A4
The Dalles Chronicle
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
MAYOR
of visitors and tourism.
Mays said he would also
like to explore a “50/50
Mayor focused
sidewalk split” program in
on how to help
the city.
“Property owners could
Continued from page A1 fix their sidewalks, and half
the cost would be paid for
by the city,” Mays explained.
great, but we really need
He noted that such a pro-
to see what we can do for
existing business, find out
gram would be considered
what they need and how we
during the upcoming budget
can help them.” He hopes to process.
create a partnership be-
Mays is also interested in
exploring a public-use space
tween the city, The Dalles
Area Chamber of Commerce on Federal Street and would
like to support and encour-
and the Small Business
Development Center at
age the enthusiasm for the
Columbia Gorge Community Main Street program gener-
College to address such busi- ated by the Small Business
ness needs, outside the realm Revolution project.
Mays was seated on the
city budget committee in
2015, prior to running for
mayor. He was elected to
replace former Mayor Steve
Lawrence, who did not run
for a fourth term in office,
in 2018. His current term
expires at the end of this
year.
Now retired, Mays
worked many years as a
city manager and holds a
Master of Arts degree in
public affairs.
“Bringing people together
to do what’s best for every-
one in the long run, that’s
the ultimate goal,” he said
of public service during his
first campaign.
(Ainsworth State Park). The
road will reopen by 8 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 28.
tunnel itself. That work
is anticipated to begin in
late 2020. The tunnel will
remain closed until resto-
ration work is complete.
The 125-foot tunnel orig-
inally opened in 1914, and
carried vehicle traffic from
the Historic Highway.
In 1948, ODOT bypassed
the tunnel and filled it
with rubble. In 2009, it was
restored for bicycle and
pedestrian use.
In 2017, the Eagle Creek
Fire burned the tunnel’s
wood lining, and it has
remained closed since.
Visit TripCheck.com for
24/7 road conditions and
closure information.
HIGHWAY
Repair of tunnel
planned in future
Continued from page A1
ensure the safety of workers
involved later in the tunnel
repair project.
The hillside was burned
during the fire, destroying
vegetation and increasing
the threat of rockfall.
Late Sunday, the Historic
Columbia River Highway
was closed around-the-
clock to all users be-
tween Multnomah Falls
and Interstate 84, exit 35
CAP&TRADE
Electricity rates
would not go up
Continued from page A1
through political claims and
focus on what the program
would do as proposed and
how Oregonians would be
affected.
Why limit gases?
What are greenhouse gases,
and why does the state want
to cut back on them?
Greenhouse gases trap
heat in the atmosphere and
change the Earth’s cli-
mate, according to the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency.
The most significant is
carbon dioxide, released into
the atmosphere by burning
fossil fuels, solid waste and
biological materials.
According to a 2018 report
from the Oregon Global
Warming Commission, the
effects of increased green-
house gas emissions are
already here. The report
states that forest fires start
earlier, last longer, are more
intense and produce smoke
that’s particularly harmful to
sensitive groups. The report
also states that Oregon is
seeing less snowpack, which
can result in droughts.
In the long term, Oregon
could see a dramatic die-off
of forests or sea-level rises in
coastal communities, accord-
ing to the report.
According to that same
report, Oregon emitted
about 65 million metric tons
of carbon dioxide equiva-
lent in 2017. The state wants
to cut that dramatically by
2050.
What’s the impact?
What environmental im-
pact will this bill have?
Climate change is a global
phenomenon. Critics of
the current effort say that
Oregon’s emissions account
for just a sliver of the total
greenhouse gases released
worldwide.
After President Donald
Trump pulled out of the Paris
climate agreement in 2017,
Gov. Kate Brown announced
that Oregon would join other
states, cities and countries
to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
Cap and trade programs
can improve local air quality
by reducing pollution, while
lowering global greenhouse
gas emissions.
Impacts on price
I’ve heard this will make
Access to
Multnomah Falls
During the closure, east-
bound travelers can contin-
ue on the Historic Highway
to reach Multnomah
Falls, or use I-84 Exit 31.
Westbound travelers cannot
reach Multnomah Falls on
the Historic Highway and
should use I-84 Exit 31.
Restoring the tunnel
A second phase of work
is planned to restore the
gas at the pump more expen-
sive. Is that true?
The program would re-
quire companies importing
fuel into Oregon to pay for
emissions those fuels will
generate.
Gas prices could increase
by about 20 cents per gallon
in 2022 in areas where the
program will start, accord-
ing to an analysis provided
by Sen. Michael Dembrow,
D-Portland, a leading au-
thor of the bill. After 2022,
gas prices could increase
by 1 to 2 cents per gallon
annually.
According to that analysis,
large parts of the state are
years from experiencing an
increase, because the legis-
lation would phase in the re-
quirement on fuel importers
by geography as follows:
2022: Portland metro area
2025: Benton, Clackamas,
Clatsop, Columbia, Douglas,
Hood River, Jackson,
Josephine, Lane, Lincoln,
Linn, Marion, Multnomah,
Polk, Tillamook, Washington
and Yamhill counties.
2028: Coos and Curry
counties, and the metro-
politan areas of Bend and
Klamath Falls.
Counties not included:
Baker, Crook, Deschutes,
Gilliam, Grant, Harney,
Jefferson, Klamath, Lake,
Malheur, Morrow, Sherman,
Umatilla, Union, Wallowa,
Wasco, Wheeler.
Counties can volunteer
to join the program, which
would give them access to
new state money to use for
local environmental projects
aimed at reducing green-
house gases.
Once 23 counties are
covered by the regulations
the entire state would require
fuel importers to buy allow-
ances—essentially a permit
to pollute—from the state.
To insulate some
Oregonians from higher
fuel costs, Senate Bill 1578
would provide a tax credit
for people making less than
$65,000 per year who live
in areas of the state where
fuel importers have to buy
allowances. Those credits
would be higher in counties
subject to the regulation
that are also more rural,
where the average resident
travels longer distances by
car.
Greg Dotson, assistant pro-
fessor of law at the University
of Oregon, who is an expert
in environmental and energy
law, said that before a similar
system went into effect in
California critics predicted
gas prices in that state would
spike.
But he pointed to U.S.
Energy Information
Administration numbers
showing that between 2014
and 2016, gas prices on the
West Coast dropped by a
dollar while California was
enacting its carbon pricing
program. Numbers show that
gas prices in California since
then have ebbed and flowed.
The global oil market large-
ly dictates gas prices, Dotson
said.
“These state programs,
they’re just the gnat on the
dog, which is the global oil
market,” said Dotson. “And
these big global oil market
forces are determining oil
prices.”
TheDallesChronicle.com
WHAT’S HAPPENING
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FEBRUARY
Wednesday, February 26
ADULT YOGA: Adult Yoga,
6 p.m. at The Dalles-Wasco
County Public Library, 722
Court St., The Dalles. Vinyasa
flow. Free.
Thursday, February 27
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS:
Governmental affairs, 7 to 8
a.m. at The Barbecue, 1013 W.
Sixth St., The Dalles. Open to
public.
CODE CLUB: If you are a girl
who enjoys creating digital art
with a purpose the new Girls
Who Code Club at TDMS is for
you. The free club meets every
Wednesday from 8 to 9:30 am
at TDMS. In Girls Who Code,
students work together to learn
about computer coding and
solve a real world problem. To
register call 541-296-5494 or
email lu.seapy@oregonstate.
edu.
Thursday, February 27
KIWANIS PROGRAMS:
Kiwanis meetings are held every
Thursday at noon at Spooky’s
and visitors are welcome. This
week’s events include: is a
club business meeting. For
more information go to www.
thedalleskiwanis.org.
Friday, February 28
PRESCHOOL YOGA: Preschool
Yoga, 10 to 10:30 a.m. at The
Dalles-Wasco County Public
Library, 722 Court St., The
Dalles. Free.
TEEN POWER: Teen
Knowledge is Power Trivia Game,
4-5:30 p.m. at The Dalles-Wasco
County Public Library, 722 Court
St., The Dalles.
Saturday, February 29
HISTORY FORUM: Notable
visitors are the topic of the
final Regional History forum
at the Original Wasco County
Courthouse. The Dalles journalist
Rodger Nichols is also a historian
and a member of the Original
Courthouse board. He will share
stories about notable folks who
have come to town in the past
215, as well as some homegrown
notables, in a presentation titled
“Famous Visitors: Guess Who
Came to Dinner?” Program be-
gins at 1:30 p.m. in the upstairs
courtroom of the 1859 court-
house, 410 W. 2nd Place, The
Dalles. Admission is free, cookies
and coffee will be served.
SATURDAY BINGO: Saturday
night bingo at the Mid-Columbia
Senior Center, 1112 W 9th
Street, The Dalles, on Feb. 1st.
Plus, an additional $750 payout
for a blackout in 53 numbers or
less on the final game. Minimum
buy-in is $10. Doors open 4
p.m. Games start 6 p.m. Players
must be eight years old, 8-18
years must be accompanied by
a legal guardian). New players
Thursday
/32°
/32°
Mostly sunny
Monday, March 2
CODE CLUB: If you are a girl
who enjoys creating digital art
with a purpose the new Girls
Who Code Club at TDMS is for
you. The free club meets every
Wednesday from 8 to 9:30 am
at TDMS. In Girls Who Code,
students work together to learn
about computer coding and
solve a real world problem. To
register call 541-296-5494 or
email lu.seapy@oregonstate.
edu.
TEEN TECH: An Arduino mi-
crocontroller uses open-source
hardware and software to create
digital devices and interactive
objects that can sense and
interact digitally and physically.
There is a large community have
programmers who have shared
their Arduino creations online for
everyone to use. So come learn
how to program and use these
amazing little motherboards.
By registration only, 3 to 5 p.m.
at The Dalles-Wasco County
Library, 722 Court St., The
Dalles. Free.
Tuesday, March 3
BACKYARD GARDENING:
Learn Backyard gardening and
farming for food, fun, by registra-
tion at The Dalles-Wasco County
Public Library, 722 Court St.,
The Dalles. Classes are 6:15 p.m.
See HAPPENING, page A5
consumers will likely ben-
efit from enhanced energy
efficiency and other clean
energy programs because a
price on (greenhouse gas)
emissions will improve these
programs’ cost effectiveness,”
the board said in a briefing
paper.
Dotson said that a regional
greenhouse program cover-
ing 10 states in the Northeast
and Mid-Atlantic has
reduced carbon emissions
while power bills have de-
creased. A consultant’s report
in 2018 found that consumers
covered by the initiative saw
their energy bills decrease
because of efforts to improve
energy efficiency.
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
60° 61° 60° 56° 54° 55° 56°
Mild with clouds
and sunshine
MARCH
emissions, or whether you’re
going to pay somebody else
to do it,” he said.
Burtraw also notes that
government money raised
through the program in
turn funds energy efficiency
projects, which can make
business more competitive.
“It’s important not to just
take half the story,” Burtraw
said. “So half the story is that
you’re raising the costs of
combusting fossil fuels and
that, everything else being
equal, would seemingly
disadvantage an industry
compared to competitors
in other states... But the re-
sponse to that—that the state
could help amplify through
Impacts on
the use of revenues that are
Price impact
manufacturing
collected—is to promote in-
novation and investments to
How could this law affect
Will cap and trade
become more efficient. And
manufacturing?
make everything else more
there’s loads of evidence that
The program would apply
expensive?
to about a dozen manufac-
Business groups have com- this has worked out really
well.”
turers in the state that emit
plained that the legislation
Low-income families will
will increase the cost of doing
more than 25,000 metric tons
business in a way ultimately see little to no cost impacts as
of man-made greenhouse
Gas bill impact
a result of the program due to
passed on to consumers.
gases every year.
exemptions and credits, ac-
Others are more skeptical.
Potentially, nine of these
How will this affect my
“This is an argument that
facilities could be considered personal natural gas bill?
cording to the analysis from
I’ve been hearing for 20
“trade exposed.” That means
Dembrow’s office.
According to estimates
these companies are subject from Dembrow, low-income years about any policy to
Moderate income families
to competition from states
residential customers would address climate change, that can expect to see increases of
it’s just going to raise prices
where environmental pol-
be exempted from any nat-
less than $100 per year, and
on people and be unfair,”
high income households in
ural gas increases. The state
icies are less stringent, and
said Dotson, who previously the Portland metro area can
they would be excused from Public Utility Commission
expect to see increases of
would determine who quali- worked as vice president for
paying for emissions if they
energy and environmen-
$150 to $400 starting in 2022,
are using the best technology fies as low income.
depending on how many
available to their industry to
Other residential custom- tal policy at the Center for
cars they have and how fuel
control those emissions.
ers would see, on average, a
American Progress.
efficient those cars are. The
What’s considered “best
7 percent increase in 2022,
“We’re in a fundamental-
effect on high-income earn-
available technology” would according to the analysis
ly different world now just
be assessed every nine years provided by Dembrow. For
because renewable energy is, ers elsewhere will depend on
to figure out whether those
the typical, non-low income in most cases, actually cheap- where they live.
technologies have changed.
customer, Northwest Natural er than fossil fuels for many
Are we ready?
As long as the manufactur-
estimates that’s about $50 in applications. So there’s this
the first year.
huge opportunity to invest
er continues to meet that
I heard that lawmakers
The legislation would
in those things, and actually are rushing the bill through.
benchmark, it can still qualify
provide money to weatherize reap rewards for people,”
Is there anything they
for free allowances.
homes and for other energy
don’t know yet about the
Dotson said.
Impacts on business projects that could bring
proposal?
Dallas Burtraw, a senior
down customers’ bills.
There’s no thorough
fellow at Resources for the
How will the bill affect
estimate of how much
Future who also advises
other businesses?
Electricity bill impact California on its cap and
money the law would raise
Fuel suppliers and utilities
for the state, according to the
trade program, said that
supplying natural gas and
How will this affect my
economists tend to favor cap Legislative Revenue Office.
electricity will have to get
electricity bill?
The most authoritative fore-
and trade because it allows
allowances for their emis-
The Citizens’ Utility
companies to decide for
Board, which advocates
cast of how much money the
sions. Altogether, about 100
themselves how to comply
for residential and small
companies could have to
law is expected to generate
with the new regulations.
abide by the new regulations, business customers, said in
will come from that office has
“If I say that you have to
according to the state Carbon its analysis that the new pro-
yet to be produced.
do something, and you have
Policy Office.
The state Carbon Policy
gram “should not have any
The Carbon Policy Office
harmful effects on electricity to do it in a certain way, and Office estimates the program
that’s legally enforceable, it’ll could raise $254 million in
doesn’t expect electricity
consumers.”
2022 and $437 million in the
utilities, which already have
Oregon lawmakers in 2016 get you to do what I said,”
Burtraw said.
following two-year budget,
to abide by state laws moving required a phasing out of
“You might know of
though it has cautioned those
them to clean energy sources, coal-fired electricity by 2030,
cheaper ways to do that, or
numbers are preliminary.
to increase rates as a result of while pushing large utilities
That money would pay for
cap and trade.
to use more renewable ener- ways that would give you a
lot more flexibility and cause projects to cut greenhouse
Businesses using natural
gy sources.
less disruption to your pro-
gas emissions, including
gas might see increases in
Since the utilities already
making transportation more
their utility bills.
are adjusting for that require- duction practices,” he said.
efficient.
If companies are consid-
He said flexibility is a key
ment, there shouldn’t be
Nonpartisan analysts at the
ered “trade exposed”—at
additional costs to electricity feature of cap-and-trade
Legislature have estimated
risk of losing business to the customers as a result of the
programs.
that the state would spend
“You get to decide how
greenhouse gas program,
states where environmental
about $22 million in the cur-
you’re going to reduce
the Citizens’ Utility Board
regulations are less strict—
those emissions or whether
concluded.
they will get help mitigating
rent two-year budget to run
you’re going to reduce those the new program.
“Electric service
rate increases for that natural
gas use.
Natural gas utilities would
be given allowances asso-
ciated with emissions from
“trade exposed” commercial
users of natural gas through
a process called “consign-
ment.” That means the
allowances would be sold
at auction, and utilities can
use the money from the sales
to cover costs that other-
wise would be passed on to
trade exposed businesses.
As a result, those businesses
would be protected from rate
increases for their natural
gas.
Businesses not considered
trade exposed would still be
sheltered from at least part of
any increase in their natural
gas costs.
NW Natural estimates that
its small commercial natural
gas users can expect to see a
$168 cost increase in natural
gas utility bills due to cap and
trade in 2022.
WEATHER FOR THE DALLES, OR | FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 3, 2020
Today
encouraged to arrive by 5:30
p.m.
/34°
Intervals of clouds
and sun
/34°
Cooler with
clouds and sun
/33°
A thick cloud cover
/38°
Sunshine
/37°
Rain and snow
Actual High/Low
Feb 17 - 23
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
50/35
51/23
51/22
51/22
54/23
59/27
51/37
Updated 2.24.20, 7:30 AM PDT
Data from Accuweather.com