Clean Fuel Standard

By requiring fuel suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels, the Clean Fuel Standard will cut statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 4.3 million metric tons a year by 2038, and will stimulate economic development in low carbon fuel production.

California, Oregon, and British Columbia have adopted their own clean fuel standards. In Washington, the Clean Fuel Standard will work beside the Climate Commitment Act to target the largest source of emissions in Washington.

The Clean Fuel Standard law requires fuel suppliers to gradually reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels to 20 percent below 2017 levels by 2038. There are several ways for fuel suppliers to achieve these reductions, including:

• Improving the efficiency of their fuel production processes
• Producing and/or blending low-carbon biofuels into the fuel they sell
• Purchasing credits generated by low-carbon fuel providers, including electric vehicle charging providers

Proposed rulemaking timeline

Ecology announced rulemaking for the Clean Fuels Program Rule in July 2021. The program will begin in January 2023.

Independent cost-benefit analysis

As part of the Clean Fuel Standard law, we were directed by the Legislature to hire an independent contractor to analyze “the best estimate or range in probable costs or cost savings attributable to the clean fuels program per gallon of gasoline and per gallon of diesel.” We held an online information session about the preliminary results on May 3, 2022.

Find out more about the analysis:

• Third-party cost-benefit analysis (released July 1, 2022)
• Cover letter
• Independent studies show new climate change initiatives deliver significant benefits at minimal costs (blog)

Agriculture and Forestry Carbon Capture & Sequestration Advisory Panel

The panel is made up of representative stakeholders from businesses and industries related to forestry and agriculture, environmental and environmental justice groups, local governments, and the public. The panel will provide a collaborative forum for members to offer input and insights about how to best provide incentives and allocate credits for the sequestration of greenhouse gases related to the Clean Fuel Standard through activities on agricultural and forest lands in Washington.

Find out more about the advisory panel.