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Expired, Repealed, and Archived Washington Incentives and Laws

The following is a list of expired, repealed, and archived incentives, laws, regulations, funding opportunities, or other initiatives related to alternative fuels and vehicles, advanced technologies, or air quality.

Regional Climate Change Initiative

Governors of Washington, Oregon, and California approved a series of recommendations for action to combat climate change, as detailed in the West Coast Governors' Global Warming Initiative. The three states must act individually and regionally to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs). The initiative includes adopting standards to reduce GHG emissions from vehicles by expanding markets for efficiency, renewable energy and alternative fuels, including creating a working group on developing hydrogen fuel. Building upon this commitment, Washington joined other western states and several Canadian provinces to sign an agreement establishing the Western Climate Initiative, a joint effort to reduce GHG emissions and address climate change.

Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) Tax Exemption

All new passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles that use hybrid electric technology and have a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated highway fuel economy of at least 40 miles per gallon are exempt from the state motor vehicle sales tax. This tax exemption expires January 1, 2011. (Reference Revised Code of Washington 82.08.020)

Fleet Action Plan - Seattle

The Clean Green Fleet Action Plan (PDF 444 KB) aims to increase the use of alternative fuels, reduce fleet fuel use, reduce vehicle emissions, and improve the fuel efficiency of the City of Seattle's (Seattle's) fleet. Download Adobe Reader. Seattle's long-term intent is to continue participating in the Northwest Hybrid Medium and Heavy Duty Truck Consortium and to continue increasing the use of E85 fuel and electric vehicles. Seattle met its original goal to have a fleet that is 100% clean and green, through the use of clean fuels and vehicles that have the highest fuel efficiency and the lowest emissions and meet the needs of Seattle's operations. Seattle also met the specific measures called for in the plan, including a 5% reduction in the fleet's annual fuel use by 2005 as compared to 1999.

State Fleet Petroleum Reduction

State agencies must take all reasonable actions to achieve a 20% reduction in petroleum use in all state and privately owned vehicles used for state business by September 1, 2009. Strategies to achieve this goal include energy-efficient use of state resources and giving priority to the purchase and use of hybrid electric and other fuel-efficient, low emission vehicles (those that achieve a minimum of 30 miles per gallon and meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tier 2 emission standards). (Reference Executive Order 05-01, 2005)

Clean School Bus Funding

Until July 1, 2020, 85% of the money from the segregated subaccount of the state treasury's air pollution control account must be distributed to air pollution control authorities. Of the money received by an air pollution control authority or the state Department of Licensing, 85% must be used for the Clean School Bus Program to retrofit school buses with exhaust emission control devices or to provide funding for fueling infrastructure needed to allow school bus fleets access to use alternative, cleaner fuels. (Reference Revised Code of Washington 70.94.017)

Clean School Bus Pilot Project

Two school districts were selected to participate in a pilot project on the use of biodiesel with ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) in school buses, with blends of 80% ultra low sulfur diesel and 20% biodiesel (B20). The pilot project began in September of 2003, with emissions testing at specified intervals throughout the project. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is expected to submit a report of findings, including issues related to the maintenance of the vehicles, to the legislature by September 1, 2005. (Reference RCW 28A.160.804)

High Tech Business Exemption

Qualifying high technology businesses are exempt from state sales and use taxes. The definition of high technology businesses includes developers of alternative energy resources. The exemption is 100% with no limit and expires on July 1, 2004. (Reference RCW 82.63)