b'Winter 2019 State Report WASHINGTON Oil Marketers Association (WOMA) ReportWOMAWashington WireWOMA Embraces the Holidays . Common Sense Not Popular in Seattle, WALea McCulloughWA And if you have not already heard, the City of The Puget Sound Clear Air Agency,which governs a four-county region includingSeattle has passed a new Heating Oil Tax in an King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties,effort to combat climate change by encourag-WOMA Executive Director announced in the fall their intent to create aing residents to move quicker to clean heating Clean Fuel Standard for our region. In Novem- systems, according to Mayor Jenny Durkan. ber of 2018, Washington State voters rejectedThe tax of 24 cents per gallon will be collected a statewide clean fuel standard which wasstarting September 1, 2020 and the city expects strongly backed and spearheaded by Governorit to raise to $1.6M in 2021. Jay Inslee. In response to that rejection, theHere is the kickerThe tax goes into a fund PSCAA is trying to implement their own as ato help you convert your heating oil system to stepping stone to that end. More of a back door ruse than anything.electric heat pump, effectively taking custom-ers from small heating oil dealers, and mak-According to PSCAA, A Clean Fuel Stan- ing them customers of Seattle City Lighta dard reduces greenhouse gas pollution fromelectric utility owned and operated by City of transportation through a system of deficit andSeattle! WHAT??? credit trading that requires transportation fuelsThe Heating Oil Dealers fought back valiantly to become cleaner over time. Seems as if theduring this quick and dirty process of thecommon-sense bus has officially left the state.Seattle City Council, who in less than 3 meet-The draft rule proposes a standard that reducesings proposed, heard, and passed the ruling the carbon intensity of the regions transporta- into law. Its a preposterous process of climate-tion fuels by 25% by 2030. For a brief summarydriven agenda using fact-less data. of the draft rule, you can go to pscleanair.org. Residential customers of heating oil will be PSCAA is offering a 90-day comment pe- forced to decommission their heating oil tank riod on the draft rule, and a public hearing onand convert to a new source of energyand December 19, 2019 (conveniently close to thethe tax will incentivize them to move to electric holidays) at the WA State Convention Center.heat pump. Converting to an electric heat pump Our fearless friend and WOMA Board Member,system now typically costs between $10,000 Dan Averill of Reisner Distributors, has agreedand $15,000, and the tax generated is expected to be our industry voice and share his concerns,to help 3,000 households with rebates and data, and public comments. David Ducharme,grants to convert entirely. However, likely WOMAs Lobbyist, will also be in attendanceany individual grant would not be more than and has joined forces in a coalition against an- $1,000, so the resident of Seattle is effectively other carbonless idea for Washington State.being MANDATED to change their heating If you would like to be involved, please system and do so with funds out of pocket. All email Lea McCullough at lea@waoil.org, for the notion that carbon emission is our entire for inclusion into the strategic planning to problem. Maybe the Council should do something fight this effort.about the dreadful homeless population and dirty streets due to an ever-growing drug epidemic. 54 www.wpma.com / Winter 2019'