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Senate committee hears proposal to tighten Washington's Clean Fuels standard and bolster market oversight
Summary
A bill to increase the Clean Fuels Program's carbon‑intensity target and create program‑specific penalties drew both support and opposition. Sponsors say higher targets and clearer enforcement will spur in‑state investment; critics say changes could raise pump prices for consumers.
A Washington State Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee public hearing on HB 1409 focused on strengthening the state's Clean Fuels Program by increasing carbon‑intensity reduction targets and adding new market and enforcement requirements.
Sponsor Representative Fitzgibbon told the panel the bill aims to make enforcement more tailored and predictable, removing the risk of criminal penalties and clarifying intermediate targets. "We, with this bill create a more tailored approach," she said, adding that the bill would raise the program's long‑term reduction goal — requiring Ecology to reduce carbon intensity by roughly 45% below 2017 levels by 2038, or to 55% under certain conditions — and to publish market analyses and price comparisons on Ecology's website.
Why it matters: The Clean Fuels Program…
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