Ferguson: Climate law pause is a no-go

By Bill Lucia | Editor

By Aspen Ford

In response to Gildon’s letter, a Ferguson spokesperson said that while the governor appreciates the senator’s “extremely broad interpretation of the governor’s authority, a more constructive way to address the dramatic recent increase in gas prices would be to contact the man responsible for that increase: President Trump.”

It’s not the first time the idea has come up in recent months. U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., called on Ferguson and Democratic legislative leaders in March to suspend the Climate Commitment Act to help curb fuel prices.

Leaders in other states have considered gas tax holidays. That idea, too, has failed to gain momentum here in Washington.

U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., is asking Nippon Dynawave Packaging to clarify if it will continue to pay its workers while its Longview facility is shut down due to last week’s deadly chemical tank incident.

“I was relieved to hear Nippon’s verbal commitment on May 27th that all employees will continue to receive compensation during the course of the investigation,” she wrote in a letter to the company’s president, Matt Peerboom. “Since then, Nippon has seemed to walk back that commitment, telling workers they’ll only be paid through June 7. I write to request written confirmation that all employees will continue to receive pay and benefits for the duration of the investigation and any resulting work stoppage.”

The mill employs about 550 people. Eleven workers died when a storage tank holding a corrosive chemical ruptured.

The company didn’t respond on Monday to a request for comment about the congresswoman’s letter.

A spokesman for the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers pointed to a statement the company issued May 29.

“Our primary focus remains on the safety, health, and financial stability of our employees during this incredibly challenging time. Leadership is continuously evaluating the site conditions alongside local and federal emergency responders. We will make an official determination regarding next steps and future operational scheduling on or before June 7th,” Nippon Dynawave told workers at that time.

The company added: “If you were scheduled to work but are unable to due to lack of work, and were instructed not to come in because of the recent white liquor incident, you will receive full compensation exactly as if you were on-site and working your scheduled shifts through at least June 7, 2026.”

“At this time, that written communication remains consistent with the conversations we have had directly with company officials,” said the union spokesperson, Josh Estes.

In our Saturday edition, we noted Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, who also chairs the state Republican Party, said he was considering a run for governor in 2028.

Later that day, Ferguson taunted Walsh for raising the idea. In doing so, he also indicated he wants to run for another term. “Jim, you’re a big talker, but we all know you won’t have the guts to actually take me on,” read Ferguson’s social media post.

Walsh responded by challenging Ferguson to a series of monthly debates between now and November 2028 on rotating policy topics.

“Let's give the people of Washington the chance to hear how two very different people approach issues that affect their lives. Do you have the guts to accept?” Walsh wrote.

The Standard reached out to Ferguson’s campaign operation to see what he had to say about Walsh’s debate proposal. Ferguson himself responded. The governor texted a photo of a reply he made in the comments to Walsh’s Facebook post.

"Hey ‘All-Talk Walsh’! Jump in the race and I will look forward to debates in 2028. But I’m not holding my breath. Until then — keep talking!” the comment said.

We replied to Ferguson’s text, asking if he’d be willing to debate Walsh once this year before the November election — specifically about the new income tax on millionaire earners. We offered to have the Standard organize and moderate. No response yet.

By Amanda Watford

The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent decision to downgrade the drug classification for medical cannabis will help medical marijuana businesses and allow new research to start up at state universities.

But the broader divide between federal and state marijuana policy remains largely intact, leaving a fragmented regulatory landscape.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is set to hold its first hearing at the end of June on the possible descheduling of marijuana broadly, which would include recreational or adult-use cannabis. Until then, some experts say little is expected to change for the more than half of states with medical or recreational marijuana programs.

“In some ways, the federal government is following the states on this issue,” said Katharine Neill Harris, a drug policy fellow at Rice University.

ICYMI

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