OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill in front of lawmakers in Olympia would take steps to accelerate removal of natural gas from homes and buildings, including use for space heating, furnaces, water heaters, interior gas fireplaces and barbeque grills.
The bill was co-sponsored by Democratic 40th District Representative Alex Ramel, and is intended to fight climate change.
Ramel said the intent of the legislation is to hold “energy companies to high standards by reducing the use of fossil fuels.”
Republican Representative Mary Dye of Pomeroy said, if passed, the bill would be result in job loss.
She said the big picture is to end every job tied to fossil fuels, adding the bill goes too far when it signals it wants to make a whole industry and its workers obsolete.
Kennewick Representative Matt Boehnke said if the bill becomes law, nearly one million natural gas customers in Washington would see a 700-hundred dollar increase in their annual energy bill.
HB1084 passed out of the house environment and energy committee 8-5 Tuesday.