Bill to Block Governor Ordered Carbon Reduction & Quarantines Lifted

I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

At a recent state House Environment Committee hearing representatives from the state's agriculture, trucking and construction industries, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses testified in favor of HB 1881, which would block Governor Inslee from setting a low carbon fuel standard by executive order under the state's Clean Air Act as part of his climate change agenda. Washington Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President Jack Field told the committee that everyone in the state would be impacted by a low carbon fuel standard.

FIELD: The discussion on carbon fuel standards is one that has divided folks on both sides, but has definitely started a healthy discussion. We would agree with the proponents of this measure and would agree that this level of rule and this discussion should happen before you where all citizens have the opportunity to participate in that open process. A low carbon fuel standard will dramatically impact everybody in the state - certainly those of us in agriculture that utilize fuels.

Two avian influenza quarantines put in place in parts of Okanogan County to restrict the movement of eggs, poultry and poultry products have now been lifted by the WSDA. After extensive testing in the quarantine areas veterinarians with the WSDA and USDA have determined that the avian influenza detected in the two Okanogan County backyard flocks does not appear to have spread beyond those two sites. Prior avian influenza quarantines put in place in Benton, Clallam and Franklin counties have also been lifted. Avian influenza has not been detected in any commercial flocks in Washington state.

That's Washington Ag Today.

I'm Lacy Gray with the Ag Information Network of the West.