Page 2A NORTHWEST East Oregonian Friday, March 13, 2015 Bill would study effects of closing Montana coal plant SEATTLE (AP) — Wash- ington lawmakers say they want to study the effects of FORVLQJDPDVVLYHFRDO¿UHG power plant in southeastern Montana that provides pow- er to the Northwest. Senate Bill 5874 was initially written to make it easier for owners of the four-unit plant in Colstrip, Montana, to shut that plant down, prompting letters of concern from Montana’s governor and Montana’s utility commission. But the Senate amended and passed the bill Wednes- day night to call for a study RQWKHFRVWVDQGEHQH¿WVRI a possible closure. It now goes to the House of Repre- sentatives for consideration, where those wanting to wean Washington state off coal hope it can be amended again. Bill sponsor Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, said Thursday that Senate mem- bers felt they didn’t have all the information they needed. “I heard from lots of peo- ple in Montana and Wash- ington concerned about rushing into a decision that doesn’t need to be made today,” said Ericksen, who chairs the Senate Energy, Environment & Telecom- munications Committee. Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, urged sup- SRUWRQWKH6HQDWHÀRRUVD\- ing it would keep the legis- lation alive so more work Associate Press kinds of mischiefs over in the House, the other body, and just because it’s a study here doesn’t mean it’ll come back a study,” he said before Wednesday’s vote. The legislation comes as investor-owned utilities operating in Washington have been under pressure by Gov. Jay Inslee and envi- ronmental groups to reduce or eliminate electricity they get from out-of-state coal plants. Washington’s only coal power plant in Centralia is slated to close by 2025, and Oregon’s only coal plant in Boardman will shut down in 2020. Much of the state’s FRDO¿UHG HOHFWULFLW\ FRPHV into the state from the Col- strip plant in Montana and the Jim Bridger plant in Wy- oming. Senate Bill 5874 does not VSHFL¿FDOO\ QDPH &ROVWULS but it would apply to it. Last month, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock wrote to Inslee and senators, ex- pressing concerns that the ELOO ZRXOG KDYH VLJQL¿FDQW effects on his state. The Democrat said he agreed that climate change is a serious issue. But “I have grave concerns when one state takes action that FRXOG KDYH VLJQL¿FDQW HFR- nomic consequences for another state, on a matter that will require action on a much larger scale to be suc- cessful,” he said. AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File This 2014 photo shows the Colstrip Steam Electric Sta- tion in Colstrip, Mont. can be done in the House. Ranker has said the state has “a moral imperative” to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and wean itself off coal that is imported into the state. The Sierra Club said it hoped changes to the bill can be made in the House Man serves 897 days in jail, even though he didn’t commit a crime that will lead to retiring Col- strip, a large source of car- bon pollution, and replacing that coal-power with clean- er, renewable energy. That’s what troubled Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunny- side, one of three senators who opposed the bill. “This leaves this bill open to all PORTLAND — A man waiting to testify in an Oregon murder case has been held in jail as a mate- rial witness for nearly 900 days, though he has com- mitted no crime. Legal experts tell The Oregonian that it’s ex- ceptionally rare to be held as long as Benito Vasquez-Hernandez. The 59-year-old man has been incarcerated at the Washington Coun- ty Jail for 897 days, or just shy of two and half years. His bail was set at $500,000. Prosecutors say Va s q u e z - H e r n a n d e z ’s testimony is essential to their case, and he probably wouldn’t show up to court if released. His elder son, Eloy Vasquez-Santiago, is suspected of killing Maria Bolanos-Rivera of Hills- boro in 2012. Civil rights advocates say Vasquez-Hernandez should be released because he is poor, has no formal education and appears to have very low mental competency. He’s also an immigrant who doesn’t speak English and doesn’t understand the American justice system. Vasquez-Hernandez’s other son is the second ma- terial witness in the case. He was released last fall after being diagnosed with schizophrenia while serv- ing 727 days in jail. Both material witness- es were arrested two years Gov. Brown signs low-carbon fuel standard bill discussions of a transporta- tion project funding package. The governor’s decision to sign it was not unexpected. Brown had expressed support IRU WKH FRQFHSW LQ KHU ¿UVW press conference as governor last month. Senate Bill 324 will make permanent the fuel standard established by a 2009 bill. The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission voted in January to adopt regulations based on that existing law that will require fuel importers and producers to reduce the car- By HILLARY BORRUD Capital Bureau SALEM — Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill into law Thursday that will allow the state to implement a low-car- bon fuel standard. The governor’s announce- ment followed contentious votes in the House and Sen- ate where lawmakers passed the legislation by near-party- line votes. Republicans and some rural Democrats voted against the bill, and Republi- cans withdrew in protest from bon content of transportation fuels by 10 percent during the next decade, starting in Janu- ary 2016. However, the exist- ing law was set to sunset this year before the agency could implement the rules. Fuel in Oregon already contains 10 percent ethanol for gasoline, and a 5 percent biodiesel blend for diesel be- cause of a separate state man- date. The state could achieve the low-carbon fuel program goals if importers and pro- GXFHUV FDQ ¿QG HWKDQROV DQG biodiesels with lower carbon contents, but to meet the 10 percent carbon reduction goal companies will also likely have to purchase carbon cred- its through a system the DEQ will establish. Brown said in a statement Thursday the fuel standard will be an important tool to ¿JKW FOLPDWH FKDQJH DQG Oregon is already experienc- ing the effects of a warming planet. — The Capital Bureau is a collaboration between EO Media Group and Pamplin Media Group. Subscriber services: For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255 Didn’t receive your paper?&DOO EHIRUHSP7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\ RUEHIRUHDP6DWXUGD\ for same-day redelivery — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. 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Lo 42 44 42 52 43 43 48 47 45 47 46 47 43 52 46 50 46 45 51 48 43 46 44 44 46 53 43 W r c c sh c c r c c c c c c c r sh c c c r c r sh c r c sh WORLD CITIES Today Beijing Hong Kong Jerusalem London Mexico City Moscow Paris Rome Seoul Sydney Tokyo Hi 54 72 58 50 69 40 51 60 49 73 56 Lo 30 67 46 36 48 26 36 41 26 65 40 W s c s r sh pc c s s pc s Hi 54 75 61 46 66 42 49 58 46 77 53 Sat. Lo 35 69 42 39 48 26 37 47 29 64 41 W pc pc s c r pc c pc pc sh c WINDS (in mph) Today Saturday Boardman Pendleton NE 3-6 ESE 4-8 SW 6-12 SSW 7-14 UV INDEX TODAY 0 To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries: HPDLOUVWUXWKHUV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUYLVLWZZZHDVWRUHJRQLDQ FRPFRPPXQLW\DQQRXQFHPHQWV Legal Advertising:$PDQGD-DFREV ‡DMDFREV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Today Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. Coastal Oregon: Mostly cloudy today. Cloudy tonight; periods of rain, except dry in the south. 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ClassiÀed Advertising: ‡FODVVL¿HGV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Single copy price: 7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\6DWXUGD\ Copyright © 2015, EO Media Group 2 4 ago in California, after Vasquez-Hernandez told detectives he had seen blood in the minivan his elder son drove, and the younger son said his old- er brother had admitted to him that he had stabbed the woman to death. Two days later, the older brother, Eloy Vasquez-Santiago, turned himself in to authorities. He told investigators that he had worked with Maria Bolanos-Rivera at Oregon Berry Packing Compa- ny in Hillsboro, and they had gone out on a date the day she disappeared. Eloy Vasquez-Santiago told po- lice he stabbed her because she had insulted him, but did not tell them where the body could be found. In Oregon, a judge can keep material witnesses in FXVWRG\ LQGH¿QLWHO\ XQ- til they testify, or release them pending trial. But typically, detention lasts less than a week. Vasquez-Hernandez’s defense attorney tried to get him to give a sworn statement in a video depo- sition. But Vasquez-Her- QDQGH]ZDVVRÀXVWHUHGKH kept repeating he should not be in jail and he’s in- nocent — until the judge threw him out. Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeff Lesowski said he sincerely regrets keeping the witness locked up for so long, but he sees no alternative. Eloy Vasquez-Santia- go’s murder trial is sched- uled to start Tuesday. 4 2 0 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 0-2, Low 3-5, Moderate 6-7, High; 8-10, Very High; 11+, Extreme The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num- ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2015 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. -10s -0s showers t-storms 0s 10s rain 20s flurries 30s 40s snow ice 50s 60s cold front 70s 80s 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low National Summary: Drenching rain will expand from the South to the Ohio Valley and cen- tral Appalachians today. Locally strong storms will affect the Gulf Coast. Spotty storms are forecast for Colorado and New Mexico. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 90° in Fort Myers, Fla. Low 12° in Frenchville, Maine NATIONAL CITIES Today Albuquerque Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Billings Birmingham Boise Boston Charleston, SC Charleston, WV Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit El Paso Fairbanks Fargo Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Hi 64 52 43 51 64 60 67 37 64 56 58 54 60 57 55 72 -4 57 76 71 56 77 71 79 67 90 Lo 40 48 41 41 41 57 49 30 60 48 42 43 53 33 43 49 -23 34 64 51 46 63 44 57 58 62 W t r pc pc s sh pc s r r c r r sh pc t c pc s c r c c s r s Hi 65 70 53 58 71 73 68 43 74 62 53 50 65 68 55 69 -2 62 78 74 57 81 66 81 65 92 Sat. Lo 39 55 43 41 50 53 51 32 60 40 32 31 44 42 33 43 -27 45 64 52 35 62 39 57 50 64 W pc sh r r pc c c r t r pc sh pc s c pc pc s pc c c t s pc sh pc Today Louisville Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York City Oklahoma City Omaha Philadelphia Phoenix Portland, ME Providence Raleigh Rapid City Reno Sacramento St. Louis Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco Seattle Tucson Washington, DC Wichita Hi 58 70 82 62 60 59 73 47 66 71 50 88 36 38 54 64 70 76 58 62 83 68 67 81 55 74 Lo 55 61 73 40 36 57 54 39 48 36 40 64 28 28 49 32 44 52 49 43 61 54 53 57 45 44 W r r pc pc pc r r s r s pc s s s r s pc pc r s s pc c pc pc c Hi 62 65 84 53 58 70 73 54 69 67 59 88 40 45 72 75 75 80 62 70 87 72 58 81 63 67 Sat. Lo 41 54 70 33 39 47 57 42 39 38 42 63 28 31 52 41 51 59 41 51 63 59 46 55 46 37 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. W r sh pc pc pc r pc r s s r s sn r sh s pc pc s pc pc pc r s r s