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Lawmakers urge tighter targeting of Climate Commitment Act revenue and debate equity concerns
Summary
Panelists agreed the Climate Commitment Act will remain in force and urged tighter targeting of revenue to projects that demonstrably reduce carbon while also addressing potential regressive impacts on working households.
Legislators at a WFPA panel agreed the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) is now a settled policy for the near term but debated how its revenues should be allocated to deliver measurable carbon reductions and avoid unfair burdens on working households.
"If we're going to have this program, we need to make it work as described and as intended," said Senator John Braun, urging accountability for outcomes and cautious use of funds. He said past spending rounds sometimes funded projects that were only tangentially related to carbon reduction.
Representative Larry Springer, a House Democrat who helped craft legislation around land and natural‑resource tools, said CCA revenues "need to be targeted to those activities, industries, that actually will reduce carbon," including forest sequestration on state lands and DNR programs designed to sequester carbon.
Senator Sharon Shoemake emphasized that green‑economy investments must create visible community benefits and jobs, particularly in rural districts: "That we are putting jobs in rural districts. That we are creating new opportunities that weren't there." She framed investment choices as both climate and economic development policy.
Representative Drew Stokesberry warned the current structure can be regressive for people who cannot reduce driving for economic reasons. "It is punishing these working class people that can't afford to drive less," he said, and urged using CCA proceeds to offset adverse impacts and expand access to green choices.
Panelists discussed technical features such as potential linkage with California and Quebec markets to reduce credit costs, and feasibility issues for electrifying long‑haul trucking. Representative Springer said some credit prices may be too high now but expressed hope linkage could lower costs and that CCA funds should not be diverted to unrelated budget shortfalls.
There were no legislative actions taken at the panel. Lawmakers said they will bring these priorities into committee work and caucus planning before the January session.
