Campaigning out of a hybrid SUV that gets about 27 miles per gallon, Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi says that when it comes to the environment, he’s more progressive than many voters might think. Rossi’s agenda calls for converting the state motor pool to hybrid and plug-in vehicles by 2015, providing a sales tax exemption on hybrid vehicles, replacing fish-killing road culverts and implementing massive congestion relief projects that he says will eliminate millions of tons of carbon emissions produced by cars stuck in traffic. Rossi can purchase a hybrid in an election year, but that token action doesn’t measure up to Governor Gregoire’s track record of fighting global warming and protecting the environment,” said Aaron Toso, spokesman for Gregoire’s campaign. Kelly Steele, a spokesman for the state Democrats, said Rossi’s gubernatorial candidacy was created “from the ground up” by the Building Industry Association of Washington — which has made opposition to Gregoire’s climate change legislation among their top priorities. Rossi said fighting congestion — one of his top campaign promises — could also help reduce carbon emissions. read more

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