NEWS RELEASE
February 2, 2015
Media Contact:
Melissa Navas, 503-378-6496
Chris Pair, 503-559-5938
Clean Fuels Advisory Committee Calls forReauthorization of Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program
Job creation and consumer savings designed to help boost Oregon’s economy
(Salem, OR) — Today the Clean Fuels Advisory Committee is calling for the reauthorization of Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program, citing its potential to create jobs, position the state as a leader in alternative fuel production, and save Oregonians more than a $1 billion in fuel costs. The Clean Fuels Advisory Committee, comprised of Oregon business and labor leaders, released its final recommendations to Governor Kitzhaber, including calling on the Legislature to lift the sunset on the state’s Clean Fuels Program and to strengthen consumer protections.
“We’ve only scratched the surface of the potential for alternative fuels to create a homegrown industry to tap into the billions we spend on gasoline every year,” said Governor Kitzhaber. “We should keep more of those dollars in Oregon to grow, produce, and deliver fuels that benefit our communities with new good-paying jobs; benefit consumers with more choice and lower cost; and benefit our health and the health of our environment with less pollution.”
The Clean Fuels Advisory Committee was created in February 2014 to help answer questions about how to leverage the economic potential of clean fuels in Oregon and accelerate job creation and investment.
The Committee recommendations include:
- – Lift the December 31, 2015 sunset on the Clean Fuels Program.
- – Develop a process through rulemaking to cap the total cost of the program.
- – Leverage Oregon’s partnerships with other West Coast jurisdictions to develop a regional market with consistent carbon lifecycle methodologies.
- – Encourage collaboration between electric and natural gas utilities and third parties to generate and aggregate Clean Fuel credits.
- – Ensure the Clean Fuels Program has a 10-year phase-in period from 2015-2025.
- – Advance integration of alternative fuels into statewide emergency response planning.
Multiple legislative bills have already been filed to lift the sunset on the Clean Fuels Program, including Senate Bill 324 and House Bills 2192 and 2450.
Business and labor leaders stand with Governor Kitzhaber in support of the Clean Fuels Program:
“OBA’s business leaders have been evaluating this program for the last five years,” said Ryan Deckert, President of the Oregon Business Association. “The Clean Fuels Program meets the test of incenting economic development here in Oregon. California’s program has attracted more than $5 billion in the clean transportation industry. Oregon should work to capitalize on the same benefits of innovation.”
“As our State emerges from the recession, the IBEW #48 is proud to support the LCFS – for both for its environmental and job-producing benefits,” says Joe Esmonde of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local 48. “As in other states, hundreds of our members have gone to work in alternative fuel industries, such as working at bioethanol plants and in the fast growing EV industry. With Clean Fuels, we all win.”
Clean Fuels Advisory Committee members include Robert Carrick, Daimler North America; Jill Eiland, Intel; John Mohlis, Oregon State Building Trades; Margaret Kirkpatrick, NW Natural; Gary Young, IBEW Local 48; Bob Levy, Windy River; Darren Engle, Blue Star Gas; Neil Koehler, Pacific Ethanol; Gavin Carpenter, SeQuential Biofuels; Ryan Deckert, Oregon Business Association; Scott Folk, Roseburg Forest Products; Curtis Robinhold, Port of Portland; Susan Robinson, Waste Management; and Joe Gonyea, III, Timber Products Company.
For the full Advisory Committee report and recommendations, please visit:
http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/cleanFuel/index.htm
