SALEM – Today Governor Ted Kulongoski announced five new initiatives to curb global warming in Oregon as part of a regional strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest. The initiatives are based on the recommendations of The Governor’s Advisory Group on Global Warming, which developed a report called the Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reduction. The Governor also announced his continued commitment to work with his fellow governors in the broader West Coast Governors Global Warming Initiative.
“The threats of global warming are real and Oregon has an opportunity to be a leader on the front end by developing new technologies, investing in renewable energy, and practicing conservation – which will reduce greenhouse emissions in our state,” Governor Kulongoski said. “I am impressed by the report delivered to me last month from my advisory group, and am pleased to announce five recommendations from that report that we will begin putting into action today. These five steps will put Oregon on the map as a national leader in the efforts to combat global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The Governor’s announcement included: 1) establishing new greenhouse gas reduction goals for the state; 2) appointing a task force to develop a plan for how Oregon can implement stricter emission standards for vehicles; 3) appointing a workgroup to develop a carbon dioxide reduction schedule for utilities and other large emitters of carbon dioxide; 4) directing the Oregon Department of Energy to create an energy-saving campaign to reduce state agency energy use by at least 20 percent by 2015 and energy use statewide by at least 20 percent by 2025; and 5) launching an aggressive campaign to increase renewable energy and bio fuel production and use in the state pursuant to strategies contained in the state’s Renewable Energy Action Plan.
Governor Kulongoski created the Advisory Group on Global Warming in February 2004 and asked it to develop a statewide strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that would complement the regional work of the West Coast Governors Global Warming Initiative. The Advisory Group included 28-leading members of the business, academic, and environmental communities and state agencies. The Co-Chairs of the group were Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Valley Professor of Marine Biology, Oregon State University, and Mr. Mark Dodson, Chief Executive Officer, Northwest Natural. The group met for the first time in February 2004 and delivered its final report to the Governor on March 24, 2005 after receiving input from approximately 400 Oregonians.
In addition to the announcement today, the Governor sent a letter to Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Karen Minnis urging the adoption of several bills that would expand renewable energy options for Oregon residents, businesses and state government – which is an important part of the Governor’s global warming strategy (see text of letter below).
“At a time when Oregon is facing record high fuel and energy prices it is essential that we aggressively conserve our energy use and diversify our energy supply over the coming years to benefit both our urban and rural economies, reduce our vulnerability to rising oil and natural gas prices, and do our part to curb global warming,” the Governor said in his letter. “We have an opportunity to solidify Oregon’s role as a leader on this issue, which reaches across party and regional lines by helping both our economy and our environment today and into the future.”
The Governor will appoint the new task force and workgroup within the next two months and will continue to explore and implement other recommendations made by his advisory group. For the complete Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reduction, go to:
The Honorable Peter Courtney
Senate President
900 Court Street NE S203
Salem OR 97301
The Honorable Karen Minnis
Speaker of the House of Representatives
900 Court Street NE Rm 269
Salem OR 97301
Dear President Courtney and Speaker Minnis:
As deadlines approach for moving legislation out of committees, I wanted to express my support for a number of renewable energy bills under consideration this session. It is essential that we aggressively diversify our energy supply over the coming years to benefit both our urban and rural economies, reduce our vulnerability to rising oil and natural gas prices, and do our part to curb global warming. I therefore urge you to work with your members to enact the legislation outlined below so that we can move forward together to help achieve those goals for Oregon.
Biofuels (House Bills 3030-3034 and Senate Bill 736): The House Bills promote the expansion of the ethanol and biodiesel markets in Oregon, which would result in new opportunities for construction, and jobs, through the building and operation of a number of planned ethanol and biodiesel facilities over the next several years. The Senate Bill complements the House Bills by accelerating the ability to site a biodiesel facility by exempting it from the Energy Facility Siting Council Process (ethanol facilities already are exempt). There are proposed biofuels facilities to be sited in both the eastern and western parts of the state.
Renewable Energy (Senate Bills 84, 733, 735 and 834): This package of legislation strengthens incentives and removes existing barriers to the development of renewable forms of electricity such as solar, wind, biomass, micro hydro and geothermal, which will result in an increase in renewable energy projects, particularly in rural communities. This
Specifically, the bills: authorize the Public Utility Commission to increase the amount of energy that can be net metered (and adds biomass to the qualifying list); modify the residential energy tax credit program to allow multiple year credits for solar installation (while not increasing the maximum amount of credits available); improve the small energy loan program; and establish a fund to assist communities in completing feasibility studies for renewable energy projects.
State Energy Use (SB 737; HB 3001; HB 3034; HB 3328): The legislation in
the House and Senate is consistent with our shared goal of increasing government efficiency and accountability. the bills authorize state agencies to develop renewable energy on state lands, require new public buildings to integrate cost effective solar design and technology (from daylighting to solar panels), require the Department of Energy to develop a plan to reduce energy use and increase onsite use of renewable energy technologies, and require state agencies to increase their use of biofuels in state vehicles. These bills will ensure that state government is leading by example to help save energy, diversify energy use, and stimulate economic development in the renewable energy and biofuels sectors.
Energy Savings (HB 3363): This bill requires higher efficiency commercial appliances in Oregon. The twelve appliances covered under the bill already are on the market and save significant amounts of both energy and water. It is just as important to use energy more efficiently as it is to increase our use of renewable energy – which this bill will help us accomplish.
We have an opportunity this session to solidify Oregon’s role as a leader on the issues of renewable energy and biofuels production, which reaches across party and regional lines and will help grow our economy and protect our environment both today and into the future. We can and must move forward at this critical juncture. More jobs, reduced reliance on overseas fossil fuels, and a better environment are all good reasons to support the bills outlined above.
I look forward to working with you in the coming weeks to see these initiatives move from legislation to law.