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3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 Washington state ‘Culture change’ needed at limits carbon state human services agency High rate of pollution from harm for large sources kids in care Latest state to take action on climate change By PHUONG LE Associated Press SEATTLE — Washing- ton state adopted a new rule Thursday to limit greenhouse gas emissions from large car- bon polluters, joining a handful of other states in capping emis- sions to address climate change. State environmental regu- lators inalized a rule requir- ing large industrial emitters to gradually reduce carbon emis- sions over time. The change will cover power plants, oil reiner- ies, fuel distributors, pulp and paper mills and other industries. “When we consider the chal- lenges our communities face from climate change, we are compelled to act,” state Ecol- ogy Director Maia Bellon said at a news conference on Seat- tle’s waterfront. Critics say it will hurt fam- ilies, as costs are passed on to consumers; limit the state in attracting and retaining busi- nesses; and hamper the ability of energy-intensive businesses to compete globally. Supporters say limiting heat-trapping gases is needed to protect human health and the environment; the state faces severe economic and environ- mental disruption from rising sea levels; increased risks of drought and wildire, and other climate change impacts. but will have a chilling effect on our economy.” It would force families to pay more to heat their homes and drive to work, he said. But Bellon says consumers likely won’t feel the impacts. Using worst-case scenarios, the state estimates that by 2020 electricity prices would go up by $16 a year and gas prices would increase by 1 cent. Climate action Several environmental groups on Thursday applauded Inslee for pushing ahead on climate action, saying it’s an important irst step. “We must continue to work toward a comprehensive cli- mate policy” that puts a price on emissions and reinvests the money in clean energy pro- grams and communities most impacted by climate change, Sasha Pollack with the Wash- ington Environmental Council said in a statement. Businesses would have dif- ferent ways to comply. They could lower their emissions, invest in projects that perma- nently reduce carbon pollution or buy credits from others in the program or from other approved market-trading carbon markets. A state economic analysis indicates the costs for all busi- nesses to comply over 20 years range from a low of $410 million to a high of $6.9 billion, depend- ing on the way they comply. The measure is also estimated to provide $9.6 billion in bene- its over 20 years by improving environmental, health and other conditions. Inslee sought rule Gov. Jay Inslee sought the rule last year after failing to gain legislative support for a more ambitious plan to charge pollut- ers a fee, similar to California’s cap-and-trade program. A coali- tion of Northeast states also has a cap-and-trade program that applies to power plants. Under Washington state’s rule, large carbon polluters will be required to reduce car- bon emissions by an average of 1.7 percent annually. The rule would apply to those that release at least 100,000 metric tons of carbon a year. More facilities will likely be covered by the rule as the threshold is lowered over the coming decades. Unlike the cap-and-trade leg- islation Inslee sought last year, the rule adopted Thursday won’t charge emitters a fee for carbon emissions. Inslee had previously pitched a polluter fee as a way to raise more than $1 billion a year for schools, transportation and other state needs. Republican lawmakers have criticized Inslee, a Democrat, for taking executive action on the issue, saying lawmakers should set such policy. Some legislators have previously tried to prohibit the Ecology Department from passing such a rule. State Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, said in statement Thursday that the rule “will have no impact on the world climate, Tax measure Two dozen businesses likely will to be covered when the rule takes effect in October 2017. They include all ive oil rein- eries, several Puget Sound Energy facilities, including those in Longview, Goldendale and Sumas, the Grays Harbor Energy Center in Elma, Freder- ickson Power facility in Tacoma and Spokane’s Waste to Energy facility. In November, Washington state voters will consider Initia- tive 732 that would impose a direct tax on carbon emissions from fossil fuels burned in the state while lowering state sales and business taxes. By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Capital Bureau SALEM — Saying the state has a “deep and abiding moral obligation” to keep chil- dren in its care safe, a commit- tee assembled by the governor to assess the safety of children in substitute care has agreed that the Department of Human Services and state leaders need to follow through on ongoing reform efforts. The agency faces a somber diagnosis: Oregon has a high rate of harm of kids in foster and residential care compared to other states, and the commit- tee was created after revelations of abuse that went unaddressed by agency leaders. The external advisory com- mittee on child safety includes lawmakers, child welfare pro- fessionals and advocates. Its meeting Wednesday focused on the recommenda- tions of a consulting irm hired to assess the agency’s most pressing problems. The irm, Public Knowl- edge, presented four “founda- tional recommendations,” or things that had to be changed before its detailed recommen- dations could get traction. Consultants said the Depart- ment of Human Services needs to change its culture; focus on child safety; use data to inform decisions; and increase staff- ing resources for entities within the department, including Child Protective Services. Implementing the recom- mendations, though, is going to require adequate staff and external experts in areas such as policy and data use, consul- tants said. Costs not clear It’s not immediately clear how much making and main- taining the recommended changes may cost, though con- sultants noted that increasing stafing may be cost-intensive, compared to the three other foundational measures that consultants rated either low- cost or cost-neutral. The committee agreed that funding for the agency should be a priority in the upcoming legislative session. The cost of failing to pro- tect foster children from harm is high — the committee esti- mated that in the last ive years, the state has paid between $30 million and $35 million to set- tle claims brought by children who were abused in foster care or residential facilities. In a letter to the gover- nor, a draft of which was read at the meeting Wednesday, the committee said that “the need for a cultural shift in the development, implementation and monitoring of policies is paramount.” The committee also noted that the recommendations pre- sented by the consulting irm were “not altogether different from past proposals developed by and for DHS.” Prior failures Clyde Saiki, the depart- ment’s director, has acknowl- edged the prior failures of the agency to make changes after problems were brought to light. A draft of the consultants’ report released late last month identiied two main deicien- cies that, if tackled, consultants said, could prevent child abuse: How the agency chooses where to place kids in care and how it receives and addresses reports of abuse. Placements could be better matched to children’s needs, consultants said, and the sys- tem for reporting and monitor- ing abuse is decentralized and disjointed. But the agency also has lim- ited capacity, making head- lines for putting children up in hotels. In the past two years, the state has “lost nearly 400 foster homes and 100 residential beds statewide,” the agency’s child welfare spokeswoman, Andrea Cantu-Schomus, wrote in an email last week. Consultant Stacey Obrecht noted Wednesday that the number of children in residen- tial facilities outside Oregon is more than 20, compared to none several years ago. Others in Warrenton bike theft ring sentenced The men stole bikes from campgrounds By KYLE SPURR The Daily Astorian The two other Warrenton men involved in stealing more than a dozen bicycles in July from visitors at Fort Stevens State Park and the KOA camp- ground have been sentenced. Jacob Martin Kitzman, 25, pleaded no contest Wednesday in Circuit Court to second-degree theft. Kitzman was sen- tenced to 46 days in jail. Earlier this month, the District Attor- ney’s Ofice dismissed a irst-degree theft charge against John Michael Lafreniere, 26, as part of a plea negotiation to settle past cases. Lafreniere was sentenced to 2 1/2 Jacob Martin Kitzman John Michael Lafreniere years in prison after pleading no contest to charges of menacing, burglary, unau- thorized use of a vehicle and attempt- ing to elude police. His previous crimes occurred between April and July. Lafreniere and Kitzman were joined in July by Devin Corey Gerou, 19, who pleaded no contest to irst-degree theft in August. Gerou also pleaded no contest to past theft and burglary cases. He was sen- tenced to two years in prison. Warrenton Police received multiple reports in July of stolen bicycles from the local campgrounds. None of the bicycles were locked or secured. Oficers increased patrols, and were able to identify the trio. The three men were arrested July 31. In total, police recovered nearly 15 stolen bicycles, valued at $8,000 to $10,000, and returned several to their owners. Some of the bicycles had been dismantled, had parts or acces- sories removed, and one had been repainted a different color, according to police. Police found many of the bicycles at a location near the campgrounds, and at a residence on U.S. Highway 101 just south of Warrenton. A stolen motorcycle was also recovered. They’re your dreams. Start building them. You’ve already dreamed up the blueprints. 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