Washington Conservation Action is a left-of-center environmentalist organization that opposes the use of conventional forms of energy, ¹ seeks subsidies for weather-dependent sources of energy, ¹ and engages in get out the vote (GOTV) campaigns seeking to register voters who support environmentalist candidates and causes in Washington state. ²

Background

Washington Conservation Action, formerly Washington Conservation Voters, was founded in 1999. ³ The non-advocacy focused arm of the organization, the Washington Conservation Action Education Fund, has been active in Washington state environmental policy since 1967. ³

Financials

In 2022, Washington Conservation Action received $ 2,421,273 in contributions, ⁴  $2,428,014 in total revenue, ⁵ incurred $1,469,169 in expenses, ⁶ and held $2,028,782 in net assets. ⁷

Agenda

Washington Conservation Action opposes the construction of terminals that make the export of natural resources from the United States to other countries possible. ⁸ The organization states that it has successfully canceled the construction eight proposed oil-by-rail export terminals, as well as seven proposed coal terminals. ⁸

Washington Conservation Action supported Senate Bill 5116, legislation signed by Governor Jay Inslee (D) in 2019. ⁹ Senate Bill 5116 requires the elimination of all coal from the state’s electric grid system by 2025, requires that utility companies within the state be carbon-neutral by 2030, requires that utility companies not rely on non-weather-dependent sources of energy by 2045, and provides tax breaks for businesses that generate weather-dependent energy. ⁹

The current objectives of Washington Conservation Action include lobbying for a taxpayer-funded program to switch all public school buses to zero-emission vehicles, ¹⁰ the formation of a top-down regulatory body that would monitor and regulate the price of gasoline akin to regulations covering utility companies for electricity, ¹⁰ and imposing a “end of life” cost on packaging materials manufacturers, in effect implementing  an added tax on packaging products that cannot be recycled. ¹⁰

Get Out The Vote (GOTV)

Washington Conservation Action engages in get-out-the-vote campaigns. ¹¹ The organization’s efforts direct its membership and other aligned environmentalists through its Call 4 Climate Action program, efforts which include phone-banking and text-banking to register more potential voters in the state of Washington who are aligned with the organization’s objectives. ¹¹

Leadership

Alyssa Macy is the CEO of Washington Conservation Action. ¹² Prior to leading the organization, she was the chief operations officer (COO) of the of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. ¹² She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies from the University of Arizona and a graduate degree from the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis. ¹²

1. “Climate & Clean Energy.” Washington Conservation Action. https://waconservationaction.org/our-work/areas-of-work/climate-clean-energy/
2. “Democracy & Voting.” Washington Conservation Action. https://waconservationaction.org/our-work/areas-of-work/democracy-voting/
3. “History and Victories.” Washington Conservation Action. https://waconservationaction.org/victories/
4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Washington Conservation Action. Part I. Line 8. 2022.
5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Washington Conservation Action. Part I. Line 12. 2022.
6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Washington Conservation Action. Part I. Line 18. 2022.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Washington Conservation Action. Part I. Line 22. 2022.
8. “Fossil Fuel.” Washington Conservation Action. https://waconservationaction.org/our-work/areas-of-work/fossil-fuels/
9. “WASHINGTON ENACTS STRONGEST CLEAN ELECTRICITY STANDARD IN THE NATION.” Washington Governor Jay Inslee Policy Brief. May 2019. Accessed April 29, 2024. https://governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/clean-electricity-policy-brief-bill-signing.pdf
10. “Environmental Priorities Coalition.” Washington Conservation Action. https://waconservationaction.org/our-work/areas-of-work/environmental-priorities-coalition/
11.  “Call 4 Climate Action.” Washington Conservation Action. https://waconservationaction.org/call-4-climate-action/
12. “Alyssa Macy.” Washington Conservation Action. https://waconservationaction.org/people/alyssa-macy/