As the new home of OSPIRG's environmental work, Environment Oregon can be contacted regarding this news release.
Salem—The state Senate voted 20 to 10 in favor of a bill to require Oregon utilities to get 25% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2025. The bill, backed by a broad coalition of environmentalists, business leaders, consumer advocates, labor unions, and farmers and county officials from rural parts of the state, is a top priority of Governor Ted Kulongoski.
“The strong bipartisan support in the Senate reflects the widespread support from across Oregon for the notion that Oregon should be a leader in renewable energy,” said Environment Oregon’s Jeremiah Baumann. “Renewable energy will let Oregonians take control of our energy future as we cut global warming pollution and boost rural economies.”
The bill, Senate Bill 838, sets a standard for utilities of 5% renewable by 2011, which climbs gradually to 25% by 2025. Oregon has a unique abundance of renewable energy resources. Areas around the Columbia Gorge and in northeastern Oregon have high wind potential, the Oregon Coast ahs among the best wave energy sites in the world, and even Oregon’s rainiest areas get more sun than Germany, a world leader in solar power.
Opposition to the bill was led by Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities, a lobby group with members including Weyerhaeuser and Intel, whose lobbyists also worked against the bill. The companies’ lobbyists argued that the bill could raise energy rates, even though the bill contains cost caps and other tools for avoiding high prices for renewable energy. Advocates point out that renewable energy stabilizes rates because there are no fuel costs for solar and wind power, and that utilities in Washington and Colorado have acquired wind energy at lower costs than fossil fuel sources.
The Senate debate was led by Senators Brad Avakian (D-Bethany), chair of the Senate committee on the Environment and Natural Resources and a lead sponsors of the bill, and Jason Atkinson (R-Grants Pass). The 20-10 vote included 17 of the 18 Democrats in the Senate, as well as 2 Republicans, Atkinson and Senator Bruce Starr of Hillsboro, and Avel Gordly, the independent Senator.
