Washington’s latest auction of carbon-emission allowances raked in $62.5 million last week, with revenue from the state’s carbon-pricing program now nearing a billion dollars and far outpacing early estimates. The state Department of Ecology announced Wednesday the results of its special auction held last week because the previous quarterly auction in May exceeded a “trigger” […]
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Let’s have an honest conversation about energy costs in WA
As lawmakers adopted the state’s Climate Commitment Act, the business community warned of the price increases it would levy on consumers. It’s simple economics: Raise prices on commodities upstream, and those increases get passed along the supply chain. Public testimony on the Climate Commitment Act, the Clean Energy Transformation Act and other greenhouse gas-reduction policies […]
Washington gas prices among highest in the nation due to taxes and new emissions program
WASHINGTON — Filling up your tank is more painful than it was just a month ago. … Drivers are paying nearly 50 cents a gallon in state and federal taxes. That’s the third highest rate in the country. Prices are also being boosted by a new program that went into effect this year which puts […]
Opinion | Kris Johnson: To lower gas prices, stop pointing fingers and start fixing climate act
It should come as no surprise to anyone that gas prices in Washington are going up. The Climate Commitment Act’s cap-and-trade program went into effect in January, and by June, our state had earned the dubious distinction of having the highest gas prices in the country for the first time ever. This is no coincidence. […]
Editorial: When it comes to high fuel prices, Washington tries harder
Back in 1962, Avis Car Rental tried to turn its position as the country’s second-largest rental agency into a positive by adopting as its slogan, “We try harder.” A whole ad campaign was adopted carrying various taglines along the theme of “We’re Number 2, we try harder.” We’ve often thought of those advertisements as we […]
WA lawmakers must fix carbon program that’s hiking gas prices
Washington state now has the highest gas prices in the country and there’s no doubt the price at the pump is hurting families. People living in rural parts of the state, especially, can’t change their driving habits on a whim. If they live 20 miles away from town, taking public transportation isn’t an option. And […]
On the road between ‘hogwash and baloney’ on WA’s high gas prices
“The oil and gas industry projections around any of this are halfway between hogwash and baloney.” This was Gov. Jay Inslee, last winter, talking about the prospect that the state’s new climate change policy would cause a significant rise in gasoline prices. “This is going to have a minimal impact, if any. Pennies. We are […]
We Asked for High Gas Prices? — We Got ’em
Washington now has the highest gasoline prices of all 50 states, the Seattle Times reported June 21. The story was broken the day before by the San Diego Union, which offered it as a good-news story: California’s prices were no longer the highest. … The newspaper stories say the cause of the high prices in […]
Pain at the pump for Washington state residents as it becomes the most expensive place to buy gas at $4.95 a gallon – nine cents higher than California – amid drive to go green
The average cost of gas in Washington has jumped by 34 cents in the last month Residents are being charged $4.95 a gallon, compared to $4.86 in California Experts said the price surge was due to oil companies passing down green fees Washington is now the most expensive state to buy gas for the first […]
Record setting gas prices causing frustration for drivers in the Inland Northwest
Gas Buddy says gas is an average of four dollars and 73 cents per gallon in Spokane. That’s almost one dollar more than the national average. … … GasBuddy says the main problem is Washington’s new cap and invest program that went in effect earlier this year. The program was passed by legislature with the […]