Ambitious Oregon environmental bill goes to the Senate
The bill was passed by the state House earlier this month and it could represent some of the strongest environmental legislation in the US
A bill that would force Oregon’s two largest utilities to phase out the use of coal by 2030 and double their renewable energy capacity, is being assessed by the state Senate.
The bill was passed by the state House earlier this month and it could represent some of the strongest environmental legislation in the US, according to analysts.
The Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Plan passed through the Oregon House on 15 February, and would require PacifiCorp and Portland General Electric (PGE) to stop using coal by 2030.
The bill would also require the two utilities to use renewable energy to cover at least 50 per cent of their electricity use by 2040.
An amended version of the bill passed the Oregon Senate’s Committee on Business and Transportation on Monday.
The bill is now with the Senate floor, and supporters hope it will see a vote before the legislative session closes on 4 March.
Supporters argue that the bill is an important first step towards getting utilities on baord with the state’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, which include a cut of 75 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.
