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About The Dalles chronicle. (The Dalles, OR) 1998-2020 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2020)
A2 Weekend of February 15-16, 2020 The Dalles Chronicle TheDallesChronicle.com Cap and trade amendments would borrow ideas from Republicans, Timber Unity Possible changes could also delay some regulation on fuels Claire Withycombe ■ By Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Lawmakers re- vealed on Wednesday chang- es to the plan to cut back on the state’s greenhouse gas emissions that would ease the impact on rural Oregon and adopt elements pro- posed by Timber Unity. The revisions are part of the continuing effort of Democratic sponsors to drive a policy that has greater statewide acceptance. The proposed revisions to Senate Bill 1530 incorporate requests from Republicans and Timber Unity, a grass- roots organization that has been agitating against a cap and trade system. Republicans in the Senate fled the state over last year’s version of the bill. The bill is slated for a work session in the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources at 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. The cap and trade program would set a limit on statewide carbon emissions and aims to reduce emissions over time. Limits on emissions would apply to certain industries and major fuel importers. The policy would carve up the emissions limit into allow- ances that emitters can buy and sell on a market. The idea is that as emissions targets get lower, fewer allowances are available, and industry would improve pollution controls. Opponents have criticized the plan for its potential impact on consumers and small businesses, particularly through higher fuel costs. The amendments could change how fuel would be regulated under the program. It delays the impact on Curry and Coos counties, as well as the Bend and Klamath Falls metro areas, 2028, six years later than for the Portland Travel Oregon transparency needed Claire Withycombe ■ By Oregon Capital Bureau Students demonstrate at the Oregon State Capitol Tuesday, Feb. 11 to urge lawmakers to take action on climate change. Pictured are, left to right, Portland State student Rachel Rodri and Willamette University students Emily Grunken, Sonia Zand, Jamie Smith, Maggie Chapin and Samantha Smith. Sam Stites/Oregon Capital Bureau photo area. And rather than 20 coun- ties triggering a statewide adoption of limits on fuel importers, this amendment sets the trigger at 23 counties. And under the amend- ment, a greater share of the revenue from transportation - 90% - would go to counties or metro areas that engaged in the program to use on emissions reduction and climate adaptation projects. The rest would go to the state Transportation Department for projects around the state. The amendments would incorporate policy ideas from Sen. Alan Olsen, R-Canby, and Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, who sit on the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Olsen’s idea would make it easier for state agencies receiving money raised by the program to buy electric vehicles, and Findley’s would streamline a state energy efficiency audit process for manufacturers that use a Former state Rep. Julie Parrish speaking at the Timber Unity event Feb. 6 on the Capitol steps. Oregon Capital Bureau photo lot of energy but who face competition from areas that aren’t subject to emissions limits. The amendment also includes policy ideas bor- rowed from Timber Unity. For example, it would direct the state’s parks department to conduct an annual tree planting day for local govern- ments to sponsor planting trees in public spaces and it would direct the state’s main operations agency to study ways to account for the greenhouse gas emissions associated with transporting goods and services that state government buys. The amendment aims to narrow the information about the program that is exempt from public disclo- sure just to “trade secrets,” which is already defined in the state public records law. SALEM — The semi-in- dependent Oregon agency overseeing tourism initia- tives should be more trans- parent about managers’ pay and strengthen controls on contracting, Secretary of State Bev Clarno said in an audit report released Thursday. The Oregon Tourism Commission — also known as Travel Oregon — is a small agency that is supposed to help boost Oregon’s $11.8 billion tour- ism industry. While Travel Oregon is subject to government eth- ics and public records and meetings laws, it is exempt from some laws that govern public spending and pay. “Travel Oregon is not subject to many of the existing mechanisms that provide oversight, transpar- ency, and accountability for taxpayer dollars,” auditors wrote. “With continuous funding, autonomy, and exemption from some state laws, it is therefore even more important for Travel Oregon to be independently transparent and account- able about its use of taxpay- er dollars.” The agency’s budget has tripled in the past decade, due in part an increase the lodging tax rate in 2016. That’s where the agency gets its revenue. Oregon, at about $32 million per year, now has the eighth-largest state tourism budget in the country and ranks sixth among state governments spending on tourism per capita. Auditors also said managers at Travel Oregon “are some of the highest compensated managers” compared to state agencies. Executive salaries at Travel Oregon have increased 76% since 2012. Its CEO, Todd Davidson, received gross pay of about $31,000 a month as of June 2019. President’s Day Sale Sunday/Monday February 16th & 17th F F O % BOOKS 50 ALL ALL CLOTHES St.Vinnie’s www.svdp.us 505 West 9th Street, The Dalles 541-370-1231 • Open daily, 9am -8pm
