- Oregon lawmakers are proposing a package of environmental bills.
- The bills aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase renewable energy use, and promote electric vehicles.
- The package includes a clean fuels program and a requirement for utilities to phase out coal-fired power by 2030.
- Supporters of the bills say they will create jobs and protect the environment, while opponents argue they will increase costs for consumers and businesses.
- The bills have been met with mixed reactions and face further debate in the legislative process.
By KGW8 | March 17, 2023
Oregon lawmakers and advocates called for passage of a package of bills, that would increase building efficiency and resilience on Friday in Gresham at one of the region’s newest, and most environmentally friendly, affordable housing developments.
Wynn Watts Commons, on Northeast 162nd Avenue, was completed last summer and is home to 150 units, nearly 1,500 solar panels and heat pump-powered water heating systems. Over the course of a year, the building is so efficient that the solar panels not only create enough power for all the residents, but they are often able to sell some of that power back to the local utility…
One of their top priorities will be to promote the adoption of heat pumps. Heat pumps are electric systems that can replace older furnaces that run on natural gas. Unlike gas furnaces, heat pumps can provide both heating and cooling.
Senate Bill 868 would help Oregonians maximize the incentives and rebates available to offset the price of heat pump systems, with a specific focus on low-income residents and those most vulnerable to climate extremes.
Joel Iboa, with the Oregon Just Transition Alliance, an environmental justice organization supporting the bills, stressed just how important heat pumps will be as heat waves become more common…
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