SEATTLE (AP) — “Washington could become the first state in the nation to impose a direct tax on carbon emissions from fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline and natural gas.

“A ballot measure before the state Legislature would create a carbon tax of $25 per metric ton of fossil fuel emissions burned in Washington, while reducing taxes.

“Lawmakers have until the end of the session on March 10 to enact Initiative 732, offer an alternative proposal or automatically pass the carbon-tax measure to voters in November as written. It’s not clear whether lawmakers will approve an alternative by the end of the session.

“The grass-roots group Carbon Washington — which gathered more than 350,000 signatures to qualify the initiative — says a carbon tax is the best way to reduce emissions and tackle global warming. It says the tax encourages people and businesses to switch to cleaner energy by making fossil fuels more expensive.”  From: bigstory.ap.org

GR:  It might be possible for people to break fossil fuel’s deadly grip on our future.  Of course, the industry will spend huge sums on advertising and publicity to confuse voters and block a tax.  While we have to be hopeful about the outcome in Washington, we can’t wait to see what’s going to happen.  The matter is so urgent that petition drives need to open up in all states.