Inslee promotes marine blue economy during this visit to Bellingham
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee reiterated his support of the maritime blue economy in Bellingham Wednesday while speaking at All American Marine.
Inslee visited the facility July 13 to speak with leaders of the company and tour the zero-emissions passenger ferry being built there.
“We are going to revolutionize our entire economy by going to low- and zero-sources of emission,” he said.
The passenger ferry is the first hydrogen fuel-cell vessel in the U.S. The vessel was funded in part by the State of California’s climate change fund. The vessel will eventually be delivered to San Francisco.
Inslee said Washington state now has its own climate change fund, the cap-and-invest program, part of the Climate Commitment Act. He said there is a possibility of state funds providing partial funding for further projects, mentioning additional zero-emission vessels.
“We know we have to decarbonize our whole economy ultimately,” he said. “This is the first step of an emerging technology that is perfectly clean, perfectly safe.”
Inslee also spoke about the need for additional skilled laborers to accomplish these projects. He cited the Maritime Blue apprenticeship program and the Career Connect Washington program. Both programs allow young people to train in technical fields that could prepare them for a career to build future vessels.
“There are those who doubt our ability to effectuate the clean energy revolution,” he said. “Let those people come take a ride on (this vessel), let them see what is possible.”
All American Marine was the final stop Inslee made on his trip to Bellingham. Earlier in the day, he visited the Telegraph Townhomes project, Bellingham Technical College’s Nursing & Allied Health program and Mount Baker Planned Parenthood.
