In a small victory (for sanity) in the ongoing climate wars, Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem) admitted defeat in his and Gov. Kate Brown’s attempt to force unwilling Republicans to vote on a controversial cap-and-trade bill. Announcing the bill is dead, Courtney asked Republican Senators to return to work after they walked out to prevent a vote on the bill.
Oregon’s cap-and-trade bill, H.B. 2020, would require steep cuts to carbon dioxide emissions each year, reducing emissions by 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2035 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
Companies emitting more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents annually would be required to purchase “allowances” every year for each ton of carbon dioxide they emit. The state would reduce the supply of allowances auctioned each year. Oregon lawmakers admit the rising costs of purchasing allowances or switching to lower-emissions technologies would raise energy prices.
Democrats’ supermajority in the Oregon House allowed its leadership to easily pass H.B. 2020. Oregon Democrats almost hold a supermajority in the Senate as well. The Democrats possess 18 of the 30 Senate seats. However, Democrats still need Republican help to get business done because Senate rules require a quorum of 20 members for votes. Hence, to prevent Courtney from calling a vote on the bill, Republicans walked out.
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