By Sen. Fred Jarrett and Kristin Anderson
In our nation’s capital the Environmental Protection Agency, now under new management, is finally reconsidering allowing states to adopt stricter emissions standards than those laid out by the federal government. More than a dozen states, including Washington, already have laws on the books waiting to be put into effect that would curtail the greenhouse gases emitted by vehicles. If the EPA rules in our favor, Washington would be able to fully enact stricter laws and cut greenhouse gases equal to what 4.7 million vehicles emit today.
But we’re not stopping there. The Senate Transportation Committee has worked hard this session to make sure that Washington state is a responsible user of resources- including introducing legislation that will go considerably farther by promoting the use of biofuels and electric hybrids. This measure will require biofuels and electricity combined to make up 40 percent of all fuel used in state vehicles, vessels and construction equipment by 2013, reducing our state’s dependence on foreign oil.
The bill also would require the state to install electric charging outlets in all parking and maintenance facilities for state vehicles and at all state-operated highway rest stops by 2015. Along with Senate bill 5736 that would authorize a sales tax exemption for new electric vehicles, we can make sure that electric vehicles are both practical and affordable. And if doing all this in the name of environmental stewardship weren’t justification enough, this measure will create jobs in what has become a growth industry.
Yet despite all our progress on new electric vehicle technology, the simplest means we have to cut our oil use – better fuel economy – is still unavailable to us unless the EPA rules in favor of clean cars. The argument is clear: the gas savings alone would keep $5.4 million in the pockets of Washington residents, not Big Oil. If all 50 states adopted our standards, we could prevent pollution equal to a year’s worth of emissions from every single passenger vehicle in the country by 2020 – and save $260 billion at the pump.
The EPA has already heard from car industry executives who assert that new regulations will toll the death knell for their industry, and it’s only a matter of time before the Washington State Legislature hears from them, too. They’ve sung the same tune about every regulation ever imposed on them going back to requiring that all cars have seatbelts.
But to do our best for Washington’s environment, we need to make a strong commitment to 21st century transportation. This means taking bold steps toward new technology as well as enacting our already-established fuel economy standards. The EPA must do its part by ruling in favor of clean cars, and our Legislature must continue to lead the way by adopting new electric vehicles.
Sen. Fred Jarrett is a member of the Senate Transportation Committee and represents the 41st Legislative District, part of which includes Bellevue. Kristin Anderson is a Field Associate at Environment Washington, a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy group.
