On Thursday, March 28, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed the Buy Clean, Buy Fair Act into law. The law will put in place environmental and labor reporting for public building construction and renovation materials. The’s bill signing builds on previous legislation that created a tracking system intended to ensure public dollars are spent wisely and level the playing field for manufacturers that invest in pollution controls and treat workers fairly.

The BlueGreen Alliance worked alongside multiple coalition partners to secure this bill’s passage to promote transparency around public spending and move toward leveraging state spending to cut embodied carbon and promote high-labor standards in manufacturing. With the signing, Washington joins states across the country—and the federal government—in moving forward Buy Clean policies that achieve ambitious climate goals in a way that creates good-paying jobs. Unlike the laws before it, Buy Clean Buy Fair in Washington includes timber alongside other infrastructure materials for the first time.

Following the signing, the BlueGreen Alliance released a statement from BlueGreen Alliance Washington State Policy Manager Maya Gillet:

“For the first time in the nation a Buy Clean policy includes timber alongside concrete and steel. Not only is Washington adding itself to the growing number of states passing Buy Clean policies, but we’re also raising the bar. This law will require the state to ensure environmental product disclosures and data on labor standards are publicly available for construction projects built using taxpayer money. Never before has this much information been available for industry, labor, and environmental stakeholders to give the best options for the public.”