Senator: Fuel price rising

RITZVILLE — A local lawmaker says two environmental laws from the Democratic-controlled Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee that took effect Jan. 1 are already causing a fuel price increase.

Republican Sen. Mark Schoesler or Ritzville, who represents the 9th Legislative District, said the

Washington Independent Energy Distributors Association is reporting the increase in less than a week of new laws taking effect.

Wholesale gasoline and diesel prices have risen statewide as a result of the “cap-and-tax” law and the law creating a low-carbon fuel standard, he said the association reported.

Both laws were passed by the Legislature in 2021 and took effect Jan. 1.

Wholesale fuel numbers last week showed gasoline prices had increased by 33.06 cents per gallon due to the “cap-and-tax” law and by 1.54 cents per gallon because of the low-carbon fuel standard, Schoesler said.

Meanwhile, the wholesale price of a gallon of diesel rose by 42.35 cents as a result of cap-and-tax and by 1.46 cents due to the low-carbon fuel standard, he said.

Schoesler noted heating-fuel prices also have sharply increased in recent days, with more than two months of winter ahead.

“The wholesale fuel prices that I saw clearly show that ‘cap-and-tax’ and the low-carbon fuel standard are forcing fuel prices to increase at Eastern Washington gas stations, and Western Washington gas stations likely will see a similar hike,” he said. “This contradicts claims by the governor and some of his allies that ‘cap-and-tax’ and LCFS will cause fuel prices to go up by only a few cents a gallon.

According to GasBuddy.com, a website that tracks fuel price trends nationwide, the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Washington state was $3.80 on Monday.

Over the weekend, the lowest cost for regular gasoline reported in Adams County by the website was Love’s Travel Stop, 1370 N. State Highway 261, at $3.39 per gallon.

Nearby, a gallon of regular gasoline cost:

Cheney — Maverick, 2827 First St., $3.52

Colfax — $3.99 at all distributors

Connell — Circle K, 660 S Columbia Ave, $3.45

Moses Lake — Safeway, 601 S Pioneer Way, $3.39

Othello — Waterhole, 1892 W Cunningham Road, $3.69

“Ever since these two laws were passed by the Democrats and signed by the governor, I’ve warned that they will force fuel prices to significantly increase,” Schoesler said. “Now that these laws have gone into effect, we’re seeing that they indeed are causing hikes in fuel and heating-oil prices.

“This will hurt nearly everyone – commuters, parents taking their kids places, truckers and delivery drivers, and those working in agriculture.

“These increases will act like a gas-tax hike, but with no guaranteed benefits for our roads and highways.”