Friends and neighbors, I know the hour is late, but this is so important!
This morning we got the first look at the latest version of the cap-and-trade bill. Unfortunately, it looks a lot like the bill that was rejected last year.
If this new proposal becomes law, Oregonians will see higher gas prices, higher utility bills and fewer jobs in key industries.
It's a bad deal for working families in our state!
Anticipated impacts to working families include:
* Increased natural gas rates for Oregon families, hospitals, and industries. Check out this one-pager <https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/…/CommitteeMeetin…/208896> for estimated cost increases, which will vary by 7%-14% in the first year of cap-and-trade and increase every year after that!
* Increased propane rates for rural Oregon families, school districts, and on-farm processing. Propane customers will see NO rate relief under LC 19. We expect an increase of $0.14-0.16 in the first year of cap-and-trade.
* Increased fuel costs for everyone, not just families who live in medium and large cities!
* The proposed phase-in of fuels (Portland Metro by 2022, cities of 30,000 by 2025) will negatively impact the families and businesses located in those cities. Last year, the legislative fiscal office estimated that these Oregonians would see a price increase of $0.22/gallon in the first year of the program.
* According to the Oregon Fuels Association, the mechanism in LC 19 to protect rural and frontier communities from the cost impacts of cap-and-trade DOES NOT WORK. Legislators and the DEQ do not understand how fuels are imported and distributed, and the unfortunate result will be cost increases for anyone who purchases fuel in Oregon. This is unacceptable.
* Legislators claim that they are protecting trade-exposed industries and working families from the negative impacts of cap-and-trade. If that is the case, why does the state reduce protections and expose these industries to unnecessary cost increases in 2024? Also, why are there still provisions to assist workers who are negatively impacted by cap-and-trade?
It is clear that the voice of rural Oregonians remains unheard.
Here's the good news: Lawmakers are accepting comments on the proposal this week! While that doesn't give us much time, we have to make sure legislators know working people do not support cap-and-trade. We need every Oregonian that has concerns about what cap-and-trade would do to our state to submit feedback as soon as possible. They need to hear from you!
Here's how you can make sure your voice is heard (via email) Type out a statement that includes your concerns with new carbon cap-and-trade bill (LC 19):
Introduce yourself and explain what part of the state you live in. Do you have a family or own a business, or work somewhere, or in an industry that would be negatively impacted by a cap-and-trade policy?
Explain your concerns with LC 19:
* LC 19 punishes rural families, farms, and businesses who have no alternative but to use propane to heat their homes and run their processing facilities. Rural residents will bear the full cost of the increase in the first year of the program. This disproportionately impacts rural communities.
* Many Oregon families and businesses will immediately suffer from increased natural gas rates.
* LC 19 clearly jeopardizes Oregon jobs. It includes provisions to assist workers who have been displaced or lost their job due to the cap-and-trade policy.
* The proposed phase in of fuels by geography (Portland first and other cities later) is an empty exemption for rural Oregonians. Please don't pass something that fuel distributors say won't work! Under LC 19, fuel costs will increase for all Oregon families, regardless of where they live.
Conclusion: Make sure to include a clear statement expressing your opposition to adopting a cap-and-trade program in Oregon.
Email your comments to the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee at senr.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov ASAP. Finally, we also need Oregonians to call their legislators and urge them to reject this failed policy. Send them a copy of the testimony you sent to the committee. You can look up your legislators' contact information via by clicking here: https://bit.ly/30jXHN4 - Make sure to include your name and the name of the city of residence in your comments.
Please take a moment TODAY to make sure lawmakers know how you feel about this proposal. Share these talking points with your friends and neighbors. Don't let the voice of everyday Oregonians go unheard!
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Talk soon,
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1415
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-389, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boshartdavis
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