Jay Inslee unveils plan for 100 percent clean energy by 2030
Democratic presidential candidate and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee unveiled his "100% Clean Energy for America Plan" on Friday. Inslee says the ten-year plan, which is modeled after a clean energy law that was passed in April in his own state, would deliver 100 percent clean energy, make all new vehicles zero-emission, and would eliminate the carbon footprint for all new buildings.
Inlsee has made climate change his signature issue since he announced his campaign in March. His campaign says the clean energy plan is the first part of a host of policies they call the "Climate Mission Agenda."
"This has to be the number one priority for the next president of the United States," Inslee told CBS News in an interview. "I believe I have a unique position to deliver on that commitment."
The plan would shut down America's coal-fired power plants, but says that every region in the U.S. will begin at "a different starting point." It would also require utilities to become 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030.
The plan includes tax incentives for the deployment of zero-emission technologies, such as renewable electricity and energy and smart grids. "This clean electricity will be the backbone of our economy powering homes, vehicles and industry," the plan says.
In a statement released by the campaign, Marc Jacobson, a Stanford University professor of civil and environmental engineering, said that while this is just a first step, Inslee's plan is a move in the right direction.
"This plan addresses the most critical infrastructure that needs transitioning as fast as possible -- electricity generation, transportation, and buildings," Jacobson said.