Dirty, Dangerous Energy Bill Passes Senate

The U.S. Senate today passed an energy bill that pushes the nation in the wrong direction: opening up the Oregon coast to offshore oil & gas exploration and rejecting clean energy solutions that could curb global warming and boost Oregon’s economy. Instead, the Bush administration-backed energy bill opts for more dependence on foreign fossil fuels, threatening our environment and our economy.

OSPIRG commends Senator Wyden for standing up for the public interest and voting against this energy bill. Senator Wyden has been a firm champion of a cleaner, smarter energy future and followed through today by voting “no” on the bill. Unfortunately Senator Smith voted in favor.

This bill is simply terrible for Oregon and out of step with Oregonians values and priorities.

This energy bill contains several amendments that will significantly impact every Oregonian including a provision that effectively eliminates a 25 year bi-partisan moratorium on off-shore oil and gas drilling. This means the Oregon coast is now open for business for the oil and gas industry.

Additionally this bill takes away Oregon’s right to say “no” to dangerous natural gas importation terminals and places final decision making authority in Washington D.C. instead of our state.

Furthermore, the bill provides more than $8.5 billion in subsides to already-profitable and polluting fossil fuel industries and tries to revive the dangerous and economically ailing nuclear industry.

These are simply the wrong priorities. As the Oregonian editorialized yesterday: “If the United States doesn't dramatically increase the fuel efficiency of its automobiles and embrace conservation, it will import two-thirds of its oil from abroad by 2025. That's a recipe for economic and political disaster”.

The focus now shifts away from Washington, DC, and back to Oregon. Governor Ted Kulongoski has already championed a clean energy future and ambitious efforts to curb global warming. He has pledged to bring the Clean Cars program to Oregon, which will cut global warming pollution from cars and light trucks by a third by 2016. Just yesterday he announced his intention to veto a budget deal passed by the Oregon Senate which tries to block this program.

OSPIRG is also calling on the Governor to also stand up and protect the Oregon coast. We call on the Governor to fight any attempt to open up our coast to the oil and gas industry.