Cap-and-trade legislation is among the items topping Oregon鈥檚 agenda during this year鈥檚 legislative session. But like last year鈥檚 bill, which led to Republican Senators walking out of the Capitol in protest, it鈥檚 already drawing criticism from rural Oregon.
The aim of is to reduce human-caused greenhouse gas emissions by capping sectors like transportation and manufacturing, and creating a carbon trading scheme.
It sets gradually increasing emission reduction targets at years 2035 and 2050. This year鈥檚 bill also makes broader exceptions from the cap-and-trade rules for rural Oregon than the 2019 proposal.
Still, critics like Jack Armstrong from rural Jackson County are joining a grassroots group called Timber Unity to protest the cap-and-trade bill in Salem on Thursday.
Armstrong runs water tankers to fight forest fires. He鈥檚 concerned the proposal will increase fuel costs which he鈥檒l have to pass along to customers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to cascade, it鈥檚 going to be a mess, and it鈥檚 going to be expensive,鈥� he says.
But Armstrong also acknowledges the legislation has come to symbolize a bigger frustration for rural Oregonians.
鈥淚 think the overall bottom line, to be truthful with you, it鈥檚 the encroachment of government into anything agriculture,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the encroachment of the urban into the rural.鈥�
Public hearings on the cap-and-trade bill are slated for several days this week. A truck convoy and rally against the bill is planned in Salem on Thursday.
