Climate advocates are challenging a voter-approved measure that blocks Washington state from banning natural gas in buildings.
A coalition of health and environmental groups, along with the city of Seattle and King County, filed a lawsuit this week arguing that Initiative 2066 violates the state’s Constitution. The ballot initiative effectively bans gas bans by state and local governments, but environmentalists say Washington currently has no such bans in place.
The suit filed in King County Superior Court against the state asserts that voters were misled about the “true nature” and sweeping effect of the initiative, which narrowly passed last month. It also argues that the measure violated a requirement that proposed initiatives address only a single subject and that it failed to spell out each state law that it would alter.
“Let’s be clear: this Initiative is unconstitutional and will affect regulations that protect our air, protect public health, ensure building safety, and respond to the realities of climate change,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell.
