![Schmick: Farmers Should Not Pay Cap-And-Trade Fees](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2023/02/attachment-Joe-Schmick-LARGE-2023.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Schmick: Farmers Should Not Pay Cap-And-Trade Fees
A Washington state lawmaker has introduced legislation to provide fuel rebates to farmers impacted by new climate policies. When Governor Jay Inslee’s cap-and-trade bill passed two years ago, it contained an exemption for fuel used to produce and transport farm goods. However, several farmers and those that transport food say they’ve been paying the additional fee since it was implemented January 1st. Colfax Republican Representative Joe Schmick said when the new law went into effect, the state Department of Ecology not only broke a promise to farmers but ignored the exemption.
“I had one grower show me a tanker load of fuel; 4,000 gallons. It was 40-cents a gallon for the Carbon Commitment Act. That's $1,600 extra. That's wrong!"
Under the new law, Ecology was supposed to devise a way to shield farmers from those costs. But to this point, it has not happened. In response, Schmick introduced House Bill 1780 to provide monthly refunds to farmers who can document they paid the cap-and-trade surcharges.
"I am giving Department of Ecology a bit of a nudge to do what they said they were going to do. And that is, come up with a way to get that money back into the farmers' pockets."
Schmick said the state, not farmers, should be on the hook for exemption failure.
Click Here to learn more about HB 1780.
If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com
More From 610 KONA
![Washington State Initiative 2117: Repealing the Climate Commitment Act](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2024/05/attachment-Climate-Commitment-Act.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Offbeat Adventures: The 10 Must-See Roadside Attractions in WA](http://townsquare.media/site/113/files/2024/03/attachment-FEATURED-SOCIAL-INSERT-Unique-Washington-State-Roadside-Attractions-With-the-Most-Fun.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Walla Walla Gas Plume Updates](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2023/09/attachment-Untitled-design61.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Dept of Ecology Says Nearly 40 Million Pounds of Litter in WA](http://townsquare.media/site/1130/files/2023/09/attachment-Untitled-design52.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![WA Fuel Prices Jump Over Memorial Weekend, 17th Week of Raises](http://townsquare.media/site/136/files/2023/05/attachment-gas-can-amazon1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Yakima Hoping New Regional Airport Lands in the Valley](http://townsquare.media/site/113/files/2017/07/YAKAIRPORT.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Public Asked to Weigh In On Rebuilding Dam Near Leavenworth](http://townsquare.media/site/1134/files/2023/05/attachment-Image-of-breach-in-Eightmile-Dam-west-of-Leavenworth-from-Washington-State-Department-of-Ecology.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![WA State Gas Prices Up Another $.12 From Last Week–AAA](http://townsquare.media/site/136/files/2023/04/attachment-gas-pumps-2023-GettyImages-1434795658.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Oil Prices Increase As Diesel Prices Continue To Slide](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/03/Diesel-Pump-13.jpg?w=980&q=75)