Washington’s climate commitments can be explored through our interactive educational mapping tool that offers clarity, transparency, and detailed information about state-directed investments. Understanding the breadth of Washington’s climate commitments gives users the opportunity to explore where the state is investing Climate Commitment Act revenues and better equips the public to assess and provide feedback on the use of state revenue to achieve the stated aims of this market-based, long-term pollution reduction, clean energy innovation, and climate resilience program.

Investments are organized both as a map and a downloadable database, enabling additional independent analysis. What investments will you uncover as you explore the map and database?

The Climate Commitment Act is Washington’s cap-and-invest program which caps the majority of carbon pollution in the state and invests money raised directly from large polluters towards a variety of programs spread across the state via seven investment accounts. It’s the central strategy for the state to reduce its carbon pollution while improving air quality in Washington’s highest-risk communities. The Climate Commitment Act is designed to ensure large pollution sources meet an emissions reduction course to net-zero by 2050 set in state statute.

The cap on emissions is a proven approach and is the CCA’s primary lever for emissions reductions: around one hundred large emitters and fuel suppliers, collectively responsible for nearly three-quarters of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, finding the most economically efficient approaches to reduce their pollution. 

Map Version: CCmap-09-25 (updated: 9/30/25)

As funded programs turn into awarded projects, we will update the map. Notice something missing or inaccurate? Need technical assistance? Have a suggestion to improve the tool? We welcome your feedback: ClimateCommitment@cleanprosperousinstitute.org.

User guides on navigating the map and data tables as well as additional background and definitions can be found in the menu at the top of the page. To download the complete dataset as a spreadsheet, click here. For more summary information and graphics about the dataset, click here.

The Climate Commitment Act includes two categories of priority community investments that are emphasized for certain percentage thresholds of total investments made with cap-and-invest revenue. More detail can be found in our Background and Details as well as the law itself: RCW 70A.65.230. Through this database, both the investments directed at “direct and meaningful benefits to vulnerable populations within the boundaries of overburdened communities” (35% minimum, 40% goal) and, within these investment totals, a 10% share for “ programs, activities, or projects formally supported by a resolution of an Indian tribe, with priority given to otherwise qualifying projects directly administered or proposed by an Indian tribe” are compiled and tracked.

We note two important details about this filter:

1. The definitions of what qualifies towards these investment minimums are incomplete. We expect some movement both in and out as the criteria are clarified and locations of future investments become clearer.
2. Some investments are expected to provide a share between none and all toward priority communities, which is particularly true in the broader “unmapped” programs. Our highest-level, summed total presented on the mapping tool itself does not account for these partial allocations. Therefore, CCA investments as reported in that summary data may not be accurate if directly used to draw conclusions about funding shares.

Authorized funding is approved funding through the current biennium. Authorized funding does not include planned future spending or any extension of funding for “ongoing” projects in the operating budget.

Total funding includes investment funding from any stage of the project life. While some operating budget funding is indicated as “ongoing” we do not include any additional planned funding in this database unless the ongoing funding amounts are specified.

Please note that funding totals update with filters for the mapped projects but not for the unmapped projects. Unmapped projects can be filtered, including for certain broader categories, via the search bar. To more fully filter for unmapped projects, you will need to download the complete dataset and apply your own filters. The Clean and Prosperous Institute research team may be able to assist with some analysis upon request.

Our map offers the ability to toggle certain view layers on and off on the map. These include:

• Environmental Health Disparities Map Rank 9 or 10: These meet the definition of highly-impacted communities as defined in the Environmental Health Disparities Map, and are therefore considered by the Climate Commitment Act to be “vulnerable populations within the boundaries of overburdened communities”.

• Ecology Improving Air Quality Communities: These 16 communities were identified by Washington Department Ecology as part of the Improving Air Quality in Overburdened Communities initiative: “Currently, we have identified 16 overburdened communities highly impacted by air pollution, with more to come following Tribal consultation. These communities represent more than 1.2 million people, or about 15.5% of the population of Washington.” 

• Counties: Borders for the 39 counties within Washington State.

• Tribal Reservations: Provide reservation borders for federally recognized tribal nations located within the contiguous state and international borders of Washington State. This source for this layer is the ESRI US Federal Database: “This feature layer, utilizing National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDA) data from the U.S. Census Bureau, displays federally recognized American Indian reservations.”

• Overburdened Communities of Washington State: A map based on 2010 Census Tracts published by the state of Washington on May 30, 2024:

“The Overburdened Communities of Washington State dataset merges several critical and currently available data sources to identify census tracts where vulnerable populations face cumulative environmental and health impacts. This dataset integrates 2010 census tracts ranked 9 or 10 by the Washington Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) Map, tracts identified as “disadvantaged” by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), and tracts overlapping with Tribal reservations (as recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs). The dataset covers urban, suburban, and rural areas, and varying in population and area size. These data support the identification of fund allocation under the CCA and HEAL Act, aiming to ensure equitable expenditures of funds towards environmental benefits and reduction of burdens in these critical areas. The dataset will be updated annually but is static between updates.”

The mapping tool was created by Zac Pinard, GIS Specialist with data collection and cleanup led by Kevin Tempest, Research Director, and Madison Calma, Summer Intern. A team of students from the University of Washington, under the guidance of Fred Pursell at the University of Washington Foster School of Business, provided additional research and design assistance. Clean and Prosperous Institute would like to thank those students for their contributions: Chikita Nigam, Dylan Fournier, Jade Cheatham, Madison Calma, and Megan Hassi.