Seattle, WA – On July 30th 2019, a briefing was held before the Sustainability and Transportation committee on a proposed Green New Deal [GND] for Seattle.
Representatives from Mazaska Talks, Got Green and the Transit Rider’s Union, spoke to both the urgency of passing a GND for Seattle and to specific policies in the deal.
Matt Remle, co-founder of Mazaska Talks speaks to the urgency in passing a Green New Deal for Seattle.
On June 24th, the same coalition worked with Seattle City council member Mike O’Brien to solicit endorsement from all nine council members to support a grassroots community driven effort to pass a Green New Deal for Seattle.
Since then, a coalition of tribal, labor, environmental justice and grassroots community organizers have been meeting regularly to draft the specifics of a GND legislation.
Highlights from the briefing included spotlighting specific proposed policy in the legislation:
-
- Make Seattle free of all climate change pollutants by 2030
- Increased public transportation, making public transportation free for all riders
- Just transition programs for workers
- Implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent Policy to work with regional Tribal Nations
- Establishing Green Zones for communities already impacted by hazardous and toxic waste facilities
- Increased affordable housing
- Establish anti-displacement and gentrification policies
- Establish a GND advisory board that would ensure full implementation of the legislation
The Green New Deal is set to go before the Sustainability and Transportation committee for vote in early August if passed it will move on to full council for consideration
Watch full Green New Deal briefing here, starting at the 53:00 minute mark
LRInspire 