Governor Follows Through, Delivers Vetoes - Thank You!

Today Governor Kulongoski followed through on his threat to veto two bills that would have weakened Oregon's commitment to a clean energy future. We had requested he veto one of the bills, House Bill 2940. Read more about the bills.

From the press release:

"House Bill 2940 would diminish the value of Oregon's Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) by including additional sources of generation not accounted for in the original standard at the expense of new renewable generation projects. 

“The RPS is a great economic generator, and already has produced great environmental benefits.  I cannot support reducing the standard and thereby, the economic and environmental benefits,” the Governor wrote....

"House Bill 2472 reduces the Business Energy Tax Credit cap from $10.00 million to $3.5 million, a reduction that the Governor believes goes too far and would put Oregon at a competitive disadvantage in growing the state’s renewable energy sector, resulting in fewer jobs and less clean, renewable energy sources.  The bill would also expand the BETC to cover electric vehicle manufacturing and supporting parts.

“The BETC has aided the renewable energy industry, which in turn has provided much needed jobs while transitioning the state towards cleaner, renewable energy sources. 

Oregon now leads the nation in the percentage of jobs related to green energy,” the Governor said the letter returned with the bill.  “I cannot support a bill that would scale back our support for one of the few growing sectors of our economy at a time when encouraging new economic opportunity is so critically important.”

Read his full letters on HB 2940 and HB 2472.