Low-carbon fuel bill wins Oregon Senate's approval
The measure passed the Senate by a 16-13 margin. It now returns to the House for action on a series of changes made by the Senate.
By BRAD CAIN
The Associated Press
6/25/2009
SALEM, Ore. — Gov. Ted Kulongoski's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks by forcing oil companies to reduce carbon in gasoline and diesel fuel was approved Wednesday night by the Oregon Senate.
It would give state environmental regulators the authority to require petroleum companies to reduce the carbon content of fuels sold for cars and trucks in Oregon by 10 percent by the year 2020.
It would be up to the oil companies to decide how they do it, whether by introducing biofuels into the mix, or using alternative energies to produce the fuels.
The measure passed the Senate by a 16-13 margin. It now returns to the House for action on a series of changes made by the Senate.
The bill represents the last major piece of Kulongoski's ambitious global warming package that's still pending as lawmakers try to end the 2009 session. A key part of the package, to start toward a regional cap and trade program to reduce greenhouse gases, fell victim to a poor economy and expectations that Congress would produce a national carbon marketplace.
Kulongoski applauded the Senate's passage the low-carbon fuels bill, saying it keeps Oregon "at the forefront" of efforts to curb global warming and move the nation toward energy independence.
"This will lead to savings at the pump for Oregonians as new home-grown, low-carbon fuels become more available and cost effective at the same time that the price of traditional gasoline continues to rise," the Democratic governor said.
But Senate opponents, mostly Republicans, said the measure would hurt the economy — particularly the agricultural sector — by raising the cost of transporting goods and commodities.
"Voting for this bill is voting to kill jobs in Oregon," Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli said.
The Senate made changes in the House version of the bill, deleting a program to help heavy trucks improve their aerodynamic efficiency and another that requires the use of tires that produce better gas mileage by offering less rolling resistance.
"The piece that will do the most is still in there," said Chris Hagerbaumer of the Oregon Environmental Council, referring to the low-carbon fuel provision.
"We can't leave it up to petroleum interests to determine our future," Hagerbaumer said, adding that California has adopted similar standards and a dozen other states are considering them.
Among its other provisions, the Oregon legislation also imposes restrictions on ships idling their engines in port.
Further, land use planning advocates managed to insert a provision creating a task force to come up with ways for metropolitan areas to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. That provision was deleted from the big transportation improvements package adopted earlier in the session.
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