80 Years from the US Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by Sean Arent, WPSR Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program Manager

80 years ago this week after a successful test in the New Mexico desert, the United States chose to detonate two atomic weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The detonation of the “Fat Man” and “Little Boy” nuclear bombs resulted in the murder of hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians, tens of thousands of indentured Koreans, and twelve American prisoners of war from the direct blast and ensuing radiation. This disaster is beyond human comprehension. To paraphrase one atomic bomb victim, Hiromu Morishita, “when I woke from the blast, everything was burning, and I heard the sound of a swarm of mosquitos in my ear. This was the sound of thousands of other victims crying out in pain.” 

The atomic bomb survivors, the Hibakusha, carry with them the memory of this calamity, and the lifelong suffering brought on by exposure to high levels of radiation. Exposure to high level radiation, which tears apart human DNA, multiplies a person’s risk of cancer, thyroid disease and other maladies, a risk that is passed down to survivors' children and grandchildren. 

As an organization dedicated to protecting human health, nuclear weapons are blasphemous to our mission not just when used, but when mined, produced, tested, and flaunted. The nuclear weapons production chain is a roadmap of poor health and human suffering. 

As advocates in Washington state, we remember that the “Fat Man” nuclear bomb was loaded with Hanford plutonium. And we are working to wake up our community to the fact that bombs a hundred times larger than this slip beneath the waves of Hood Canal, loaded on to submarines at the Kitsap-Bangor base. 

We see the United States continuing to develop new nuclear weapons, choose violence over peace, and run out the clock on treaties like NewStart, set to expire in February. 

80 years after the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world stands to forget the unforgettable and repeat mistakes that should not be repeated. WPSR is committed to remembering. We are committed to action. We are committed to waking up our elected leaders. 

But we can’t do it alone. Help us make never again a reality and abolish nuclear weapons for health, peace, and sanity. 

Don’t Let the EPA Endanger Our Health

In a move as reckless as it is shortsighted, the Environmental Protection Agency is attempting to roll back one of the most important public health protections in existence: the 2009 Endangerment Finding. This landmark determination—based on careful study and decades of scientific evidence—recognizes that greenhouse gas emissions pose a serious danger to human health. Reversing it would not only be a betrayal of science but would cause a direct and major escalation of the climate-driven health impacts that are already harming our community.

The Endangerment Finding has served as the legal foundation for federal efforts to reduce climate pollution from vehicles, power plants, and other industrial sources. Without it, the EPA would lose its authority to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act, leaving our communities even more vulnerable to the heatwaves, wildfires, floods, and air pollution that are already making people sick and costing lives.

Here in Washington state, we are already experiencing the consequences of climate change. A 2020 Washington State Department of Health (DOH) report found that climate change is “amplifying existing health disparities” and increasing the risk of heat-related illness, respiratory disease, and vector-borne illnesses. In a single week during the 2021 “heat dome” event, Washington state saw more than 100 excess deaths due to extreme heat. Events like these are no longer outliers —they’re harbingers of what’s to come if we fail to act swiftly. Between 2009 and 2020, the number of “smoke days” in Washington more than quadrupled. According to the University of Washington, exposure to wildfire smoke is now the primary driver of air pollution in our state, especially during the summer months. In 2020 alone, particulate matter from smoke caused an estimated 92 deaths in King County and over 400 statewide. Children, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions are especially at risk.

Climate change also increases the spread of diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease, which are appearing in parts of Washington where they were previously rare or nonexistent. And the mental health toll—from climate anxiety to the trauma of displacement due to wildfires or floods—remains vastly under-addressed. A full discussion of the health impacts of climate change in Washington can be found in Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility’s 2022 report on Climate & Health.

Congress has an opportunity to act right now. A resolution—H. Res. 568 in the House, sponsored by Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA), and S. Res. 318 in the Senate, sponsored by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)—affirm that climate change is a threat to public health and call on the Department of Health and Human Services to lead efforts to protect communities from its worst impacts.

WPSR, where we serve as Executive Director and board President, has urged our state’s congressional delegation to co-sponsor these resolutions. Now they need to hear from the people they represent. We urge all Washingtonians to speak out. 

The EPA is accepting public comments on its proposal to reverse the Endangerment Finding. Washingtonians concerned about the dire ramifications of reversing the Endangerment Finding can express their opposition by writing to EPA-MobileSource-Hearings@epa.gov. If we stay silent, we risk losing one of the most important tools that protects public health and addresses the worsening climate crisis. 

Max Savishinsky, EdD, MAIS, MPA
Executive Director

Ken Lans, MD, MBA
President

Polluting our Air: WPSR joins Airshow Climate Action Coalition in calling on Seafair - no more Blue Angels!

Image courtesy of 350 Seattle.

Seattle’s Sefair can be a fun, enjoyable and safe time for all.

However, the environmental and health impacts of the Blue Angels is something our community can no longer ignore.

Military airshows burn massive amounts of jet fuel during test flights and performances, spewing air pollution directly into our communities. The aircraft produce 110-decibel noise that can permanently damage hearing, especially in children. For some combat veterans and refugees, the sounds and sights of military jets can trigger PTSD and traumatic memories.

The financial costs run into the millions, using taxpayer dollars that could support community health, instead of an endless war machine that promotes militarism.

Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility has a long history of anti-militaristic and pro-health organizing. That’s why we’ve joined the Airshow Climate Action Coalition and its members to contribute to the campaign to Say No to Blue Angels and push for a calmer, quieter, safer and healthier Seattle Seafair.

On August 2nd, health professionals joined the coalition for a day of organizing and show of support for this campaign, marching to Genesee Park in Seattle, offering earplugs to protect attendees’ hearing while educating the public about the health impacts of military airshows.

The movement is gaining momentum. Climate and Health Task Force Co-Chair Dr. Breck Lebegue, authored an op-ed in the Seattle Times in 2024 on the issue, "Let’s honor the past but bid farewell to the Blue Angels". Since then, thousands have signed a petition calling on for a reimagined Seafair-doubling in just one year.

It’s time for Seattle to align its values with its actions. We encourage mode shift of transportation away from planes and lanes toward rail, bikes, and walking, we cannot simultaneously celebrate fossil-fueled military spectacles.

WPSR advocates for transitioning away from practices that perpetuate the fossil fuel industry, while reminding our community that growing military budgets fund the nuclear weapons that threaten our survival.

Join the thousands calling for a sustainable, healthy Seafair that celebrates our community without harming it. Sign the petition below!

Health Groups Urge Governor Ferguson to Address Microplastics Health Crisis

July 22, 2025 - Seattle, WA

Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR) joined over 50 Washington environmental, climate, and public health groups in calling on Governor Ferguson to petition the federal government to monitor microplastics in our drinking water. The coalition, led by Food & Water Watch, is urging the Governor to leverage a provision in the Safe Drinking Water Act that requires EPA action when seven governors petition for monitoring of a specific contaminant.

Growing Health Evidence Demands Action

Emerging research reveals that microplastics pose serious threats to human health. These tiny plastic particles - smaller than 5 millimeters - have been detected throughout the human body, including in vital organs.

"Microplastics are contributing to an increased burden of disease in our state and across the country," said Adam Lough, MHA, of WPSR’s Climate and Health Task Force. "That increase in disease burden drives up the cost of healthcare for all players in the industry. Tracking microplastic contamination in our water is a necessary first step in limiting exposure. Governor Ferguson can help us lead the nation in doing so with this effort."

Recent scientific studies have linked microplastics exposure to multiple health concerns:

• Cardiovascular damage: Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found microplastics in arterial plaques and linked their presence to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes

• Organ infiltration: Studies have detected microplastics in the kidney, liver, brain, and placental tissue

• Systemic inflammation: Laboratory studies show microplastics can trigger oxidative stress and inflammatory responses throughout the body

• Endocrine disruption: The chemical additives in microplastics may interfere with hormone function

Climate and Health Connection

The microplastics crisis is intrinsically linked to climate change. Approximately 98% of single-use plastic is made from petrochemicals derived from oil and gas, making plastic production a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions. As plastic waste accumulates in the environment, it breaks down into microplastics that contaminate water, air, and food systems.

"This is both a public health emergency and a climate crisis," Lough noted. "By addressing microplastics, we're tackling two of the most pressing challenges facing our generation."

Washington Waters Already Contaminated

Local research confirms widespread microplastic contamination in Washington's waterways:

• Puget Soundkeeper found microplastics in all 69 water samples collected across Puget Sound between 2019-2020, with an average of 13 particles per sample

• University of Washington research documented plastic microfibers as common on Puget Sound beaches

• Seattle Aquarium studies revealed microplastics pollution along Seattle's waterfront

What is WPSR doing to address microplastics?

We're seeing the early warning signs of a public health crisis. Microplastics represent a new class of environmental health threat that requires immediate attention. We cannot wait for the health consequences to fully manifest before taking action.

We’re working with our partners at Food and Water Watch on letters like this, to ensure that Washington leads the way on calling for federal action in monitoring microplastics in our drinking water. Currently, microplastics remain unregulated and unmonitored at the federal level, despite their ubiquitous presence in drinking water systems nationwide. California recently became the first state to require microplastics testing, but comprehensive federal oversight is essential to protect public health.

The petition leverages a rarely-used provision in the Safe Drinking Water Act: when seven governors petition the EPA to monitor a specific contaminant, the agency must add it to the national monitoring list. This would be the first step toward eventual federal regulation of microplastics in drinking water.

WPSR is also conducting its own learning and work. Interested in helping us tackle the health and climate impacts of microplastics? Sign-up for WPSR’s climate updates and consider joining our microplastics and waste working group, which meets monthly to discuss these issues.

For more information about WPSR's work on environmental health issues, visit wpsr.org/climate.

Why heatwaves are a mental health emergency we must address

Larry Freeman, MD, McKenna Parnes PhD, and Robert Berley, PhD,  are mental health professionals who have been concerned about the emotional and psychological toll of climate change, and members of the Climate and Health Task Force at Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility.

With summer upon us, heat and smoke are once again looming threats. Among these threats is a quieter, equally as serious crisis: the mental and emotional impacts of our changing climate.

Climate change is driving a wave of emotional distress, especially among young people. A 2023 global survey found that over 85% of people around the world report some form of anxiety about climate change and their futures. The severity of distress increases as respondents indicate that they do not feel governments have addressed this problem effectively. Roughly two thirds of young adults report climate distress, but less than half of that group believes others share their fears - worsening feelings of helpless concern and isolation. A majority of adults over 30 worry about the emotional effects the younger generations will face. Chronic worry and feelings of isolation and powerlessness have not only psychological harms: physical health and interpersonal relationships suffer as well.

Even here in the Pacific Northwest where many don’t consider it to be “too hot”, excessive heat has specific mental health effects: irritability, anger and conflict; domestic violence and resultant PTSD incidents; apprehension and feeling trapped; sleep loss which undermines physical and psychological well-being. The groups most at risk, i.e., young people, outdoor workers, the elderly, and people without air conditioning deserve particular concern.

We see elderly patients who become housebound during heatwaves, developing depression from isolation. We hear stories of workers, of whom mom or dad is one, at risk in the hot weather. Children share their concerns about the future, seeing an orange sky and worrying that the apocalypse is happening. Outdoor workers wrestle with the decisions between safety and a paycheck.

A 2022 study in Environment International shows for every 1 degree celsius increase in temperature, emergency psychiatric visits increase and heat-related mental health deaths increase by 2.2%. Domestic violence incidents spike during these times.

For those already struggling with climate anxiety, extreme heat becomes confirmation that their fears are materializing. The combination creates a dangerous spiral: heat worsens mental health, while climate anxiety makes each heat event more traumatic. People taking psychiatric medicines frequently have even greater susceptibility to heat related physical health complications.

The “heat dome” we experienced in 2021 will happen again. How will we react? Or most importantly, how will we prepare? We cannot let another summer pass without acknowledging this emergency. The mental health impacts of climate emergencies need more attention.

We must treat this like the public health crisis it is. Mental health considerations must be built into every layer of our emergency response.

Ensuring mental health considerations in emergency preparedness is no longer a “nice to have”,  but a necessity. We call upon physicians, hospitals, counselors, schools, governments, religious leaders, and businesses to accept their responsibility and lead us through this crisis. When communities prepare for heat emergencies together, they build physical safety and psychological resilience.

We’re obliged to consider things we might not have considered. For example, cooling schools isn’t just about keeping a school cool, but reducing the emotional burden on children, teachers, and caregivers. Employers must adjust the expectations of workers during heatwaves. 

Governments have a significant role to play. Expanding urban tree canopy keeps those in public spaces cool, and increasing access to greenspace has significant benefits for children’s mental health. Developing heat mitigations plans will equip hospitals and emergency department with the funding and processes they need to save lives during heat crises. Buildings - both new and old - must equip the cooling infrastructure they need to protect those most vulnerable.

Being upset about the climate means one has the courage to pay attention and care appropriately. Having these concerns isn’t so-called “climate hypochondriasis”. We are facing a real crisis that needs action. The good news is that action itself heals. Community efforts to address climate change provide us the sense of agency and connection that counters climate anxiety.

Health Professionals Urge Washington’s Congressional Delegation to Support Climate and Health

WPSR is calling on Washington’s Senators and Representatives to cosponsor federal legislation recognizing climate change as public health

SEATTLE, WA — This week, members of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR) signed onto this letter, requesting the state's entire congressional delegation to cosponsor, S.318, a bipartisan resolution recognizing climate change as a growing threat to public health and demanding coordinated federal action to protect communities.

The resolution, introduced by Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) and Representative Nanette Barragán (D-CA), currently has no cosponsors from Washington state despite the state's leadership on climate issues and growing health impacts from extreme weather events.

"As health professionals on the front lines, we witness daily the mounting health impacts of climate change in Washington communities," said Dr. Chris Covert Bowlds, WPSR Climate and Health Task Force Co-Chair. "From record-breaking heat domes causing cardiovascular emergencies to wildfire smoke triggering life threatening lung clots and asthma attacks, climate change is already a health crisis in our state."

Washington has experienced increasingly severe climate-related health threats in recent years, including deadly heat events, prolonged wildfire smoke episodes that disrupt healthcare access, and expanding vector-borne diseases as temperatures rise. The health impacts fall disproportionately on children, pregnant women, communities of color, low-income neighborhoods, tribal nations, outdoor workers, and people with disabilities and chronic conditions.

In a letter sent to all 12 members of Washington's congressional delegation, WPSR emphasized that the resolution calls for exactly the type of coordinated federal response a health crisis demands. The legislation urges the Department of Health and Human Services to lead a whole-of-government effort to strengthen health system climate resilience, close gaps in data collection, recognize the health sector's own environmental impact, and support frontline healthcare providers.

"Prevention is always preferable to treatment," the letter states. "While we will continue caring for patients suffering climate-related health impacts, we have a professional obligation to advocate for policies that prevent these harms in the first place."

The call for action comes as federal climate health programs face significant cuts, including the elimination of the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Climate Change and Health Equity. The resolution has garnered endorsements from major medical organizations including the American College of Physicians and the American Public Health Association.

WPSR noted that climate disasters cause billions in damages nationwide but also translate directly into emergency room visits, respiratory distress, heat-related illnesses, and mental health crises in hospitals and clinics across Washington state.

"Your leadership is essential. This resolution would improve our ability to save the lives of patients we treat daily."

The organization offered to brief congressional offices on the specific climate health challenges facing Washington communities and how federal action can help protect patients and communities statewide.

About Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility: Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR) is a 40-year-old, health professional-led advocacy organization working to create a healthy, just, peaceful and sustainable world. We take on the gravest current threats to human health and survival - nuclear weapons, economic inequity, and a climate crisis driven by dependence on fossil fuels. WPSR leverages the credible and trusted voice of healthcare professionals to educate the public, influence decision-makers, and promote public policies that support our mission.

WPSR Statement on Federal Budget Bill: A Direct Threat to Washington's Health

Health professionals warn of severe consequences as Congress prioritizes tax cuts over community wellbeing

SEATTLE, WA — Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility condemns the passage of the federal budget bill, which will inflict significant harm on the health and safety of Washington communities. This legislation represents a direct assault on programs that protect public health, address economic inequities, and treat existential threats to human survival. Congress has made a deliberate choice to prioritize tax breaks for the wealthy over the health and wellbeing of working families. The consequences of these decisions will be measured in preventable illness, increased suffering, and lost lives. As health professionals, we will continue to work to ensure that our patients and communities are protected, despite the impacts that this bill will have on each of WPSR's main areas of work: climate, economic inequity, and nuclear weapons abolition. 

Climate and Health: Rollback of Life-Saving Protections: The budget bill's gutting of climate and environmental health programs will directly worsen air quality across Washington state. These cuts come at a time when our communities are already struggling with wildfire smoke, diesel pollution from transportation corridors, and extreme heat events that disproportionately harm children, elderly residents, and frontline communities. The elimination of clean energy investments and environmental monitoring programs means Washington families will face dirtier air and more climate-driven health emergencies. For communities already bearing the greatest pollution burden, these cuts represent a betrayal of our most basic public health responsibilities.

Economic Inequity and Health: HR. 1 provides tax breaks that will increase economic inequity with the majority of tax cuts benefiting the wealthiest Americans. At the same time the bill makes massive cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential programs forcing families to choose between healthcare, housing, and food. Washingtonians across the state depend on these programs to stay healthy and recover from illness. When people lose access to preventive care, chronic disease management, and nutrition support, the costs simply shift to emergency departments and result in worse health outcomes. These cuts will deepen health disparities and force our healthcare system to treat preventable conditions that could have been addressed through adequate social support.

Nuclear Weapons: Congress continues to fund a trillion-dollar nuclear weapons modernization program that makes our communities less safe, while watching the clock run out on the NewStart Treaty, which maintains strict limits on the number of deployed warheads between the US and Russia. Instead of working to save our last remaining arms control treaty, Congress has chosen to fund the Golden Dome, a $175 billion destabilizing program with no technical feasability. NewStart expires in February of 2026. 

While our military budget has now exceeded $1 trillion annually for the first time in history, there has been one victory. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act has been renewed and extended to some communities who have never been covered. How this will interact with cuts to Medicaid and the closure of rural hospitals remains to be seen. 

"These cuts to essential health and environmental programs will directly cause entirely preventable illness and suffering. We will continue to speak out against policies that treat human health and human lives as expendable," said Dr. Ken Lans, Board President of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility.

The Path Forward

While federal leadership has abandoned its responsibility to protect public health, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility will continue our work at the state and local levels, helping provide a model for what works. Recent victories in our state legislature demonstrate that when health professionals and communities organize together, we can advance policies that prioritize health equity, climate action, and peace.

The challenges ahead are daunting, but they are not insurmountable. Now more than ever, we need the collective power of health professionals and concerned community members working together to protect the health and wellbeing of all Washington residents.

"In this moment of federal abandonment, our work becomes more critical than ever," said Max Savishinsky, WPSR's Executive Director. "We've seen what's possible when health professionals and communities come together—from our recent state legislative victories to our growing coalition work. The path forward requires all of us working together to build the healthy, just, and peaceful world our communities deserve."

Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility is a health professional-led advocacy organization working to create a healthy, just, peaceful, and sustainable world. For over 40 years, WPSR has taken on the gravest threats to human health and survival: nuclear weapons, economic inequity, and the climate crisis.

Sounding the alarm on pipeline safety rollbacks:safety and health advocates demand federal action

The Stop Northwest Gas Expansion Coalition follows Senator Maria Cantwell’s lead, sends letter to federal regulators amid enforcement decline, surge in safety risks.

Oregon, Washington, Idaho — In the wake of sweeping federal enforcement rollbacks on pipeline safety, the Stop Northwest Gas Expansion Coalition has submitted a letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), calling for action to restore federal oversight and protect communities across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho from the growing risks of aging gas pipeline infrastructure.

The coalition, composed of health professionals, environmental advocates, frontline communities, and faith leaders, responded to recent reporting in The Washington Post that enforcement actions by PHMSA have plummeted by 95% since the beginning of 2025. Only five enforcement actions were initiated in the first three months of the year.

“This drop in enforcement is a direct threat to the health and safety of our communities. Pipelines like GTN Xpress are aging, under-regulated, and lack transparency and safeguards. This puts lives at risk,” said Peter Fargo, coalition coordinator.

The GTN Xpress expansion was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in 2023. The expansion increases the volume and pressure of gas moving through an aging pipeline system that runs through wildfire-prone and seismically active areas of the Northwest. As an example of the safety concerns, the letter highlights that more than 13,000 Washingtonians across seven counties live within a “blast zone” and face growing exposure to methane leaks, compressor station blowdowns, and risk of pipeline explosions.

The coalition’s letter, addressed to PHMSA leadership and members of Congress from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, calls for:

● Restoration of full federal enforcement capacity and staffing;

● Public disclosure of enforcement activity and trends since January 2025;

● Engagement with frontline communities and health experts on pipeline risks; and

● Independent oversight of compliance actions, free from political interference.

“Our communities understand the threats that methane gas pipelines pose – to the air we breathe and our safety. We need regulators to do their jobs, right now, but they’re being told to stand down,” noted Selden Prentice, of 350 Seattle’s Policy Action Team.

“Unfortunately, it now appears that it will be necessary for the governors of Oregon, Washington and Idaho and the appropriate state agencies and public utilities commissions to step up and fill the gap that has has emerged due to inaction at the federal level,” addsJeff Hammarlund, co-chair of the Climate, Energy and Environment Team of the Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network. A retired professor of climate and energy policy, Jeff serves on the advisory team that is helping the state of Oregon develop a comprehensive Energy Strategy to provide the tools it will need to meet its major energy and climate policy objectives.

Pipeline incidents have caused more than 250 deaths, over 1000 injuries, and $11 billion in damages in the past 20 years, including an explosion in Bellingham, Washington in 1999 that killed three people and spurred the creation of the Pipeline Safety Trust. The letter warns that recent expansions of fossil fuel infrastructure are increasing the threat of future disasters, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities.

Regarding the GTN Xpress pipeline running through Deschutes County, Diane Hodiak of 350Deschutes said, “A whistleblower has already identified metal defects in this aging 60-year pipeline. A substandard pipeline, past its prime, is an ever-present risk of death and wildfire to anyone living nearby. Oversight and safety inspections should be required, not taken away, along with remediation of vulnerabilities.”

The full letter is available here.

Press contacts:

● Coalition Coordinator, Peter Fargo (pfargo@emoregon.org, 971-825-9569)

● Oregon contact, Diane Hodiak (dhodiak@350deschutes.org, 206-498-5887)

● Washington contact, James Moschella (james@wpsr.org)

For more information, visit:

● https://www.columbiariverkeeper.org/campaigns/gtn-xpress-fracked-gas-pipeline/

● https://350deschutes.org/stop-gtn-xpress-expansion/

● https://rogueclimate.org/our-work/gtn/

The Power of Physicians in Dangerous Times - Authors: Alice T. Chen, M.D., and Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A.

Abstract

The current crisis in the United States is bigger than politics, and it deeply affects the health and lives of our patients and communities. Now is the time for physicians to harness their power and act. Read More

Forum: Wetlands too important to be seen as a building site: An amendment to a county land use regulation would reduce wetland buffers, endangering critical lands.

By Dr. Jonathan Witte, a member of the Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility.

On May 14 the County Council will hold a public hearing and meet for a final vote on this ordinance with the proposed amendment. I urge you to contact your County Council representative and tell them to pass Ordinance (24-097) without the amendment. Read More

2025 Legislative Session Recap: Advancing Climate & Health in Washington

This session, WPSR showed up in Olympia to advocate for what matters most: protecting public health by reducing climate pollution, investing in resilience, and ensuring environmental justice. Led by WPSR members, legislative partners, and our Climate and Health Task Force, we pushed for bold action.

Facing a budget shortfall, new faces in the legislature and in the Governor’s office, raising education and awareness on the importance of climate investments was one of the best ways advocates could speak up for climate and health. While not every priority or “good” climate bill passed, this year brought important progress and laid critical groundwork for what’s next.

This year, we entered legislative session with four key priorities:

• Clean Air for All, to reduce harmful emissions from anesthetic gases and phase out polluting wood stoves through stronger standards. This includes the CURB Pollution Act to address unregulated pollutants, protect vulnerable communities, and amplify community voices in pollution permitting decisions.

• Adapting to extreme weather, which means expanded funding for portable heat pumps, climate education programs, and mental health resources to address rising climate anxiety like the ClimeTime education program and build community resilience.

• Sustainable Transportation through investments in clean transit, including bills to expand intercity passenger rail, shore power at ports, and active transportation options to reduce pollution and improve health.

• Equitable Climate Funding: We committed to ensuring Climate Commitment Act funds benefit overburdened communities through energy assistance, environmental justice programs, and resilience-focused infrastructure projects.

Below, we break down the biggest wins for climate and health, what didn’t make it across the finish line, and where we go from here.

Want to join WPSR in our efforts to protect Climate and Health? Sign up for our climate list and consider becoming a Climate and Health Task Force member.

Biggest Wins for Climate & Health

🛑 Climate Commitment Act Funds Protected — and Put to Work:

Amid a major budget shortfall, there was early concern that lawmakers would divert Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funds to backfill the general budget. Thanks to advocacy from WPSR and many of our allies, the legislature held the line. CCA funds were preserved and allocated to key programs that advance both health and climate equity. Some highlights for CCA expenditures include: This bill, which WPSR supported from the very beginning, modernizes Washington’s broken recycling system, especially around plastics, which are derived from fossil fuels and release harmful pollutants throughout their lifecycle.

• Over $3 billion in CCA-related investments, including in clean transportation, building electrification, and community climate resilience.

• Backfilling of core clean air programs at the Department of Ecology with CCA funds, avoiding devastating cuts to health-protective air monitoring and enforcement programs.

• Continued funding for environmental justice implementation, aligning with HEAL Act priorities.

This means real benefits for Washingtonians: lower emissions, better air quality, and targeted investments in communities most affected by climate change and pollution.

♻️ Recycling Reform Act (SB 5284) — A Win for Pollution Prevention & Health

This bill, which WPSR supported from the very beginning, modernizes Washington’s broken recycling system, especially around plastics, which are derived from fossil fuels and release harmful pollutants throughout their lifecycle.

• It establishes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, shifting the financial burden of recycling from ratepayers to producers — an upstream strategy that disincentivizes single-use plastics.

• It phases out toxic “chemical recycling” practices that generate hazardous air pollutants and residual waste.

• It mandates equitable access to recycling, benefiting rural and low-income areas where services are often inadequate.

From a health perspective, this legislation reduces community exposure to pollutants linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, and respiratory illness — especially in frontline communities near landfills, incinerators, or highways where plastic waste accumulates.

🚌 Clean Buses, Clean Air: Diesel Reduction in Transportation

Two major investments target a major public health threat: diesel exhaust. Diesel particulate matter is a Group 1 carcinogen, and exposure is strongly associated with asthma, cardiovascular disease, and early death — particularly in children and portside or freeway-adjacent communities. These programs prioritize deployment in overburdened communities, aligning with both health equity and emissions reduction goals.

• Passage of HB1837, Innercity Passenger Rail, which will set targets for increasing access to Amtrak Cascades rail for Washingtonians, and aims to ensure these trains run on time and speed up in the future.

• $126 million for the Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Incentive Program, funding electric trucks for commercial fleets.

• $35 million for electric school buses, reducing diesel exhaust exposure for children riding to and from school each day.

• $26.2 million for the Port Electrification Grant Program, which will help ports in Washington to reduce the impacts of harmful shipping emissions by supporting projects that electrify infrastructure.

🧠 Mental Health & Climate Resilience: Investments in Capacity, Care & Education

This session, we secured steps toward building a climate-resilient mental health infrastructure, ensuring that there is funding for the ClimeTime program and school-based climate education. We hope to integrate socioemotional curricula through partnership with the program.

🏡 Electrification and Healthy Housing Programs Supported

Low-income households face some of the highest energy burdens and are most vulnerable to extreme weather. These investments reduce emissions and the health risks from inefficient, fossil-fuel-powered homes — particularly for people with asthma, heart conditions, or other chronic illnesses. This session included key budget wins for climate-resilient housing:

• $30 million for the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program, which will support installation of high-efficiency heat pumps, induction stoves, and other electrification upgrades. Language was included to prioritize access for renters, low-income households, and those in overburdened communities — a key WPSR priority.

• $35 million for Weatherization Plus Health, a program that combines energy efficiency with home health improvements (e.g., mold remediation, asthma-safe materials).

What We’ll Keep Working On

SB 5236 — Anesthesia Greenhouse Gas Emissions: WPSR championed this bill, which would have helped study and move clinical providers away from potent anesthetic gases like desflurane, which contributes disproportionately to hospital emissions. Desflurane has no clinical advantage over alternatives like sevoflurane and can be replaced without compromising patient care. Though the bill didn’t pass this session, it gained strong support from clinicians, hospitals, and climate advocates and helped to raised public awareness of the healthcare sector’s carbon footprint (5% of Washington’s GHG emissions).

Extreme Weather Funding: While we saw the expansion of programs to include specific language for renters, we know that this work most continue. Extreme heat still poses a significant threat to the health of Washingtonians and we hope that the state will continue to explore ways to keep overburdened communities protected via sufficient cooling and heating in their homes.

This session confirmed what we already knew: when health professionals speak out, lawmakers listen. WPSR brought a health voice to the Capitol — one that connects science, justice, and humanity to every policy we advocate for. From mental health to clean air to resilient housing, we helped move the needle toward a safer, healthier Washington. We’re proud of what we accomplished. And we’re already preparing for 2026.

Re-Building the Anti-Nuclear Weapons Movement: A Powerful Gathering in Seattle

Over the course of two energizing days, more than two hundred activists, advocates, and community leaders gathered at Seattle’s historic First Baptist Church for our much-anticipated conference, Re-Building the Anti-Nuclear Weapons Movement Together. The event brought together a rich tapestry of voices—local and international—united by a shared commitment to nuclear disarmament and a safer world for all.

The conference served as a critical space for dialogue, education, and collective strategy-building. Three powerful panel discussions anchored the event:

• Nuclear Flashpoints examined the escalating dangers of nuclear conflict amid global tensions.  

• Impacted Communities centered the lived experiences of those directly affected by nuclear weapons testing and production.  

• Nuclear Weapons Abolition Strategy focused on effective paths forward, from grassroots mobilization to policy advocacy.

Beyond the panels, attendees engaged in two rounds of breakout sessions, choosing from eight diverse and dynamic workshops. These sessions offered opportunities to dive deeper into issues such as youth organizing, Indigenous-led resistance, international law, and the intersection of climate justice and disarmament.

Nine Proposals Adopted to Guide Coalition’s Future

In a major milestone, conference attendees voted to adopt nine proposals that will guide the coalition’s strategic direction in the coming years. These proposals include several key structural changes—most notably:

• Rebranding our coalition as the expanded Northwest Against Nuclear Weapons Coalition, reflecting our broader scope and renewed mission.  

• Establishing a newly elected steering committee to lead implementation and ensure our movement remains inclusive, focused, and action-driven.

These changes mark an exciting new chapter for the coalition and signal our collective commitment to long-term, strategic organizing.

Watch the Recordings

Catch up on any sessions you missed or revisit the conversations that moved you the most. Recordings are now available of Day One, Day Two, the Nuclear Flashpoints Panel, and the Impacted Communities Panel. 

Take Action

The movement continues—and you can be a part of it. Use our WANW Organizing Toolkit to help spark local action in your community. Learn how to:

• Talk to neighbors and allies about nuclear disarmament  

• Influence policymakers through targeted advocacy  

• Write effective op-eds and letters to the editor

Join Us in Building a Future Free of Nuclear Weapons

Apply to become a coalition member, intern, or volunteer!

https://www.wanwcoalition.org/become-a-member

WPSR Task Forces head to Olympia for first ever Lobby Day!

This April, health professionals and advocates from Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility (WPSR) came together in Olympia for the first time, hosting an in-person Lobby Day at the state capitol.

Nearly twenty members of WPSR’s Climate and Health Task Force and Economic Inequity and Health Task Forces met with more than 30 legislative offices to discuss our priorities and push for bold policies that prioritize health and address the existential threats of our time.

Throughout the day, WPSR’s team advocated for:

✔️ Fully funding the Climate Commitment Act (CCA)—to ensure that clean air, community resilience, and environmental justice stay at the heart of Washington’s climate policy
✔️ Raising progressive revenue to fund essential public services like housing, health care, and climate resilience, especially for those most burdened by pollution and inequality
✔️ Expanding access to electrification and weatherization programs—particularly for renters and low-income families vulnerable to extreme heat and unhealthy indoor air

Senator Vandana Slatter, a health professional herself and WPSR ally, spoke to the group in the morning offering powerful reflections on her own path from medicine to policymaking. She commended the group’s efforts to ground climate action in real health outcomes and highlighted recent wins like legislation to reduce emissions from anesthetic gases which is a direct result of WPSR’s advocacy.

Across all meetings, one theme was clear: WPSR members were sharing stories from the frontlines. They spoke of patients with asthma and COPD worsened by wildfire smoke and heat waves, mental health harms spiking in young people experiencing climate anxiety, and the health impacts of those with limited access to housing.

Members of the Economic Inequity and Health Task Force kicked off their day with an early start, providing testimony in committee on the need for progressive revenue packages as a way to ensure we have the funding needed to provide essential services for Washingtonians. These testimonies resonated deeply with legislative staff and elected officials alike.

The group also emphasized that health equity and climate justice must be inseparable. They uplifted the urgent need to direct Climate Commitment Act funding toward communities most impacted by pollution and environmental injustice—particularly communities of color, tribal nations, low-income households, and workers exposed to extreme weather.

WPSR is proud of this collective action—and we’re just getting started. We will continue fighting for clean air, safe housing, climate resilience, and economic justice—because protecting public health means protecting the systems we all rely on.

👉 Want to get involved in future advocacy efforts? Sign up for action alerts and join one of our Task Forces. Together, we’re building a healthier, more equitable future for all Washingtonians.

State budget: Fix upside-down tax code by Tyler Freedman, WPSR Economic Inequity & Health Task Force Member

April 4, 2025 at 10:46 am

By Letters editor

The Seattle Times

Re: “State Senate Democrats propose wealth tax, sales tax cut” (March 21, A1):

As a young adult, I want to live in a state where there is equal access to essential services. However, being a young adult in Seattle means that I personally see the upside-down tax code contribute to unaffordability in an expensive city. People within my community are having a hard time affording basics from public services to gas.

Because necessary expenses like rent, bills and insurance comprise a significant portion of my income, things like inflation or unexpected expenses impact me more financially. But because of the upside-down tax code, a greater portion of my income is taxed than my billionaire neighbors.

Cutting money from the state budget during the Great Recession led to greater poverty and increased cost for education. This devastated the health of our communities, and we still haven’t fully recovered. If lawmakers pass progressive taxes, we could fully fund the public infrastructure that we use every day, hopefully preventing an outcome seen with budget cuts in the past. If the ultrawealthy pay what they truly owe to our communities in taxes, we can avoid cuts to essential services and build a Washington where everyone can thrive.

Tyler Freedman, Seattle

Expanding a Washington tax credit could be a prescription to help lower-income patients by Dr. Esther K. Chung, WPSR Economic Inequity & Health Task Force Member

“Not only are tax credits one of the most important ways of righting our inequitable tax system, but they are also one of the most effective ways to help working people address their social needs. Unlike more conditional forms of aid, people have control over this money and can use it as they see fit — on groceries, rent, or book supplies for their children. More cash in people’s pockets means better health outcomes, better educational outcomes for children and teens, better maternal health outcomes, and less chronic illnesses down the line.” Read More

Interview with Sean Arent, WPSR Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program Manager

https://xray.fm/broadcasts/63054

Guest: Sean Arent, Nuclear Weapons Abolition Program Manager. Sean talks to host Steven Glickman about where things stand with regards to nuclear proliferation.

Washington Court Rules I-2066 Unconstitutional, Protecting Public Health and Clean Energy Progress

A King County Superior Court judge has ruled that Initiative 2066 (I-2066) is unconstitutional, blocking a fossil fuel industry-backed effort to roll back Washington’s clean energy policies. The decision marks a critical victory for public health, clean air, and the state’s transition to affordable, non-polluting energy sources.

Judge Sandra Widlan ruled that I-2066 violates Washington’s constitutional "single-subject" rule for ballot initiatives, which is designed to prevent voter confusion and misleading legislation. The initiative, she said, was too broad in scope and failed to provide clear information on its sweeping effects on state and local laws, clean energy programs, and consumer protections.

“I-2066 is so broad, it requires a thorough examination of statutes [to determine its impacts]... In summary, I-2066 violates the single-subject requirement, the subject and title requirement, and the section-amended-shall-be-set-forth-at-full-length requirement. For these reasons, I-2066 is unconstitutional.” – Judge Sandra Widlan

Judge Widlan also emphasized that the ballot title misled voters about the initiative’s actual consequences:

“Would a voter know from I-2066’s title that the initiative limits the ability of the government to regulate air pollution… that building code standards as applied to gas appliances are impacted? The answer to that is no.”

I-2066 was pushed onto the 2024 ballot by fossil fuel interests, including the Building Industry Association of Washington and Let’s Go Washington, under the misleading claim that it would “protect energy choice.” In reality, Washington law has never banned gas appliances, and utilities have always been required to provide gas service to those who request it.

Instead, the initiative would have:

• Rolled back bipartisan clean energy programs, making it harder for low-income households to access efficient electric appliances.

• Weakened building efficiency standards, which help lower energy costs and reduce pollution.

• Undermined Washington’s Clean Air Act, limiting the state’s ability to regulate fossil fuel emissions.

These policies were designed to protect public health, lower energy costs, and transition the state toward a clean energy future. I-2066 sought to undo them, prioritizing fossil fuel industry profits over Washington families.

Fossil gas, often marketed as "natural gas," poses significant risks to human health at every stage—from extraction and transportation to household use. The primary component of fossil gas is methane, a potent greenhouse gas with 84 times the heat-trapping potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Methane leaks throughout the supply chain—from fracking wells, pipelines, and even inside homes—exacerbating climate change and worsening air pollution.

The public health consequences of gas pollution are well-documented:

• Fracking and fossil gas extraction have been linked to higher rates of cancer, heart disease, birth complications, and premature death, disproportionately harming low-income communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color.

• Gas stoves and home heating systems release nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), pollutants that, if found outdoors, would violate federal air quality standards.

• Children in homes with gas stoves experience 42% higher rates of asthma symptoms compared to those in homes with electric stoves.

• Gas appliances release benzene, a known carcinogen, into indoor air, increasing risks of leukemia and other cancers.

Public health and environmental advocates celebrated the ruling as a major victory for Washington residents.

“I-2066, if fully enacted, would have severely restricted the ability of Washingtonians to make healthy choices about their home energy use and would have increased our exposure to toxic air pollution both indoors and out,” said Dr. Mark Vossler, President of Physicians for Social Responsibility. “We are pleased that this unconstitutional measure was struck down, allowing us to all breathe cleaner air.”

“Washington voters have made it clear that they support bold climate action and a transition to clean, renewable energy, and we applaud the court for throwing out this illegal initiative,” said Ben Avery, Washington Chapter Director of the Sierra Club. “This decision will ensure that our state stays the course in our critical work to protect clean air and our environment, while sending a strong message to polluting industries that using unconstitutional and misleading ballot initiatives is a waste of taxpayers' time and money.”

“With 2066 struck down, Washingtonians can get back to work towards a cleaner, healthier, more affordable energy future. This is a win for Washingtonians, not the fossil fuel lobby.” – Christina Wong, Vice President of Programs, Washington Conservation Action

“We are celebrating today’s ruling as a win for Washington families and for our state’s efforts to improve people’s lives,” said Leah Missik, Acting Washington Director with Climate Solutions. “We’ll continue working to keep energy bills affordable, especially as we prioritize cleaner air in- and outside of our homes and buildings.

Photo courtesy of Climate Solutions.

Letter: Want better Cascades passenger train service?

March 18, 2025 Submitted by Breck Lebegue MD MPH, WA Physicians for Social Responsibility

Amtrak Cascades service in Washington just received a boost of positive new energy with House passage of ESHB 1837. Senator Nobles co-sponsored a companion bill in the Senate that did not advance, so the House bill now needs to also pass the Senate for us to enjoy faster, more frequent, reliable train service between Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, and Portland by 2035. The bill expects trains to be on time a minimum of 88% of the time, much better than a 50% on-time average over the past 10 years. Trains would run 14 roundtrips between Seattle and Portland, taking only 2-hours 45-minutes each way–a much more relaxed, healthy, and climate-conscious way to travel, than driving on busy freeways or flying from crowded airports.

Read More

The Health Consequences of the EPA Rollbacks Will Make Us Sick

Drs. Jill Denny, Annemarie Dooley, Anna Janecek, Breck Lebegue, Anita Peñuelas, and Mark Vossler are members of the Climate and Health Task Force at Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility

Fifty years ago, thick smog enveloped American cities, choking our air and contributing to thousands of deaths . Back then, air pollution wasn’t an inconvenience- it was a public health crisis. Leaders responded by passing the Clean Air Act. Through 2020, that legislation has prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths and prevented millions of hospitalizations. Thanks to this act, levels of lead and small particulates in the air have also dropped dramatically. Industrial processes are cleaner. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that for each dollar invested in clean air, we reap ten dollars  in economic and health benefits.

As physicians and nurses we see the toll pollution takes on our patients daily.  Our patients frequently report worsened symptoms on bad air quality days. For children with asthma, we see the same effects. Newborn babies experience irreversible damage from exposure to air pollution.  Many people in the US can struggle to breathe even on good days, but when the air turns toxic, it can often send them to the emergency department and the ICU. 

Instead of helping children, those with chronic illness, and those in overburdened communities, the EPA is rolling back the regulations needed to protect them.  This is a failure of duty and a breach of EPA’s core mission to “protect human health and the environment.”  

These rollbacks are vast and dangerous. They include lowering air and water quality emissions standards for power plants, reducing vehicle emissions standards, eliminating the methane reduction program, revising the 2009 endangerment finding, and loosening the hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) reduction program. We have written an explainer on these rollbacks here.

With these rollbacks, we’ll see increased levels of pollutants including small particulates (PM 2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO), and ground level ozone.  These toxins exacerbate asthma, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, worsen obstructive lung disease, increase risk of cancer disease risk, and are associated with a higher risk of premature deaths, particularly in urban areas.

Making matters worse, these rollbacks ignore decades of health research showing the benefits of climate and health safeguards. Rolling back EPA oversight sets us up for worsening climate risks, such as extreme heat and respiratory illnesses, leading to even more hospitalizations. 

Members of President Trump’s cabinet  have expressed an intention of making America healthier by tackling chronic disease. Their actions do the opposite. It is impossible to make America healthier without also making our air and water cleaner. 

We must call for a stand against these rollbacks and demand protections for our communities. Congress must strengthen the EPA’s legislative mandate. Here in Washington, we need to strengthen our state and local protections against exposure to toxic pollution. As our readers, you must contact your elected officials and demand action. 

Rolling back these protections will not make us safer or healthier. It will cost lives.

WPSR joins lawsuit to repeal I-2066

Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility has been advocating for policies that reduce our dependence on fossil gas, but the gains made over the past few years were rolled back when a ballot initiative (I-2066) narrowly passed last November. Burning fossil gas to heat our homes and cook our food is harming our health and heating our planet. That's why WPSR is joining a group of plaintiffs to challenge I-2066 in court in order to protect your health. 

Explaining This Case

A King County Superior Court judge will hear testimony this week regarding I-2066’s violation of Washington State’s constitutional “single-subject” rule for initiatives. I-2066 was rushed onto the ballot at the last minute and backed by millions of dollars from out-of-state special interests, who falsely claimed that the state was banning access to gas.

Many voters were confused by I- 2066, as shown by the more than 5% of voters who left it blank on their ballots, the highest of any of the four initiatives in November. 

Washington’s single-subject rule was designed to ensure voters have clear information on what they’re voting for and how it would impact their lives. In December, WPSR  joined with others including the city of Seattle and King County to challenge the the initiative, arguing that because I- 2066 has multiple impacts across various issue areas (from utility planning, to appliance incentives, to building codes) the initiative is in clear violation of the single-subject rule, and is an example of “log rolling” - including a wide array of different measures in a single initiative to confuse voters.

I-2066 threatens popular, bipartisan energy efficiency programs that have helped thousands of Washingtonians living on low incomes access ultra-efficient heat pumps, which heat homes while doubling as air conditioners that keep people safe during heat waves and wildfire smoke. It also endangers the state’s clean energy laws and Clean Air Act, by legally committing the state to burning a toxic fossil fuel for decades to come. 

I-2066 is a Threat to Our Health

Fossil gas, deemed “natural” by the industry, poses risks to human health all along its product cycle, during extraction, transportation, and when burning it in homes. This gas is mostly methane which has a heat-trapping potential 84 times higher than carbon dioxide over a twenty-year time frame. It also leaks into the atmosphere at the well, from pipelines, and in your home, greatly exacerbating climate change. 

The extraction of gas via fracking results in air and water pollution that impacts communities in proximity to the wells, increasing the risk of cancer, heart disease, prenatal harm, mental illness, and premature death. These harms are not borne equally. Extraction operations are often located near low-income communities, indigenous communities, and communities of color. While gas has been advertised as “clean burning” its use in the home is extremely harmful to your health. Levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter in the air in your kitchen, after cooking with gas, would commonly be considered illegal if found outdoors. 

Children living in homes that cook with gas have a 42% higher prevalence of asthma symptoms than children living in homes with electric cooktops. Nitrogen dioxide emitted when burning gas also increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and lung diseases in adults. Recent studies have also found that gas stoves emit benzene, a potent carcinogen.