A Crisis of Inaction: How Washington's Failure to Build is Hurting Workers and the Climate

While Washington’s leaders talk about being a national climate champion, a dangerous reality is unfolding on the ground: the state's inability to build clean energy is actively paving the way for Donald Trump and congressional republicans to put a nail in the coffin of climate progress.

For years, a pattern of obstructionism has stalled or killed major clean energy projects, from wind and solar farms to innovative facilities like the federal Hydrogen Hub. Labor leaders and industry experts warn that this constant gridlock has created an energy vacuum, leaving Washington without the power it needs to keep the lights on and the economy running.

The ironic result? To avoid energy shortages, the “climate leader state” will likely have to increase its reliance on new and existing natural gas facilities, dealing a blow to CETA compliance and carbon-free procurement goals. 

This crisis of inaction is happening at the worst possible time. As state lawmakers grapple with a bleak revenue forecast and a budget with no new money for essential services, Washington is simultaneously "choking out" billions in private investment. A growing list of lost opportunities—from green aluminum plants to data centers—represents not just stalled projects, but lost tax revenue that could fund our schools, roads, and social services while creating family-wage jobs.

While it has become politically convenient to blame the federal administration for these setbacks, the truth is that some of the roadblocks are homegrown. Permitting delays and regulatory uncertainty are state-level problems that demand state-level solutions.

The message from workers is clear: Washington's leaders must stop the blame game and take responsibility for their failure to build. Every stalled project not only costs family-wage jobs but also pushes our state further away from its compliance obligations under the law.