House
Bill 1301, sponsored by Rep. Jeff
Morris, improves an existing program that provides incentives for energy
consumers who use renewable sources to meet their electricity needs. It also
includes new performance measurement tools to increase accountability and ensure
that the tax credits administered under this program are accomplishing what they
are meant to – helping to create new jobs in our state.
The state will use metrics, such as how many
consumers are receiving credits and where they are buying their renewable energy
systems, to measure the success of the program and assess how credits are given
out. This will help reward companies that manufacture their products in
Washington, expanding our clean energy economy and creating good-paying jobs for
Washington families.
The second piece of legislation is House
Bill 1663, sponsored by Rep. Steve
Tharinger. It extends an existing sales and use tax exemption for a kind of
biomass called “hog fuel” which, incidentally, has nothing to do with
hogs. Hog fuel is a wood waste product, created from the limbs and
branches left behind when timber is harvested. Turning this wood
waste into renewable energy eliminates the need for open pile burning at the
timber harvesting site, which means fewer emissions into our atmosphere.
Both pieces of legislation will create or
maintain jobs here in Washington while reducing our dependence on outdated
fossil fuels – further proof that it doesn’t have to be a choice between growing
our economy and protecting our environment.
Read this story in Spanish.
Read this story in Spanish.
