OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Commerce Department has corrected a significant error in its climate emissions report, attributing the discrepancy to a “data entry error” that initially overstated the climate benefits of several state-funded incentive programs.
The error affected emissions estimates for eight projects funded through the state’s Climate Commitment Act. These programs, designed to support low-income and vulnerable households in electrifying homes and upgrading appliances, were initially projected to reduce emissions by approximately 7.5 million metric tons. This figure has now been revised to around 78,000 metric tons over the projects’ lifecycles, according to a department announcement.
“We identified an error in the data reporting process for this program,” said Jennifer Grove, Deputy Director of Energy at the Commerce Department. “The Climate Commitment Act plays a vital role in the state’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and we are committed to ensuring the information shared is accurate and complete.”
The revised data has been submitted to the Department of Ecology and will be incorporated into an upcoming update of the state’s climate spending report. This document outlines how over $1.5 billion in revenue from the Climate Commitment Act has been allocated during the 2023-25 budget cycle.
Todd Myers of the Washington Policy Center was the first to identify the error in a blog post published on Tuesday. In an interview, Myers expressed concern that the error could erode public trust in the state’s climate programs.
“While we frequently portray ourselves as leaders in the fight against climate change, our climate policies are often not as effective as we claim,” Myers stated. “I believe this report clearly demonstrates the difference between what we say about climate policy and the actual results.”
The Department of Ecology is now reviewing emissions data from all state agencies. The report includes details from over 3,600 projects managed by 37 agencies. Officials anticipate releasing a revised version in the coming weeks.
Ms. Grove stated that the department has strengthened reporting procedures to “prevent similar errors in the future.”
Officials at the Department of Ecology also indicated they are enhancing oversight of emissions reporting.
“Accurate data is essential to guide the state’s work in reducing carbon pollution,” said Joel Creswell, Manager of the Department of Ecology’s Climate Pollution Reduction Program. “We are updating our processes to more thoroughly review data reported by agencies to avoid repeating this error.”
The Commerce Department said agencies will soon be using a new reporting system designed to “minimize the potential for human error.”
The Climate Commitment Act, passed by legislators in 2021, establishes a statewide emissions cap and requires major polluters to purchase allowances corresponding to their output. These allowances decrease over time, with revenue invested in climate projects aimed at reducing emissions by 95% by 2050.
State officials maintain that the current version of the report remains valuable for understanding how the law’s investments are supporting communities, even as emissions data is being adjusted.
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