2018 legislative review
per metric ton of greenhouse gases reduced , a trait not inherent to the EIA as a policy . Other EIA bills included House bills 2283 , 2402 , 2995 , 2997 and Senate Bill 6253 .
HB 2327 concerning appliance efficiency standards
Failed / AWB Opposed
House Bill 2327 , sponsored by Rep . Jeff Morris , D-Mount Vernon , would have mandated efficiency in energy consumption by various appliances found in homes and businesses . While appliance manufacturers support the federal Energy Star efficiency program , AWB members could not support mandating those same production standards be applied to nearly all appliances . Had HB 2327 passed , many appliances on the market today would have become unavailable to Washingtonians , physically impossible to manufacture for consumer use , or unattainable for use in financially-sensitive applications such as low-income housing development and health care settings . The Senate Energy , Environment and Telecommunications Committee adopted a favorable substitute to HB 2327 mandating only appliances that use water , such as shower heads , comply with efficiency requirements , but the Senate ultimately did not adopt the measure .
HB 2412 concerning procurement of building materials with embodied carbon
Failed / AWB Opposed
AWB opposed House Bill 2412 , sponsored by Rep . Beth Doglio , D-Olympia , as it would have required the state to purchase building materials that have been deemed to have a lower life-cycle carbon footprint . While holding the state accountable for environmental requirements placed on the private sector is a noble goal , a significant dispute still exists concerning how lifecycle analyses determine the “ embodied ” carbon content of one material versus another , and whether that analysis can be reliably performed at all . Although HB 2412 died this legislative session , AWB members expect continued conversation around embodied emissions and a renewed effort toward regulating them next year .
HB 2338 creating a low-carbon fuel standard
Failed / AWB Opposed
House Bill 2338 , sponsored by Rep . Joe Fitzgibbon , D-Burien , proposed to adopt a low-carbon fuel standard ( LCFS ) similar to California ’ s , which has presented — and will continue to present — enormous regulatory and economic challenges for the state . HB 2338 would have directed the Washington state Department of Ecology to implement a LCFS over the next several years but did not provide any research or fiscal support to help implement it . In California , the LCFS has been stalled for the past seven years due to the lack of biofuel feedstock needed to reduce the carbon intensity of fuel , infrastructure challenges and legal concerns . Furthermore , not all proponents of carbon reduction have supported the LCFS as a policy . The federal Renewable Fuel Standard has raised concerns about : people growing new crops domestically and abroad , causing increased emissions and removed forest habitat , technological concerns over biological contamination , and ecological concerns over the use of water to grow ethanol feedstocks . California ’ s LCFS mandate is now being fully implemented , and the resulting spike in gasoline prices will inevitably damage California ’ s economy . Washington state legislators were prudent to set aside HB 2338 to allow time to assess the impact that the California LCFS will have on those industries attempting to comply with its mandate , and then determine whether feedstocks will be available to support new LCFS mandates , and whether the economic costs associated with LCFS implementation are worth the potential carbon-reduction benefits .
Jessica Spiegel of the Western States Petroleum Association joins AWB ’ s Mike Ennis and Mary Catherine McAleer to testify on HB 2338 , regarding low-carbon fuel standards , before the House Transportation Committee on Feb . 5 .
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