Oregon Public Broadcasting

Climate change legislation that Oregon lawmakers approved during the last session is now law. 

Governor Ted Kulongoski signed seven bills Wednesday, ranging from new energy efficiency financing to a low-carbon fuel standard. 

Oregon is now one step ahead of the federal government. 

House members just barely passed the Waxman-Markey Act last month.  The core feature of that bill is a nationwide cap and trade system, which requires energy companies to hold permits for every ton of pollution they emit. 

The Senate should take up similar legislation in the fall. 

In the meantime, we wanted to consider what a cap and trade law would mean for us in the Northwest. 

For that, we turn to Alan Durning.  He’s the Executive Director of Sightline, a Seattle-based think tank focusing on sustainability issues.  He says we are well-situated for cap and trade, because our energy mix is already pretty green.