Gov. Inslee issues emergency drought declaration for Washington state by Callie Craighead and Alec Regimbal, SeattlePI Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency drought declaration across most of the state on Wednesday. The declaration allows expedited permitting for emergency water rights and allows the government to safeguard water supplies, aid state agriculture and augment stream flows to protect fish. A drought emergency means that projected water supplies are expected to be significantly lower than normal. Inslee said the drought was a result of climate change. “This is the summer of climate change,” Inslee said during Wednesday’s press conference. “And we are hopeful this is the summer when we rally as a united state against this horrendous threat.”