April 27, 2021 Clark County Today by John Ley
On Saturday, the Washington State Senate passed SB 5096 by a vote of 27-22, and it now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for signing. On Sunday afternoon, the Senate passed HB 1091 creating a low carbon fuel standard. Both bills are tied to a future transportation package which must include a gas tax increase of a nickel or more.
“We finally have meaningful climate legislation that reflects the values and priorities of Washingtonians, and that respects the science of climate change,” Gov. Inslee said in a statement.
Inslee’s statement appears to fly in the face of voters’ actions. Both bills bypass the will of voters who soundly rejected I-732 and I-1631, which would have imposed a carbon tax raising the cost of home heating, vehicle fuels, and more in 2016 and 2018.
The bills create a system proponents hope will cap carbon pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. SB 5096 allocates specific limits for individual businesses, according to a news statement. The bill mentions “25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.”
Businesses would have to purchase credits to exceed the allowed amount. If businesses were under the allowed amount, they could sell their unused carbon emissions to other firms. The overall pool of carbon credits is supposed to be gradually reduced by 2050, in order to hit a goal of net-zero emissions.
Washington would become only the second state in the nation (behind California) More Here
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