03/31/06 Governor signs biofuels mandate

03/31/06 Governor signs biofuels mandate

Washington Ag March 31, 2006 Governor Chris Gregoire went to McKay Seed Company in Moses Lake Thursday to sign into law a measure she requested that will require fuel suppliers to ensure that two percent of the diesel and two percent of the gasoline they provide for sale is biodiesel and ethanol beginning in December of 2008. The governor said alternative fuels will help bridge the rural and urban divide in the state as eastern Washington can grow the crops and crush the seeds and ship them across the Cascades for use in busses in Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia. Many eastern Washington lawmakers however did not support the idea of a mandated fuels standard. The U.S. Senate has begun debate on immigration reform and Washington Senator Patty Murray took to the floor Thursday to urge her colleagues to get it right. Getting it right according to Murray is to include a guest worker program in any legislation. Murray: "We have tremendous labor needs in our country especially in labor intensive fields like agriculture. Our economy cannot survive without access to the workers we need and a responsible guest worker program can help address our country's economic needs. As one farmer in my state put it, "We need reform but we cannot commit economic suicide in the process." A House passed bill, with which any Senate measure must be reconciled, does not include any guest worker program. I'm Bob Hoff.
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