September 16, 2022

ICYMI: League of Conservation voters releases new memo on why Tiffany Smiley would be an unacceptable roadblock to climate action

ICYMI: Smiley tells KIRO 7 climate change is “best solved at the local level” and attacks the popular Inflation Reduction Act, biggest climate action in U.S. history

Bill Arthur, Sierra Club: “Tiffany Smiley’s approach is like asking your neighbor to turn on their lawn sprinkler when your house is on fire. It doesn’t work” 

***Watch press call HERE***

(Seattle, WA) — Today, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz joined prominent local and national climate leaders on a press call slamming MAGA Republican candidate Tiffany Smiley’s recently-announced position that climate change is “best solved at the local level” rather than with any sort of coordinated federal action. The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released a new memo in response to Smiley’s outrageous comments, outlining why Tiffany Smiley is bad for Washington families and the climate. 

Smiley has also come out strongly opposed to the recently-passed Inflation Reduction Act — the biggest step to combat the climate crisis in U.S. history — which will reduce carbon pollution by 40 percent by 2030 by investing in clean technologies and expanding clean energy tax credits. Video of today’s press call is available HERE.

“More than ever, we need an all-hands, all-lands approach to addressing climate change,” said Washington state Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “We need all our state, local, federal resources to respond to our rapidly-changing climate and to truly change the current trajectory we’re on. When you think about the far-reaching nature of this climate challenge, no one state, no one city alone can turn the corner on it. We need effective federal policy and investments to achieve the deep, long-term reductions in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and to help strengthen the climate resilience across the U.S. economy down at every single level, local and state.”

“Tiffany Smiley has shown once again she is out-of-touch with the issues that Washingtonians care about and is unqualified to represent the Evergreen State in the U.S. Senate,” said Sara Chieffo, Vice President of Government Affairs at LCV Action Fund. “We all know that climate change is the greatest existential crisis facing our country and our world, and we need elected leaders who will fight like hell to bring the full weight of both the public and private sectors to address it. We must act, and we must act now, at the local, national and international levels to achieve climate justice for all communities. Thankfully, Washington State already has a climate and environmental justice champion who understands this in Senator Patty Murray and LCV Action Fund is all-in to help her win this November.”

“As communities across the state face dangerous wildfires and hazardous smokey skies, Washingtonians need bold climate solutions from their elected leaders at every level, including the federal government,” said Jamal Raad, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Evergreen Action. “But Tiffany Smiley says that she’d prefer to leave Washington communities high and dry as they contend with the defining crisis of our era. That’s not only foolish, it’s downright dangerous.”

“Global warming is a crisis that affects everyone. It demands an all hands on deck all-of-government-response,” said Bill Arthur, Vice Chair, Conservation Committee, Washington Chapter, Sierra Club. “Wildfires are getting worse, snowpacks diminished — impacting rivers, water supply, fisheries and farms. The Inflation Reduction Act provides a substantial down payment to put in place the scale of action that is needed. It will provide good jobs and build the economy of the future. We deeply appreciate Senator Murray’s leadership and good work in securing this important legislation. Tiffany Smiley’s approach is like asking your neighbor to turn on their lawn sprinkler when your house is on fire. It doesn’t work.”

“You will not find a credible scientist or climate expert in the world who thinks climate change is best solved at the local level,” said Washington Democratic Party spokesperson Caitlin Harrington. “Tiffany Smiley is dead wrong. While Tiffany Smiley will stand with Mitch McConnell and MAGA Republicans to block climate action, Patty Murray just helped pass the biggest climate bill in history. The choice before Washingtonians could not be more clear.” 

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