Got my February gas bill today. I’m apparently a “low-income” natural gas customer who’s being exempted from the 30% WA State “climate fee” tax.
{{ The new rate adjustment has two components that follow the state’s rules.
The State Climate Act Fee is NW Natural’s cost to comply with the state-mandated Cap and Invest Program.
The State Climate Act Credit is revenue from Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions sold at auction. This credit is reserved for customers connected to NW Natural’s system prior to July 26, 2021, and Identified Low-Income Customers. }}
It varies from month to month – February was 41.3%.
I’m planning on getting every energy efficiency refund available to me this year. That’s a free heat pump HVAC system, the free Heat pump water heater, and the free heat pump clothes dryer. Then I’m shutting in the gas line.
Apparenty the only people who are paying the climate fee are those who started natural gas service after July 26, 2021. How many people started their gas service in the last 3-1/2 years? Maybe 10% of the population? That’s probably not a big enough group to generate a lot of pushback.
Interesting news item from last summer. It seems there are those who didn’t want the climate fee to show up as a line item on utility bills.
However, the approval also carried with it a stipulation that the utility provider could not show on customers’ bills the reason for the rate increase, a decision that was recommended by the Washington Attorney General’s Office.
The purpose of the tax is to encourage people to stop burning natural gas and move to heat pumps and conductive electric cooktops. There’s no climate fee on my electric bill.
It doesn’t appear to be concealed in the Portland area. It’s in the papers and all over the TV news. Maybe that Puget Sound utility was able to keep the line item off the customer’s monthly bill, but I’m sure it’s covered in the media.
And of course, the state really doesn’t want you to pay the climate fee. It’s designed to encourage you to switch to a cheaper and more efficient electric heat pump and shut in your gas line. And if you do your taxes right, you can get all the hardware for free.