Dye reacts to clean fuels bill
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, January 27th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
OLYMPIA – Rep. Mary Dye (R-Pomeroy) is sounding the alarm on House Bill 1091. Dye is the ranking Republican on the House Environment and Energy Committee and she said the Democrat majority quickly passed the low-carbon-fuel standard legislation out of committee late last week.
The measure would set the fuel standard and authorize the Department of Ecology to create a clean fuels program which Dye said could eventually increase the cost of gasoline by 57 cents a gallon and diesel by 63 cents a gallon.
“It is incredibly disappointing and unconscionable that at a time when Washington families are struggling to pay the rent or their mortgages and put food on the table, Democrats are introducing and quickly passing bills that would significantly drive up the cost of living in our state,” Dye said.
She added that the low-carbon-fuel standard increases fuel costs for everyone living and working in Washington, not from a direct tax but through the added costs to fuel producers who must comply with the law or buy carbon credits. Dye said that out-of-state producers and brokers will make millions at the expense of Washingtonians.
“Washington farmers compete for their place in global markets and are facing disadvantages and have unfair competition against lower-cost overseas producers every time we pass policies that increase the cost of their fuel,” she said. “Agriculture, shipping, and aircraft manufacturing would suffer if this bill passes, and it would significantly erode our advantage as an exporting giant.”
Dye said the Democrats are focusing on the wrong thing.
“Let’s quit focusing exclusively on carbon molecules and failed policies of the past that the governor proposes year after year, and begin working together for real solutions that don’t hurt our families and put more people out of work.”
