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Friday, February 14, 2020 CapitalPress.com 5 Activists swarm Capitol in support of climate bill By SAM STITES and CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Oregon Capital Bureau SALEM — Activists seek- ing to clean Oregon’s environ- ment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions turned out by the hundreds at state Capitol Tuesday, pushing legislators to move ahead with a cap-and- trade policy. Demonstrators ranged from Salem-area teenagers who took time out from school to middle-aged Wasco County residents. All told, organizers say that more than 1,000 people trav- elled to the Capitol to support Senate Bill 1530, which aims to cap and shrink the state’s carbon emissions and gener- ate revenue for environmental projects. One of those local teens was Angelique Prater, 17, of Salem, who spoke to the crowd Tues- day about her activism. In an interview, she said that her parents, immigrants from Mexico who work in agricul- ture, were already feeling the effects of climate change — extreme temperatures in winter and summer. She said she first heard about the proposal from friends in school and then got involved in activism. “I’m here today to fight for the climate crisis and to, you know, push our legislators to fight for strong climate leg- islation,” Prater said, adding that legislation was the most important part of “solving the climate crisis.” The pending legislation would establish a new limit on certain emissions and reduce them over time. The limits would apply to certain industries and major fuel importers. The cap-and- trade policy would carve up the emissions limit into allowances 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 Sam Stites/ Oregon Capital Bureau Activists pack the steps of the Oregon State Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 11, to show support for a cap and trade bill being considered by lawmakers. pollution controls. Opponents have criticized the plan for its potential impact on consumers and small busi- nesses, particularly through higher fuel costs. Recent revi- sions to the legislation spare counties east of the Cas- cades from regulations on fuel importers and provide a way for natural gas companies to guard their low-income cus- tomers against higher costs. The event began at noon with speeches on the Capitol steps from activists and politi- cal officials, including remarks from Multnomah County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson, Milwaukie Mayor and congressional candidate Mark Gamba and Eric Rich- ardson, Eugene-Springfield NAACP president. Follow- ing speeches, the demonstra- tors marched around the Cap- itol chanting and waving signs with messages supporting the climate legislation. The event, organized by the environmental group Renew Oregon, was a counterpoint to a protest in Salem last week organized by Timber Unity. Activists made the trek to Salem from all parts of the state Tuesday, including Dean Myerson, who was part of a carload of demonstrators who drove three hours from The Dalles. Myerson said he believes Oregon needs to lead the way on climate action. “We can’t just wait for everybody else to do something first, which seems to be one of the arguments. ‘We can’t do this alone,’ which is true, but somebody has to start,” Myer- son said. “In Wasco County we had a series of really bad fires a couple years ago. A lot of his- toric homes were destroyed, a farmer died. … There’s always been fires, but climate change is making them worse.” Maia Stout, a 15-year-old from coastal Yachats, explained to the crowd what climate action means to her. For the past several months, Stout — like 17-year-old Swedish activ- ist Greta Thunberg — has par- ticipated in the global youth climate strike, standing outside her high school in Newport every Friday to bring attention to the issue. “I advocate for climate action because I under- stand that the mistakes we’ve made don’t fix themselves,” Stout said. “I raised my voice because I can’t vote for three more years and time is running out.” Coral Avery, 22, a student at Oregon State University, is an enrolled member of the Shaw- nee tribe of Oklahoma. “Climate and natural resource use really goes back to indigenous people,” Avery said. “That’s the main reason why I’m here today, is to rep- resent, the best I can, repre- sent my community and other indigenous communities who have overall been left out of the conversation or at least haven’t been centered in it before.” Washington Farm Protest: Groups of protesters visited legislators’ offices ments on bill alterations yet. Bureau joins hands with Continued from Page 1 Parrish brought her own proposals to would eliminate 43.4 million metric tons deal with climate change without hurting climate-action group of carbon annually from the atmosphere. rural jobs. Critics, however, point out that “Taxing the behavior of pollution will By DON JENKINS Capital Press OLYMPIA — Washing- ton farm and environmental groups have agreed on legis- lation to fund on-farm projects that reduce carbon emissions. Washington Farm Bureau initially opposed it but now sup- ports the reworked measure. It is the brainchild of Carbon Washington, a Seattle-based climate-action group that envi- sions a carbon-free future. Carbon Washington’s orig- inal proposal has been stripped of implied criticism of agri- culture’s reliance on fossil fuels. Left in place are grants to farmers for planting trees, growing cover crops, buy- ing lower-emission tractors and taking other steps to store more or release less green- house gases. “That language represents a year-long discussion among a broad stakeholder group,” Farm Bureau government rela- tions director Tom Davis said Friday. “The conversation didn’t start well. There was a lot of finger pointing and rock throwing.” The Senate has already passed a version of Senate Bill 5947. The Farm Bureau said it was too complicated and passed without enough consul- tation with farm groups. The bill is now in the House Agri- culture and Natural Resources Committee. The Farm Bureau and Car- bon Washington are backing a rewrite that deletes references to farmers and ranchers cut- ting their consumption of fos- sil fuels to reduce “local and global pollution.” Among the groups supporting the rewrite are the Washington State Dairy Federation and The Nature Conservancy. At a hearing Friday in front of the House agriculture com- mittee, Columbia Basin farmer Jim Baird testified in support of the bill. Outside the hearing room, Baird said financial sup- port could encourage farmers to plant cover crops—a favor- ite subject of his, he said. “People see me coming and say, ‘Here comes Mr. Cover Crop,’” Baird said. “I per- sonally like the bill because I believe it will be the first step in farmers getting paid for healthier farming practices that sequester carbon.” Farm groups are not unani- mously behind creating a new program. Agriculture lobby- ist Jim Jesernig—represent- ing state potato, onion and grain associations—said the reworked bill was fine, but that current conservation dis- trict programs already are underfunded. Lawmakers shouldn’t cre- ate a new program unless they’re willing to spend the money, he said. “If it’s just empty rhetoric, don’t pass it.” A recent analysis by the Washington State Conserva- tion Commission concluded the state’s 45 conservation dis- tricts need another $17 mil- lion to meet the on-the-ground demand from landowners for technical assistance. Heather Hansen, representing the Wash- ington Farm Forestry Associa- tion, said legislators could do more to reduce carbon emis- sions by increasing support for a program to help small-forest landowners grow trees. “I can’t support a new pro- gram that would siphon funds from existing programs,” she said. Carbon Washington pol- icy chairman Greg Rock said he also doesn’t want money diverted from what conserva- tion districts are doing now. The organization will seek a one-year, $1 million appro- priation from lawmakers for a new carbon-reduction pro- gram while also advocating for more money for existing con- servation district programs, he said. A new program focused on climate change could raise overall support for conservation districts among urban legisla- tors, he said. amount represents just 0.12% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Advocates say every bit counts. Estimates provided by the nonpartisan Legislative Revenue Office estimated the program would raise prices by 22 cents per gallon in the first year of the program, according to state Sen. Bill Hansell. Inside the building, protesters did not go unnoticed. Swarms of protesters visited legisla- tors’ offices. Truck horns echoed even inside hearing rooms. Brian Iverson, the husband of state Rep. Vikki Iverson, R-Powell Butte, said his wife described being inside the Cap- itol before protesters streamed in as the calm before the storm, with subdued ten- sion, excitement and angst. At 9 a.m., Gov. Kate Brown met with 10 Timber Unity leaders as part of her continued effort to speak with rural stakeholders. The meeting was closed to the press, but former legislator Julie Parrish, now a Tim- ber Unity member, said the meeting with Brown and her policy advisers was “genial.” The governor, she said, listened to pro- testers’ concerns but made no commit- not reduce pollution,” said Parrish. “We can do better. We need other solutions.” In front of the Capitol, Jeff Leavy, one of Timber Unity’s founders, told the crowd that the movement has grown into something larger than just about fight- ing one bill. He said it’s now about chal- lenging overregulation, getting citizens engaged with government and trying to have a voice in the legislative process. “A legislator inside said you guys are shutting down the legislature and not let- ting people’s voices be heard,” said Sen. Denyc Boles, R-Salem. Surveying the crowd, she added, “I’d say this is the leg- islative process. We can hear the people’s voices.” Sen. Herman Baertschiger Jr., R-Grants Pass, urged the crowd to con- tinue on its mission. “Now you must build an army to defeat those in this building who want to take away your way of life. It’s a fight for free- dom. It’s so much bigger than one bill,” he said, adding that “it’s now about all kinds of freedom: religious freedom, gun rights, the freedom not to be overtaxed.” Timber Unity is a heterogeneous group: Some members believe climate Sierra Dawn McClain/Capital Press Timber Unity supporters greet the convoy of trucks as it arrives Feb. 6 at the Oregon Capitol. Traffic on Interstate 5 was backed up as the big rigs arrived in Salem from all directions. change is a real issue and others don’t. What they agree on is that hurting rural Oregon businesses is not OK. Timber Unity invited scientists, called “skeptics” by some and “climate deniers” by others, to speak. “The whole concept behind this bill is a big fraud,” said meteorologist Chuck Wiese. “If you really want this, I would say to the legislators, put it to a vote. But they know if they do, folks like you with common sense are gonna shut it down.” “We’re not having a climate cri- sis,” added environmental scientist Bob Zybach. “We’re having a government crisis.” California and the Pacific Northwest are the nation’s largest producers of tree and vine fruit, plus nuts of all types! 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