On March 24, 2025, a King County Superior Court judge overturned Initiative 2066, a measure that would have prohibited state, local, and utility action to move away from reliance on methane gas in Washington’s buildings. Thanks to the lawsuit brought by Sierra Club and partner organizations, the judge ruled that I-2066 violated Washington’s constitution by combining multiple broad subjects into a single ballot measure. This form of “log rolling” violates Washington State’s constitution and misleads voters about the initiative they’re voting for and how it will impact their lives.
The court’s decision will prevent Initiative 2066 from wreaking havoc on Washington’s building decarbonization efforts. The sweeping initiative would have prohibited the State Building Code Council from encouraging all-electric construction, prevented municipalities and local air agencies from addressing the harms of gas equipment, and prevented utilities from incorporating electrification into their decarbonization plans under HB 1589—all under the guise of "promoting energy choice.” Industry groups had already filed a lawsuit challenging Washington’s existing building codes as inconsistent with I-2066. Now that the initiative has been overturned, this industry lawsuit is moot, and the codes will stay in place. The decision likewise allows for continued implementation of the Seattle Building Performance Standard, which Sierra Club was instrumental in passing, and important building decarbonization measures by Washington's utilities.
Industry backers of I-2066 have vowed to appeal the decision to the Washington State Supreme Court, but we are confident that any reviewing courts will agree that I-2066 blatantly violates Washington’s constitution.
Sierra Club’s participation in this lawsuit has been led by Building Electrification Campaign Advisor Dylan Plummer, with support from chapter and organizing staff, volunteers, and Environmental Law Program attorneys Joya Manjur and Jim Dennison. Sierra Club’s co-plaintiffs include Climate Solutions, Washington Conservation Action, Front and Centered, Washington Solar Industries Association, the City of Seattle, and a former State Building Code Council member. Pacifica Law Group represented the coalition.