For the past four consecutive legislative sessions, lawmakers have introduced proposals to impose a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) in Washington state. … Much of the discussion during a Jan. 14 public hearing on the bill in the House Committee on Environment & Energy rehashed arguments made in years past by both proponents and critics. […]
News Stories
Capital gains tax, LCFS within reach next session
Democrat lawmakers and Governor Jay Inslee for years have sought to enact a variety of tax and regulatory proposals that have failed due to bipartisan opposition from key legislators in both chambers. However, the Nov. 3 election concluded with four incumbents trailing their opponents, which could result in an overall stronger Democrat majority in both […]
New Clean Air Rule proposal could be costly for consumers
While scores of truckers, loggers and other stakeholders testified this week against ESHB 1110 which would create a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), its sponsor Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-34) has also sponsored a new version of previous Clean Air Rule legislation that would give the state Department of Ecology broad authority to authorize an LCFS—and more. The proposal, HB 2957, was […]
HB 1110 and SB 5412, the high costs and small environmental benefits of a Low-Carbon Fuel Standard
Key Findings Low-carbon fuel standards (LCFS) have been tried in British Columbia, California, and Oregon and the results consistently show high costs and small environmental benefits. Using existing prices from California, the LCFS in Washington would cost about 36 cents per gallon of gas when fully implemented. The LCFS is also about 29 times as […]
Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce takes political stance against clean fuel bill
MOSES LAKE – Moses Lake’s Chamber of Commerce wasn’t guarded when it revealed its stance against a clean fuel bill it says could be costly to Washingtonians on both sides of the mountains. … “Employers will pay more to get their goods to market. Employees will spend more to get to work. Families will face […]
Angling for LCFS policy continues
Although a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) bill reintroduced from last session and passed by the state House appears to be going nowhere in the Senate, the general idea could still move forward as proponents continue to push the policy on a variety of fronts. After clearing the House on Jan. 29 in a 52-44 […]
Capitol Dispatch: Local lawmakers oppose clean fuel standard
A clean fuel standard intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks and other vehicles passed out of the state House on Wednesday and was sent to the Senate, where the same bill stalled last session. All four representatives from the 19th and 20th Legislative Districts voted against the measure, saying it could increase […]
State House Passes Bill That Would Up Gas Tax $.57 Cents-Or More
House Republicans, and five Democrats, voted against HB (house bill) 1110, which would create what are called California style low carbon fuel standard. That means there would be mandated changes or modifications to gas sold in our state. The end result? To pay for those modifications the gas tax would rise anywhere from $.57 to […]
LCFS proposal “destroys our competitiveness”
The state House has voted 52-44 in favor of a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) program via HB 1110; introduced last year and at that time approved by the chamber 53-43, the legislation reached the Senate Transportation Committee before it was referred back to the House. The vote this session was preceded by hours-long impassioned […]
LCFS, round three
Though state lawmakers for the past two years have unsuccessfully tried to enact a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) in an effort to reduce transportation sector carbon emissions, some have decided to take another run at implementing the policy. A Jan. 16 public hearing of the previous proposal’s companion bill [SB 5412] in the Senate […]