FINAL BILL REPORT

ESHB 1242

C 17 L 03

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Encouraging the use of biodiesel by state agencies.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Technology, Telecommunications & Energy (originally sponsored by Representatives Sullivan, Crouse, Wood, Morris, Grant, Schoesler, Quall, Ruderman and Mielke).

House Committee on Technology, Telecommunications & Energy

Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Background:

Biodiesel is a non-petroleum diesel fuel produced from renewable sources such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled cooking oils. It can be blended at any percentage with petroleum diesel or used as a pure product (neat diesel). Other states have adopted policies and incentives to encourage the use of biodiesel.

Blended biodiesel is in use in Washington to fuel some passenger cars and municipal vehicles.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel is a specially refined diesel fuel that has lower sulfur content than regular on-highway diesel. The sulfur content ranges from 15 to 30 parts per million. Regular diesel has a maximum of 500 parts per million of sulfur.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is requiring that all on-highway diesel fuel must meet the ultra-low sulfur diesel standards beginning in 2006.

Summary:

All state agencies are encouraged to use a blend of 20 percent biodiesel (B20) with petroleum diesel for diesel fuel vehicles.

By June 1, 2006, in complying with the federal standard for diesel fuels for use in on-highway vehicles, state agencies must use biodiesel as an additive to ultra-low sulfur diesel in an amount not less than 2 percent biodiesel if the use of a lubricity additive is warranted and if the performance and cost of a biodiesel additive is comparable to other lubricity additives.

Votes on Final Passage:

House 86  7

Senate 48  0

Effective: July 27, 2003