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Ballard Oil Company 'seeing the writing on the wall' before closing

The maritime industry could suffer as Ballard Oil Company closes its doors after 86 years.

SEATTLE — Ballard Oil Company has closed after serving Seattle since 1937.

Owned by the Millard family, this local oil company has been fueling the city for four generations. But with people relying on oil less and increased taxes and regulations, they will have to close their doors. 

"It's been a multitude of reasons over the past few years," said Brandon Millard, president of the company, which is located on the north side of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, east of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. "It just all came collapsing down within the past year or so."

Millard said there has been a decline in fuel sales for home heating oil as more residents switch over to heat pumps and electric heating.

Millard said changes in the fishing industry have also impacted them.

"As far as the fishing industry we can see the past two years, crabbers not being able to go up north and do what they usually do. That's a direct impact on our sales," he explained. "These companies realize they can stack their quotas on one boat and burn half the amount of consumables. We go from filling a couple of their boats to only one or two of their boats."

Taxes and regulations also played a huge role in the decision to close. Millard cited a 24-cent-a-gallon home heating tax that was supposed to go into effect Jan. 1 before the city of Seattle repealed it and the statewide cap and invest fee, which sets a limit on greenhouse gas emissions and requires businesses to purchase allowances equal to their emissions.

"That is just added into the price of the fuel," Miller said.

"Ballard Oil was not started for the purpose to make money. It was started for the purpose to serve the community and fishing industry," Millard shared. 

When asked about the future of the maritime industry, Millard said he was fearful that Seattle wouldn't have one in five to 10 years.

"Look at all the shipyards that are gone now," Millard said. "There are only three shipyards on the ship canal. We're seeing the writing on the wall. We don't see an industry here for us."

Of the company's eight employees, many are finding work elsewhere. One employee is retiring.  

"There are some companies out there that still do home heating oil," Millard said. "It's a nonstop battle fighting for the industry to still be here and it shouldn't be that way."

    

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