Yakima County leads effort to comply with WA natural gas initiative
YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. — Yakima County is taking the lead in complying with Initiative 2066, which was passed last fall to prohibit state and local governments from restricting natural gas service in homes and buildings.
County Commissioner Amanda McKinney said the state has yet to update its standards to align with the new changes, prompting Yakima County to take action on its own.
According to McKinney, county public services staff worked with the Building Industry Association of Washington to update the county’s building permit process. The changes ensure that applicants will not be penalized in their energy efficiency ratings for choosing natural gas.
“Everyone has been sending out this resolution and our form for how we’re going to not penalize energy choice, so that we can have this expand across the state,” McKinney said. “So Yakima County is really leading the way when the state would not.”
McKinney emphasized that the resolution, which went into effect Monday, gives residents the ability to choose their energy source and select natural gas without penalties if it is the most affordable option for them.
Proponents have filed a lawsuit urging the state to move forward with implementing the changes, while opponents have filed a lawsuit to block the initiative.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY APPLE VALLEY NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.