ESSB 6508 -
By Representative Morris
ADOPTED AS AMENDED 03/01/2006
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that it is in the
public interest to establish a market for alternative fuels in
Washington. By requiring a growing percentage of our fuel supply to be
renewable biofuel that meets appropriate fuel quality standards, we
will reduce our dependence on imports of foreign oil, improve the
health and quality of life for Washingtonians, and stimulate the
creation of a new industry in Washington that benefits our farmers and
rural communities. The legislature finds that it is in the public
interest for the state to play a central role in spurring the market by
purchasing an increasing amount of alternative fuels produced in
Washington. The legislature finds that we must act now and that the
time available before the requirements of this act take effect is
sufficient for feedstock and fuel providers to prepare for successful
implementation.
The legislature intends for consumers to have a choice of fuels and
to encourage and promote the development, availability, and use of a
diversity of renewable fuels and fuel blends ranging from fuels
composed of no renewable content to completely renewable fuels.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 19.112 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Special fuel licensees under chapter 82.38 RCW, other than
international fuel tax agreement licensees, dyed special fuel users,
and special fuel distributors, shall provide evidence to the department
of licensing that at least two percent of the total annual diesel fuel
sold in Washington is biodiesel fuel, following the earlier of: (a)
November 30, 2008; or (b) when a determination is made by the director,
published in the Washington State Register, that feedstock grown in
Washington state can satisfy a two-percent requirement.
(2) Special fuel licensees under chapter 82.38 RCW, other than
international fuel tax agreement licensees, dyed special fuel users,
and special fuel distributors, shall provide evidence to the department
of licensing that at least five percent of total annual diesel fuel
sold in Washington is biodiesel fuel, when the director determines, and
publishes this determination in the Washington State Register, that
both in-state oil seed crushing capacity and feedstock grown in
Washington state can satisfy a three-percent requirement.
(3) The requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section
shall take effect no sooner than one hundred eighty days after the
determination has been published in the Washington State Register.
(4) The director and the director of licensing shall each adopt
rules, in coordination with each other, for enforcing and carrying out
the purposes of this section.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 19.112 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) By December 1, 2008, motor vehicle fuel licensees under chapter
82.36 RCW, other than motor vehicle fuel distributors, shall provide
evidence to the department of licensing that at least two percent of
total gasoline sold in Washington, measured on a quarterly basis, is
denatured ethanol.
(2) If the director of ecology determines that ethanol content
greater than two percent of the total gasoline sold in Washington will
not jeopardize continued attainment of the federal clean air act's
national ambient air quality standard for ozone pollution in Washington
and the director of agriculture determines and publishes this
determination in the Washington State Register that sufficient raw
materials are available within Washington to support economical
production of ethanol at higher levels, the director of agriculture may
require by rule that licensees provide evidence to the department of
licensing that denatured ethanol comprises between two percent and at
least ten percent of total gasoline sold in Washington, measured on a
quarterly basis.
(3) The requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section
shall take effect no sooner than one hundred eighty days after the
determination has been published in the Washington State Register.
(4) The director and the director of licensing shall each adopt
rules, in coordination with each other, for enforcing and carrying out
the purposes of this section.
(5) Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the production,
sale, or use of motor fuel for use in federally designated flexibly
fueled vehicles capable of using up to eighty-five percent ethanol fuel
blends. Nothing in this section is intended to limit the use of high
octane gasoline not blended with ethanol for use in aircraft.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 19.112 RCW
to read as follows:
The director of the department of licensing shall establish rules
to ensure that information submitted as required by section 2 or 3 of
this act can be combined or aggregated for reporting purposes by the
department of licensing without releasing identifying individual
company information.
Sec. 5 RCW 19.112.060 and 1990 c 102 s 7 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1)(a) Any person who knowingly violates any provision of this
chapter or rules adopted under it is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon
conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand
dollars or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
(b) The director shall assess a civil penalty ranging from one
hundred dollars to ten thousand dollars per occurrence, giving due
consideration to the appropriateness of the penalty with respect to the
gravity of the violation, and the history of previous violations.
Civil penalties collected under this chapter shall be deposited into
the motor vehicle fund.
(2) The penalties in subsection (1)(a) of this section do not apply
to violations of sections 2 and 3 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 19.112 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The director shall adopt rules for maintaining standards for
biodiesel fuel or fuel blended with biodiesel fuel by adopting all or
part of the standards set forth in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards
and supplements, amendments, or revisions thereof, all or part of the
standards set forth in the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) Handbook 130, Uniform Laws and Regulations in the
areas of legal metrology and engine fuel quality rules, and any
supplements, amendments, or revisions thereof, together with applicable
federal environmental protection agency standards. If a conflict
exists between federal environmental protection agency standards, ASTM
standards, or NIST standards, for purposes of uniformity, federal
environmental protection agency standards shall take precedence over
ASTM and NIST standards. The department of agriculture shall not
exceed ASTM standards for diesel.
(2) The rules adopted under subsection (1) of this section shall be
updated to provide for fuel stability standards when national or
international fuel stability standards have been adopted.
Sec. 7 RCW 19.112.020 and 1990 c 102 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) This chapter shall be administered by the director or his or
her authorized agent. For the purpose of administering this chapter,
for motor fuel except biodiesel fuel, the standards set forth in the
Annual Book of ASTM Standards and supplements thereto, and revisions
thereof, are adopted, together with applicable federal environmental
protection agency standards. If a conflict exists between federal
environmental protection agency standards, ASTM standards, or state
standards, for purposes of uniformity, federal environmental protection
agency standards shall take precedence over ASTM standards. Any state
standards adopted must be consistent with federal environmental
protection agency standards and ASTM standards not in conflict with
federal environmental protection agency standards.
(2) The director may establish a fuel testing laboratory or may
contract with a laboratory for testing. The director may also adopt
rules on false and misleading advertising, labeling and posting of
prices, and the standards for, and identity of, motor fuels. The
director shall require fuel pumps offering biodiesel and ethanol blends
to be identified by a label stating the percentage of biodiesel or
ethanol.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 A new section is added to chapter 19.112 RCW
to read as follows:
The director shall establish a biofuels advisory committee to
advise the director on implementing or suspending the minimum renewable
fuel content requirements. The committee shall advise the director on
applicability to all users; logistical, technical, and economic issues
of implementation, including the potential for credit trading,
compliance and enforcement provisions, and tracking and reporting
requirements; and how the use of renewable fuel blends greater than two
percent and renewable fuels other than biodiesel or ethanol could
achieve the goals of chapter ..., Laws of 2006 (this act). The
director shall make recommendations to the legislature and the governor
on the implementation or suspension of chapter . . ., Laws of 2006
(this act) by September 1, 2007.
Sec. 9 RCW 43.19.642 and 2003 c 17 s 2 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) All state agencies are encouraged to use a fuel blend of twenty
percent biodiesel and eighty percent petroleum diesel for use in
diesel-powered vehicles and equipment.
(2) Effective June 1, 2006, for agencies complying with the ultra-low sulfur diesel mandate of the United States environmental protection
agency for on-highway diesel fuel, agencies shall use biodiesel as an
additive to ultra-low sulfur diesel for lubricity, provided that the
use of a lubricity additive is warranted and that the use of biodiesel
is comparable in performance and cost with other available lubricity
additives. The amount of biodiesel added to the ultra-low sulfur
diesel fuel shall be not less than two percent.
(3) Effective June 1, 2009, state agencies are required to use a
minimum of twenty percent biodiesel as compared to total volume of all
diesel purchases made by the agencies for the operation of the
agencies' diesel-powered vessels, vehicles, and construction equipment.
(4) All state agencies using biodiesel fuel shall, beginning on
July 1, 2006, file quarterly reports with the department of general
administration documenting the use of the fuel and a description of how
any problems encountered were resolved.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10 A new section is added to chapter 19.112
RCW to read as follows:
The governor, by executive order, may suspend all or portions of
the minimum renewable fuel content requirements in section 2 or 3 of
this act, or RCW 43.19.642, based on a determination that such
requirements are temporarily technically or economically infeasible, or
pose a significant risk to public safety.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 11 A new section is added to chapter 43.19 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The department of general administration must assist state
agencies seeking to meet the biodiesel fuel requirements in RCW
43.19.642 by coordinating the purchase and delivery of biodiesel if
requested by any state agency. The department may use long-term
contracts of up to ten years, when purchasing from in-state suppliers
who use predominantly in-state feedstock, to secure a sufficient and
stable supply of biodiesel for use by state agencies.
(2) The department shall compile and analyze the reports submitted
under RCW 43.19.642(4) and report in an electronic format its findings
and recommendations to the governor and committees of the legislature
with responsibility for energy issues, within sixty days from the end
of each reporting period. The governor shall consider these reports in
determining whether to temporarily suspend minimum renewable fuel
content requirements as authorized under section 10 of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 12 A new section is added to chapter 19.112
RCW to read as follows:
(1) By November 30, 2008, the director shall determine whether the
state's diesel fuel supply is comprised of at least ten percent
biodiesel made predominantly from Washington feedstock.
(2) By November 30, 2008, the director shall determine whether the
state's gasoline fuel supply is comprised of at least twenty percent
ethanol made predominantly from Washington feedstock, without
jeopardizing continued attainment of the federal clean air act's
national ambient air quality standard for ozone pollution.
(3) By December 1, 2008, the director shall notify the governor and
the legislature of the findings in subsections (1) and (2) of this
section.
(4) If the findings from the director indicate that the goals of
subsection (1) or (2) of this section, or both, have been achieved,
then the governor shall issue an executive order declaring that section
2 or 3 of this act, or both, are no longer applicable.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 13 A new section is added to chapter 19.112
RCW to read as follows:
(1) If either or both of the goals in section 12 of this act are
not achieved by November 30, 2008, the director shall monitor the
state's diesel and gasoline fuel supply until such time as those goals,
or either of them, is met.
(2) The director shall report to the governor and the legislature
regarding the goals in section 12 of this act by November 30th of the
year in which a goal is met.
(3) Following notification under this section that a goal has been
met, the governor shall prepare executive request legislation repealing
section 2 or 3 of this act, or both, as applicable.
Sec. 14 RCW 19.112.010 and 1991 c 145 s 1 are each amended to
read as follows:
((As used in this chapter:)) The definitions in this section apply
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Biodiesel fuel" means the monoalkyl esters of long chain fatty
acids derived from plant or animal matter that meet the registration
requirements for fuels and fuel additives established by the federal
environmental protection agency and standards established by the
American society of testing and materials.
(2) "Diesel" means special fuel as defined in RCW 82.38.020, and
diesel fuel dyed in accordance with the regulations in 26 C.F.R. Sec.
48.4082-1T as of October 24, 2005.
(3) "Director" means the director of agriculture.
(4) "Motor fuel" means any liquid product used for the generation
of power in an internal combustion engine used for the propulsion of a
motor vehicle upon the highways of this state, and any biodiesel fuel.
Motor fuels containing ethanol may be marketed if either (a) the base
motor fuel meets the applicable standards before the addition of the
ethanol or (b) the resultant blend meets the applicable standards after
the addition of the ethanol.
(((2) "Director" means the director of agriculture.))
NEW SECTION. Sec. 15 If any provision of this act or its
application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the
remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other
persons or circumstances is not affected."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: Provides that the legislature intends for consumers to
have a diverse choice of fuels.
Clarifies that special fuel licensees who are special fuel users
are exempted from requirements to sell biodiesel fuels.
Specifies that the director of agriculture publishes determinations
related to the minimum renewable fuel content requirements for
biodiesel and ethanol in the Washington State Register.
Specifies that minimum renewable fuel content requirements for
biodiesel and ethanol shall take effect no sooner than one hundred
eighty days after the director of agriculture's determination has been
published in the Washington State Register.
Clarifies that the director of agriculture and the director of
licensing shall each adopt rules related to the minimum renewable fuel
content requirements in coordination with each other.
Changes the ethanol minimum renewable fuel content requirement from
a percent per gallon requirement to a volumetric requirement based on
a percent of total gasoline sold in Washington.
Specifies that motor vehicle fuel licensees under chapter 82.36
RCW, other than motor vehicle fuel distributors, provide evidence to
the department of licensing on a quarterly basis that ethanol comprises
at least two percent total gasoline sold, or between two percent and at
least ten percent of total gasoline sold in Washington if the
requirement increases.
Clarifies the ethanol minimum fuel content requirement does not
prohibit the production, sale, or use of motor fuel for use in flexible
fuel vehicles.
Clarifies the ethanol minimum fuel content requirement does not
limit the use of high octane gasoline not blended with ethanol for use
in aircraft.
Exempts special fuel licensees, reporting on sales of biodiesel and
ethanol, from existing criminal provision contained in the code.
Allows for the imposition of civil penalties.
Specifies that the director of agriculture shall adopt rules for
maintaining standards for biodiesel fuel or fuel blended with biodiesel
including fuel stability standards once national or international
standards have been adopted.
Specifies that the biofuels advisory committee will consider how
renewable fuels other than biodiesel and ethanol could achieve the
goals of this act.
Allows the Governor to suspend the minimum renewable fuel content
requirements for state agencies if requirements are temporarily
technically or economically infeasible or pose a significant risk to
public safety.
Allows the department of general administration to use long-term
contracts of up to ten years when purchasing from in-state suppliers
who use predominately in-state feedstock when securing biodiesel for
state agencies.
Increases the amount of time from thirty to sixty days for the
department of agriculture to report findings to the governor and
legislature about the use of biodiesel by state agencies.
Provides a definition for "biodiesel fuel" and "diesel" to chapter
19.112 RCW, the motor fuel quality act.
Provides a severability clause.
Makes a number of technical changes.