Regulations and Incentives

The most up-to-date information on laws, regulations and incentives, particularly at the federal level, is available from the Alternative Fuels Data Center's (AFDC's) webpage on laws and incentives: http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/incentives_laws.html. Puget Sound Clean Cities, all the rest of the local Clean Cities Coalitions and a number of other staff work to make sure this website has the latest and most accurate information on what is happening at the federal, state and local level.

The specific page that has information on federal laws and incentives is here. The page with information on Washington State is here. A few of the most significant pieces of federal and state action are described in more detail below.

Federal Actions

Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 - This bill included attempts to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy. There were three major sections relating to fuels and vehicles. The first increased the federal CAFE standard. The second increased the minimum requirements for biofuels in the federal renewable fuel standard (RFS). There were also changes to the RFS to limit the amounts of first-generation biofuels that can qualify and require specific amounts of advanced biofuels. Finally, there is a section aimed at raising the profile of climate change and environmental considerations in the US Department of Transportation. For more information on this bill, click here.

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) - This was a far-reaching energy bill that included a number of provisions related to fuels and vehicles, particularly alt fuel and advanced technology vehicles. For good summaries of what was in this bill, click here. Keep in mind when reading about this bill, however, that many programs and sources of funding were "authorized" in the bill. Very few of these, including the Clean Cities program, have seen actual "apprpriations" of money from Congress for the measures described in EPAct 2005.

Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) EPAct mandates the purchase of alternative fuel vehicles by federal, state and fuel provider (utility) fleets. 



Washington State Actions

Washington State Regulations Washington State has several laws and regulations concerning alternative fuels and vehicles.

Washington State Incentives The State of Washington offers a variety of incentives for alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles.