One Washington, two Chopps

July 28, 9:38 AMSeattle Public Policy ExaminerJohn Barnes

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State House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) wants it both ways.  In regards to hydroelectric power and I-937's renewable energy portfolio requirements, he told a crowd in Pasco:

Why it [hydropower] gets classified as not renewable is beyond me. ...

It clearly is renewable and why it isn't classified as such is absurd. ...

In California they can count our hydropower as renewable, but we can't count it here.  ...

The bone of contention is that Washington gets most of its electricity through clean, renewable hydropower, yet I-937's renewable portfolio requirements don't count it towards the madates.  At any rate, Chopp's comments sent environmentalists scrambling to find out if he had changed his position.  After a reassuring phone call, an environmental lobbyist sent out an email to supporters:

Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2009 12:02 PM
To: '<937defense@lists.onenw.org>'
Subject: FRANK CHOPP'S COMMENTS IN PRESS ON 937
Importance: High

Friends, by now many of you might have seen the below article that has been emailed around over the past day. Upon receiving it myself, I immediately forwarded it to Frank Chopp’s Chief of Staff to ask, "what gives?" Frank called me back immediately to personally let me know that his comments were completely misconstrued and taken out of context by this Tri Cities reporter (who apparently has a history of doing this sort of thing). Frank told me the following good news:   As during last session, he has no interest in repealing or decimating I-937. To the contrary;

- He does not support amending the Initiative to allow existing hydropower to count towards the standard, as this article suggests. He further recognizes that to do so, we could need a standard around 90%!;

- He agrees with and supports the policy goals in 937, primarily that its purpose was to build off our existing resource base and to develop new sources of energy in Washington State and benefit from the green jobs and economic development that comes with it;

- He has not shifted his position since session: He continues to have no interest in weakening I-937;

- He refutes the comments attributed to him in this story (including the reference to Nuclear power);

- He will be communicating all of this directly to Chair John McCoy (WCV’s Legislator of the Year, for those who haven’t yet heard that).

So, some good actually came out of this article: We have direct confirmation that Frank will continue to work with us constructively to find a resolution to all of this next session, should a bill have to move through the Legislature. Remember, it was the House that held strong for us throughout this mess and its our expectation that they will continue to do so.

Thanks!
Clifford

Now let's re-read some of Chopp's remarks verbatim:

Why it gets classified as not renewable is beyond me. ...

It clearly is renewable and why it isn't classified as such is absurd. ...

In California they can count our hydropower as renewable, but we can't count it here.  ...

Sounds like a classic case of a politician telling folks in Eastern Washington what they want to hear and then denying it to his supporters on the west side of the state.  That's hardly a way to bring about the "One Washington" that House Democrats pretend to want.