Bill to keep gas stations open during outages passes House

February 4, 2008

OLYMPIA – The House today passed legislation aimed at keeping more gas stations open during emergencies.  Station owners installing back-up generators could apply for a tax credit up to $25,000.

State Rep. Roger Goodman (D-Kirkland) wrote the bill to address the fuel shortage experience after the 2006 winter storms.

“The state needs to continue examining how prepared we are for emergencies,” Goodman said.  “The widespread lack of open fuel stations during power outages is a very pressing concern.”

“People can’t safely store a week’s worth of gas—we need gas stations serving that need.”

Goodman’s bill will provide a 50 percent business and operations (B&O) tax credit, or up to $25,000, to stations with four or more pumps installing a back-up generator.

The program would be capped at $750,000 for every two-year state budget cycle.  At least 30 stations would be able to apply this year.

“Our region continues to get slammed by massive storms and the stories just continue to rack up,” Goodman said.  “In Woodinville, we were frantically driving around from closed gas station to the next looking for fuel.  During the wind and rainstorms this fall, communities were isolated for days.”

“I came to Olympia to work on common-sense solutions.  When there’s a shortage of fuel in an area due to power outages and there’s fuel sitting untapped at dozens of stations in the community—you find a way to get that gas into the hands of families that need it.”

The proposal, House Bill 2053, passed unanimously and now goes to the Senate for consideration.