Salem--The Oregon Senate voted to pass two landmark pieces of environmental legislation this morning. An energy bill requiring utilities to generate 25% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025, and an expansion of the Bottle Bill, had both passed the House and are now on their way to the Governor's desk to be signed and enacted.
"The 25% Renewable Energy Standard is a historic move toward energy independence and a clean environment, and the Bottle Bill is Oregon's landmark recycling program," said Environment Oregon's Jeremiah Baumann.
The Renewable Energy Standard has been widely hailed as one of the most aggressive renewable energy development policies in the country. The bill is expected to make Oregon a leader in renewable energy, cut global warming pollution, and boost economies in rural communities where renewable energy development is taking place.
The Bottle Bill is Oregon's first-in-the-nation bill, first created in 1971 to cut littering and increase recycling by putting a refundable deposit on bottles and cans. But the bill has historically applies only to carbonated beverages. The bill passed by the Legislature adds water bottles and makes recycling easier for consumers by requiring grocery stores to take back any beverage containers, not just the brands they sell.
