acquisitions and transfers.

"Every dollar spent by these committees is a dollar first earned by the taxpayers of the state of Washington. I will continue to work for efficiencies so we get the most out of every tax dollar spent in the state operating budget," said Dye. "I will also be working to bring our tax dollars back home to the 9th District in the form of vital infrastructure from the capital construction budget, which in turn will create more local jobs."

The 2021 legislative session is scheduled for 105 days and will largely be conducted remotely due to COVID-19.