Let’s Go Washington, a conservative political action committee, lowered the price of gas to $3.19 a gallon at a Vancouver Chevron gas station for two hours Friday morning.
The group has hosted similar events across the state in recent weeks to demonstrate the impacts of Washington’s Climate Commitment Act on gas prices and drum up support for passing Initiative 2117, which would repeal the act.
“We’ve seen no measurable impacts from CCA,” said Hallie Balch, director of communications for Let’s Go Washington. “It’s billions of dollars being raked in by this program, and it’s off the backs of commuters, off the backs of the working class, off the backs of normal people.”
After several failed attempts, the Washington Legislature passed the Climate Commitment Act in 2021. The act sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 95 percent by 2050 and established the state’s cap-and-invest system, which limited the amount of greenhouse gases businesses can produce. If they can’t stay under the limit, they have to give the state money, which goes toward climate initiatives across the state.
Although both sides of the issue seem to agree the act has contributed to an increase in gas prices, it’s unclear just how much. Washington historically has had high gas prices. But between 2020 and 2024, the average price of gas rose about $1.50 a gallon in the state, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Let’s Go Washington argues the impact is 50 cents per gallon, while Clean and Prosperous Institute (a nonprofit and subsidiary of the Washington Business Alliance Fund) estimates about 25 cents a gallon for 2023 gas prices.
Clark County resident Don Steinke, a volunteer for the campaign against I-2117 and local climate activist, said the events are misleading because the initiative does not guarantee lower gas prices.
“Let’s Go Washington is funded by wealthy Republicans that don’t want to help pay for public benefits. … The Republican Party couldn’t defeat this in the Legislature, and so they’re trying to defeat it at the ballot box,” Steinke said.
Price of gas
The gas station at 2517 N.E. Andresen Road is right along a major road and directly next to a church that sometimes serves as a homeless shelter.
DeAnna Hathaway was one of the first people to fill up her gas tank at the event. Her toddler grandson, whom she raises, sat in a car seat. The price of gas has made paying for a babysitter for him while she works the night shift at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center difficult, she said.
“It’s like, you don’t get to go anywhere. You have to stay home. It takes away from your food. It’s crazy,” she said.
Jamie Navarro filled up her tank with the reduced-priced gas at a different pump. The price of gas in recent years has made buying food and picking up her grandson from day care harder, she said.
Gas companies and politicians are taking advantage of people who have no choice but to accept high gas prices, Navarro said. She plans to move to Florida soon where her daughter and mother live, in part, because of cheaper gas.
“My daughter can fill her tank up for $25, and my tank here is like $70,” she said.
Both Hathaway and Navarro said they’ll vote in favor of the initiative and hope it will lower gas prices.
“We’ve had people telling us, ‘We are going grocery shopping today. This means we can get more of our groceries. We’re taking our kids back to school shopping,’” Balch said. “This means they can get a few more items that they need.”
The events have experienced pushback from environmental activists and Defend Washington, an advocacy group formed to combat Let’s Go Washington.
Defend Washington filed a complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission on Aug. 15 alleging the events offering cheaper gas violated the state’s anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws. Lawyers accuse Let’s Go Washington of buying support rather than winning it, according to The Spokesman-Review.
Let’s Go Washington argues the discounts are only meant to raise awareness and are not in exchange for votes. Balch said some people told her they were against the initiative but still accepted the discounted gas.
“Anybody can come. We’re lowering the price for everybody. … This is like the least bribe thing we could do,” Balch said at the event.
Worth the cost?
Since the Climate Commitment Act went into effect in January 2023, gas prices in Washington have risen about 22 cents per gallon (as of August). However, gas prices are about 89 cents a gallon cheaper on average than this time last year in Washington, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Many factors went into the overall increase in gas over the past few years, including war and the pandemic, said Mark Prentice, spokesman for No On I-2117.
If the initiative passes, projects in Clark County will lose funding, he said. For example, the city of Vancouver received about $1 million in Climate Commitment Act funds in April for energy-efficiency upgrades in affordable housing.
Statewide, most of the funding from the Climate Commitment Act has gone toward transportation (including free transit for minors), improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety, and making buildings more energy-efficient.
“Initiative 2117 is a deceptive initiative that does nothing to guarantee lower costs. What it does guarantee for the region is guarantee more pollution and more traffic,” Prentice said.
Let’s Go Washington argues that Washington residents aren’t getting enough bang for their buck. Environmental advocates say it will take time to see the effects of the programs, but investing in clean energy will save residents money in the long run.
In March, Gov. Jay Inslee released a breakdown of how $3.2 billion in Climate Commitment Act Funds will be spent between 2023 and 2025.
Washington voters will decide the fate of the Climate Commitment Act on Nov. 5.
