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Gov. Jay Inslee gives a “thumbs-up” from the cockpit of the Eviation Alice, hangered in Moses Lake. The plane was the first battery-powered passenger aircraft in the world to take flight.
Gov. Jay Inslee called Moses Lake “the new Kitty Hawk” during a recent visit. That’s because stunning new aircraft powered by electricity and hydrogen are taking off there, ushering a new era of sustainable flight. Other Washington innovators are building rockets, low-orbit satellites, commercial aircraft, and advanced materials. When Inslee leads a delegation to the Paris Air Show later this month to represent Washington state’s aerospace sector, the group will have plenty to boast about.
Inslee and the state Department of Commerce’s new director Mike Fong will introduce global customers to Washington state as the place “Where the Next Big Thing Begins.” The delegation’s goal is to showcase recent advances in sustainable flight, and raise the state’s profile as a capitol for engineering and innovation.
Washington has the most competitive business environment for aerospace and aviation and earns top ranks for labor productivity and exports in the sector. State aerospace and aviation exports exceed the combined exports of California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Arizona, and Alabama. The sector also benefits from a cooperative Legislature, which recently invested in a sustainable fuel research center at Snohomish County and a hydrogen fuel research center in Grant County. A new law promoting sustainable aviation fuel is already attracting new business to the state.
“Washington is a proud leader in aerospace and aviation,” said Inslee. “Our state delegation includes nearly two dozen companies and organizations who represent these values and demonstrate why Washington is one of the best places in the world to do business.”
While the delegation hopes to broker new business to support the state economy, it also intends to share ideas to advance sustainability worldwide.
“We believe strongly that ideas are a commodity to be shared, traded and exchanged,” said Fong. “We foster and are incredibly proud of that environment here in Washington State. It allows new ideas to quickly find their way to the marketplace and revolutionize industries.”
 A wetland in Anacortes’ Fidalgo Bay on the site of a former plywood mill. A new Supreme Court decision affects the regulation of wetlands nationwide. (Image courtesy of the state Department of Ecology)
A recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court limited the ability of the federal Environmental Protection Agency to steward wetlands across the country. But state officials are confident that it will do no harm to Washington wetlands. State laws protecting wetlands have always been stronger than federal regulations, and they will continue to be.
“Wetlands are critical for protecting water quality, reducing the impacts of flooding, and providing safe havens for endangered and threatened species,” said Laura Watson, director of the state Department of Ecology. “It’s important for people in Washington to know that state laws continue to provide the review and oversight needed to evaluate the impacts of proposed development.”
Wetlands, seasonal streams, and other waters in Washington remain protected. Ecology cautions that developers still must earn state approval before to beginning work that could affect these waters.
“We understand that development is necessary,” said Ecology expert Joenne McGerr. “But if that work will affect ecologically important areas, we need to understand the potential impacts and what the mitigation options are before giving the go ahead.”
In response to this regulatory change, Ecology will conduct independent assessments for wetlands and other waters no longer within federal protection. The department expects a significant workload increase, and will soon begin to hire additional staff and expand resources to review development proposals.
Gov. Jay Inslee visited Port Angeles and Sequim this week to encourage outdoor recreation, speak with behavioral health experts, learn about supportive housing investments, and meet students from Peninsula College’s nursing program who might help address a shortage of health care workers.
Inslee hopped on his bike for a 26-mile spin around the Olympic Discovery Trail with local and state officials, and members of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The conservancy is a national organization that has helped blaze more than 40,000 miles of multiuse trails across the United States. The group awarded Inslee with the 2023 Deppelt Family Rail-Trail Champion award to recognize the governor’s sustained efforts to advance outdoor recreation in Washington state.
The governor also visited Dawn View Court apartments in Port Angeles. Funds from the state’s Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition Program helped locals convert apartments to supportive housing there. Michael Freestone, a resident of Dawn View Court, attributes his progress to overcome addiction and escape homelessness to having a safe place to stay.
At Peninsula College, the governor was introduced to nursing students who may soon help the state address a shortage of healthcare professionals, especially in rural communities. The college’s state-of-the-art medical labs were enhanced by state investments to help them buy cutting-edge technology and realistic training dummies.
 Gov. Jay Inslee logged some miles on his bike this week and met with Port Angeles residents encouraging outdoor recreation, building supportive housing, and entering the health care field.
Camp Hope was once the state's largest encampment. Last summer, more than 600 people were sheltered there. The state embarked on a sustained effort to introduce those people to shelter and on Friday, the last occupants left. The site has now closed.
In total, the state provided more than $25 million for housing and services to Spokane County and Camp Hope through the State’s Right of Way Safety Initiative, funded by the Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee. The effort was also supported by supplemental funds from the state Department of Commerce. State funds for the Catalyst Project run by Catholic Charities housed nearly 100 individuals from Camp Hope. State funds also supported the city of Spokane’s TRAC shelter, also called the Trent Resources and Assistance Center.
“The situation at Camp Hope highlighted the scale and complexity of our housing and homelessness efforts in Spokane and across the state,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “We appreciate all those who assisted the hundreds of people living at this one site, and remain focused on the long-term, statewide effort to connect more people to safe, stable housing.”
Now that Camp Hope is resolved, state partners hope the city administration will re-focus their attention on creating a safe, stable, broad safety net for the thousands that continue to live unsheltered within city limits. Camp Hope was a symptom of a much larger problem - the most recent point-in-time count done by the city of Spokane counted 2,390 people experiencing homelessness throughout Spokane County, an increase of 36% over the 2022 count.
 New orange striping on I-5 near Fife indicates a construction zone and reduced speed limit.
I-5 work zone near Fife gets an experimental paint job
The state Department of Transportation is testing new orange striping in a work zone on I-5 near Fife. WSDOT hopes to determine whether brightly-colored paint helps improve work zone awareness and safety. Construction crews are working in the median of the highway to build two new bridges. WSDOT will revert to standard striping once the work concludes this fall.
“Work zone collisions don’t just affect drivers and construction crews,” said WSDOT Project Engineer Tom Slimak. “We want to make sure everyone – drivers, our crews and passersby – get home safely to their loved ones at the end of each day.”
Senator John McCoy of Tulalip is remembered
Sen. John McCoy, a long-serving member of the state Legislature and advocate for Washington state tribes, died this week. During his 10 years in the state House of Representatives and seven years in the state Senate, McCoy helped improve tribal voting access and dental care access. He also helped protect water rights and immigrant workers, and he worked to address wage discrimination.
"Sen. McCoy was an inspiring and effective leader whose dynamism as a legislator served everyone in our state," said Gov. Jay Inslee. "He was a fighter for students, the environment and Tribes."
Derogatory landmark names replaced
Five Washington state landmarks have been renamed to do away with derogatory terms. Each site previously bore a term derogatory to Native American women, and the state Board of Natural Resources recently accepted a proposal by Washington state tribes to rename the sites. Geographical features in Chelan, Jefferson, Kittitas, Okanogan, and Thurston counties were renamed.
Washington tops among state economies, per report
A recent report by WalletHub listed Washington as the state with the strongest economy in the United States. The Evergreen state’s leading rate of exports per capita, high median income, and innovation potential were factors in the ranking.
“Our great state continues to rank among the best because we invest in our people and communities,” said Gov. Jay Inslee.
Secured your load for safer roads
Highway debris causes more than 300 crashes every year, and more than 40% of roadside litter is attributable to unsecured loads. The state Department of Ecology encourages travelers to keep straps and tarps handy to secure loads, and to completely seal and secure loads so they aren’t jostled loose while traveling. The department also encourages drivers to call 911 to report unsecured loads, which can endanger others. Fines may reach up to $5,000 and some local jurisdictions have even stricter laws.
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