State Officials Seek Comments on Controversial Proposed Low-Carbon Fuel Standard

The Washington State Department of Ecology is seeking comments and input on Gov. Inslee's controversial plan to implement a low-carbon fuel standard in Washington state.

As part of his pursuit to become the "greenest" governor in America,  Inslee continues to push this controversial plan that would dramatically lower the carbon levels in the gas we put in our cars, trucks, and SUV's.

When you go to the pump these days, you see those stickers on the pumps showing not only the amount of ethanol in the fuel, but octane levels.  Reducing the carbon by 10% is part of the new low-carbon standard that would be implemented over time. What that time frame is was not clearly disclosed.

The problem with low carbon fuel standards is in the refinement. Currently there aren't enough refineries with the additional equipment and technology required to further glean these fuels to newer standards. When you demand a fuel that's not readily and widely available, prices go up.

Low carbon fuel standards, according to the George C. Marshall Institute, would raise the average fuel cost for a family nationally by about $570 per year, if a national standard is adopted. This standard is based upon reaching a 10% lower carbon standard between now and the year 2020.

Plus, according to the Institute, low carbon fuel standards are not the environmental "cure-all" proclaimed by Gov. Inslee. There are technologies available that produce close to or the same environmental results. Low carbon fuels aren't much cleaner than ethanol based fuels we see now, but low carbon fuel standards would limit the amount of shale oil and offshore oil available because their carbon levels are higher.

The Institute suggests low carbon fuel standards are just another squeeze by environmental groups and politicians to force the public to invest in unreliable, expensive hybrids or unproven electric technology.

Chance are, you won't be able to make to the hearings this week in Olympia. But you can call our legislators and tell them to put pressure on the State Department of Ecology and Inslee NOT to enact these expensive standards.

Here are the phone numbers of Senators and Representatives (House) who carry our voices from the Mid-Columbia in Olympia:

Senator Sharon Brown 360-786-7614

Senator Mike Hewitt 360-786-1266

Representative Larry Haler 360-786-7996

Representative Brad Klippert 360-786-7862

Representative Maureen Walsh 360-786-7836

Representative Terry Nealy 360-786-7828