BY SARAH ROSS
SALEM- The House voted Wednesday to expand the number of gases included in offsets sold to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
On a 38-17 vote, twelve Republicans joined the chamber’s Democrats to pass the bill, which also would require the state’s Energy Citing Council to calculate carbon dioxide equivalents for the other green house gases so that net carbon dioxide emissions could be determined.
The proposal will open up the carbon offset market for the Climate Trust of Oregon to invest in renewable energy projects like dairy digesters and landfill gas capture projects. These projects capture methane gases and convert them into energy to be used as electricity.
The Climate Trust of Oregon is a nonprofit which was founded after the Legislature passed its Oregon Carbon Dioxide Standard in 1997 to lower emissions from carbon dioxide. This standard required new fossil fuel powered plants in the state to “offset” a portion of their carbon dioxide emissions. These offsets are acquired by the Climate Trust.
Although climate change has been touted as a controversial issue across the nation, no debate on the proposal occurred on the House floor. Only its sponsor, Rep. Chris Harker, D-Washington County, spoke to the expansion.
“Because these other gases have global warming potential, or climate change potential greater than carbon dioxide, we need to expand the language in statute,” Harker said to his colleagues.
The expansion, Harker said, would allow more investment by the Climate Trust in projects other than just those which offset carbon emissions, but which offset other gases like methane as well.
“HB 3538 will allow the Climate Trust to invest in Oregon based projects that will benefit Oregonians through job creation,” he said. “In rural areas, projects that are currently prevented from participation will become eligible for offsets.”
Critics say that the expansion violates the original intent of the carbon dioxide standard passed in 1997.
Now approved by the House, the expansion will move to the Senate before it can be signed by the governor.
Am I dreaming? Nope- nightmare. Who are the 12 Republicans?
The 12 idiot Republicans are soon to be former legislators.
What’s the next step? Shall we regulate water vapor? It is the main component that makes life possible on this earth. How? By trapping radiant heat from the sun in our atmosphere. Ergo, global warming (gasp!) which results in the moderation of heat world wide. This is a good thing.
Oh, and it’s natural, organic, sustainable and eco-friendly: And doesn’t contribute to loss of habitat.
I just found another write-up on this bill and its passage. Apparently this is a really bad idea….
http://cascadepolicy.org/insider/2011/05/05/opening-the-door-for-more-waste-house-passes-law-to-expand-offset-program/
We won’t have to remind the last person leaving Oregon to turn out the light….there won’t be one!!!
What a racket…wonder where Hayes is in this wicked web of lies, Trusts and breech of trust.
We need to work really hard against this as it moves into hearings
in the Senate. No use complaining about it when no one shows up for the battle or expresses outrage at the committee level. There already were hearings and process on this in the house, and this article states that there was not real opposition. Representatives represent those they hear from. That’s our system; representative government OF the
people, FOR the people, and BY the people. We have to do more than vote. We have to educate ourselves and others, and get involved.
These are the 12 Republicans who voted with the Democrats to pass HB 3538 that added greenhouse gases.
Cliff Bentz District 60
Vicki Berger 20
Jason Conger 54
Bill Garrard 56
Vic Gilliam 18
Bob Jenson 58
Wayne Krieger 1
ulie Parrish 37
Greg Smith 57
Sherry Sprenger 17
Jim Thompson 23
Gene Whisnant 53
Some on this list have consistently voted with the Democrats throughout the 2011 session and need to be unseated.
What are these people thinking? I am just a hard working common man with common sense. They all seem to have lost their minds. Just another way to take away more of our freedoms
I am terribly disappointed with julie parrish.
What gets me is that they set the bar for this so high, this from main page…
“The standard is set 17% below the “cleanest” known plant in the country, and it is periodically adjusted to remain 17% below the state-of-the-art plant. Therefore, a regulated facility cannot ever comply with the standard, no matter how emission-efficient the facility’s processes are.”
It is clear this is a money bag for Govt… I can see how Oregon is making it “Business friendly”…. NOT
Is there a cost to taxpayers?
The cost to taxpayers is hidden inside everything that is produced. We pay for everything in one form or another.
I constantly wonder which person did more damage to the US Osama bin Laden or Al Gore. At least Osama was man enough to declare war on the US. We continue to pay Gore and will for another 30+ years.
Hey, everyone these are good solid Republicans. Do you think you know all the back story? Before everyone drops off the cliff think about this one paragraph in the news article: “HB 3538 will allow the Climate Trust to invest in Oregon based projects that will benefit Oregonians through job creation,” he said. “In rural areas, projects that are currently prevented from participation will become eligible for offsets.”
A lot of the 12 are rural legislators. I would like to learn more before making a determination, how about you?
Terri, Sorry, but you don’t sell the whole state down the river to feather your own nest.
The ETO (Energy Trust of Oregon)has been spending our money outside of Oregon. They have squandered close to $1B of our money. They refuse to answer questions, they refuse to allow an audit. Read about them by Googling them. This is not good, no matter what the back story is.
Ooops, excuse me, I passed gas.
Since I contribute to the economy as a worker, do I have to pay an “offset” fee (TAX) for my flatulence?