By Jake Goldstein-Street | Reporter
The U.S. Department of Justice is now 0-for-25 in court in its push to obtain state voter rolls, with its latest loss in Washington on Tuesday. Weeks after a hearing in federal court in Seattle, a judge decided to throw out the Trump administration’s lawsuit, after two dozen similar rulings across the country.
In her order, U.S. District Court Judge Kymberly Evanson, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, said the Trump administration’s argument to get sensitive voter data is “not persuasive as a matter of statutory interpretation, nor is it consistent with the purpose” of federal law.
Also in today’s edition…
• Checking in on the state’s new electric truck incentives.
• The Trump administration extends its rollback of the Endangered Species Act.
• And, a Coast Guard icebreaker suffers setback off Washington’s coast.
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By Jake Goldstein-Street
Washington state officials lauded Tuesday’s ruling. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said it “reaffirms that my office has every right to protect voter’s private data.” Attorney General Nick Brown called the decision “the likeliest of victories for democracy.”
“We should not have to spend election season defending voters from their president, but victory after victory reminds us there is hope for the rule of law,” Brown continued.
The Trump administration has appealed similar orders across the country.
(Photo by Aspen Ford/Washington State Standard)
By Aspen Ford
The transportation sector is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the state, accounting for 40% of total emissions. A new voucher program funded by the Climate Commitment Act is trying to incentivize businesses to electrify their fleet.
Since its launch in April, roughly half of the Washington Zero-Emission Incentive Program’s vouchers have been requested, but the money isn’t flowing evenly. Voucher demand for heavy-duty work trucks have outpaced those for smaller vehicles, such as cargo vans and small work trucks.
“We’re needing to get more creative with how we reach out to those buyers because they’re not at transportation industry conferences,” said Betz Mayer, incentive programs deputy director at Catalyst Mobility.
By Alex Brown
Individuals and industries may kill endangered animals in the course of logging projects, developments and other activities, so long as the activity’s purpose isn’t killing species, according to a memo from the Trump administration’s top wildlife official. Advocates are frustrated with what they see as the gutting of the bedrock wildlife conservation law.
By James Brooks
The Healy is one of only two active Arctic icebreakers in the Coast Guard’s fleet and had been scheduled to return to service this year and sail to the Arctic after an overhaul, but during a post-shipyard voyage in July, it suffered a severe mechanical breakdown off the coast of Washington state.
ICYMI
Washington’s medication collection program faces hurdles despite success | by Jake Goldstein-Street
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