Protester camp out in Olympia, demand Inslee take action on climate change

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Governor Inslee is in Seattle Wednesday while climate change activists are in Olympia vowing to stay put until they meet with him.

Climate change protesters have been at the state Capital for the past three days determined to have Inslee declare a climate state of emergency.

”We’re going to stay here until we obtain a future for our children,” said Paul Chiyokten Wagner with Protectors of the Salish Sea.

The group Protectors of the Salish Sea say they won’t budge when it comes to fighting to save the environment. They’ve been camped out at the state Capitol since Tuesday and want to send Governor Inslee a message.

“Climate change is putting a heavy tax on all ecosystems, all living beings on mother earth. There are real scientists that say we don’t have those 12 years that others have spoken of. We have one or maybe two years max before we move into an era where we will not be able to turn this around,” Wagner said.

Wagner says Tacoma’s liquefied natural gas plant represents an opportunity for the governor to step in and put a stop to the project. Governor Inslee says he opposes the plant, but his Chief of Staff says he simply doesn’t have the power to stop it.

“What they say is the planet is in such dire shape, that you have to do everything you can, even if it doesn’t follow the law. Even if it doesn’t follow court precedent. We can’t do that and we’re not going to do that. I’ve been open with them about that,” said David Postman, governor’s chief of staff.

Postman says despite some of the opposition Inslee has faced, the governor will continue to push for legislation that protects the environment. In the meantime, protesters say they are going to keep fighting and do whatever they can to protect Washington state.

Inslee was in Seattle meeting with the anti-hunger coalition Wednesday, but when he does return to Olympia, Postman says it’s unlikely that protesters will get a meeting with him.