Hudgins bill pursues access to cleaner fuel for all

January 24, 2008

OLYMPIA – The state House passed a slew of bills today, most of them carry-overs from last session including one from State Representative Zack Hudgins (D – Tukwila).

With rising concern over climate change and public outcry over wildly fluctuating gas prices, Hudgins’ bill, HB 1057, would take a step towards more consumer choices at the fuel pump.

House bill 1057 would require state agencies to develop plans and estimate costs for renovating existing refueling stations or constructing new refueling stations that could provide alternative fuels. 

“There’s no reason why Washington’s drivers couldn’t already lower their fossil fuel consumption,” stated Hudgins during the previous House Floor debate. “We have addressed the production end with strategic investments in forward-thinking green industries. In fact, there are farmers in Eastern Washington and producers in my district already generating the clean renewable fuels to meet our needs.”

Hudgins is hopeful its outcome will be different this time around. The bill passed by an even wider margin – in fact, unanimously from the House today – 97 yeas to zero nays. Due to a short 60-day session this year, early action in the House bodes well for the future of the legislation in the Senate.

Hudgins sees the potential for Washington state to become a greater national leader in burgeoning clean-fuel technology, and believes in the state’s potential to achieve energy independence. “We grow the feed stock; we produce the biofuel; we create the jobs in new industries. Now the state needs to get on board and use these Washington fuels.”

“The problem is, unless we increase access to the market or distribution, we’ll never make a dent in the amount of oil we import from other countries.”

The bill now heads back to the Senate once again for further consideration.