March 4 - Supplemental Session Wrap-Up [from SalemWatch]
The February Supplemental Session ended on Friday, February 22, after only three weeks.
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| The February Supplemental Session ended on Friday, February 22, after only
three weeks. This year's session was an experiment at moving Oregon to annual
sessions. Senate President Peter Courtney said the session "was more focused on
how you do this kind of session, as opposed to issues." |
| Given the short timeline and emphasis on non-controversial bills, the House
Energy and Environment Committee proposed a modest bill, HB
3610, to collect information on global warming emissions and potential
solutions. Unfortunately the bill, which was a first step in implementing strong
global warming goals passed by the 2007 Legislature, was killed by industry
lobbyists, despite support from many Oregon businesses (read more). |
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The Legislature did act on several
environmental issues. It passed funding to implement Measure 49 and facilitate
claims, re-funded the Oregon Task Force on Land Use Planning's outreach efforts
so it could engage more than 10,000 Oregonians in big picture land use
issues, passed a law requiring state agencies to reduce energy by 20% by 2012
(HB 3612), and increased tax credits for renewable energy projects (HB
3619).
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To learn more about how issues fared during the 2008 Supplemental Session,
contact:
Water - John DeVoe, Waterwatch
Climate Change - Jeremiah
Baumann, Environment Oregon
Ocean Conservation - Erin Anderson, Our Ocean
Environmental Tax Credits - Jeremiah Baumann, Environment
Oregon
Land Use - Dan Eisenbeis, 1000 Friends
of Oregon
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