Environment and Economic Development Committee

Co-Chairs: Bill Edmonds, NW Natural & Roger Alfred, Davis Wright Tremaine

Oregon has emerged as a leader in attracting sustainable businesses. A commitment to the environment not only protects our quality of life, but has become an important component of Oregon’s economic development efforts. Oregon and other western states have adopted greenhouse gas reduction goals, and the state should strive to meet them. Oregon should take into consideration economic costs and opportunities for current and future Oregon businesses and residents as it pursues its greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Business Energy Tax Credit

The BETC has been a successful economic development tool that also promotes energy efficiency. OBA believes it is important to continue to support the growth of this industry cluster to leverage Oregon’s brand by extending the BETC in the following ways:

  • Encourage the legislature to honor its promises to give certainty to the industry.
  • Require performance metrics on all projects, and encourage transparency in the expectation and application of metrics.
  • Extend sunset on the conservation program. Redefine conservation to mean any project that reduces load at the meter.
  • Extend sunset on Tier 1 (smaller scale) projects, as well as biomass projects in the renewables program.
  • Consider alternative tax incentive programs in renewable energy and energy efficiency that are sustainable and achieve goals in a more efficient way.

Energy Efficiency

Increased energy efficiency efforts will help put Oregonians back to work through retrofitting residential, commercial and institutional structures, as well as helping the state meet its renewable portfolio standard, lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the need for additional generation facilities. OBA will support policies that maintain the public purpose charge and expand cost-effective energy efficiency.

Biomass

Encouraging the growth of the biomass industry in Oregon will have economic benefits in both rural and urban areas. OBA will support policies that encourage the conversion of biomass resources into energy, and remove barriers to feedstock access and transport.

OBA Environment Committee Endorsements

OBA supports policies that create safe and healthy environments for the citizens of Oregon. OBA will work with stakeholders to find balanced solutions to environmental issues that are addressed by the proposals below:

1. BPA-Free Baby Bill

The 2011 BPA-Free Baby Bill will prohibit the sale or manufacture of food and beverage containers containing BPA intended for children under three, such as baby bottles, sippy cups, and infant formula cans, and will also prohibit the sale of sports water bottles containing BPA. This bill will prevent manufacturers from using other toxic chemicals that are just as bad or worse than BPA when replacing it in children’s food and beverage containers.

2. Ban the Bag

The goal of this concept is to ban all single-use plastic shopping bags at all retail checkout stands in Oregon.

3. The Modernization of the Oregon Bottle Bill

OBA supported the expansion of the bottle bill in 2007 and 2009 and supports the continued push to modernize the Bottle Bill. The modernized bill will likely include a combination of the issues from 2009, such as the addition of more containers, increasing the deposit to 10 cents, and establishing a beverage container return rate goal of 80%, as recommended by the bottle bill task force. It will also include a discussion about redemption centers and return to retail.

4. Marine Reserves

The Marine Reserves proposal would establish a system of Marine Reserves and Protected Areas that would consist of a phased-in approach that designates protection, scientific monitoring, and stewardship of ecologically important areas, and would include a funding strategy. The second phase would include designation of marine reserve and mixed-use protected area sites at Cape Perpetua, Cascade Head and Cape Falcon with an additional site, or further action, for Cape Arago.

2012 Committee Schedule: Last Wednesdays, Noon – 1:30

OBA Staff Contact: Elizabeth Howe