In 1971 Oregon Governor Tom McCall created an exactly right
phrase that we ought to consider reviving for some recent settlers to our great
state: “Come visit us again and again. This is a state of excitement. But for heaven’s
sake, don’t come here to live.”
During a February 26th hearing on House Bill 2336 in Oregon’s House
Energy and Environment Committee, several citizens stated that they came to
Oregon because of our National reputation is for “Environment Stewardship” only
to find out that in Portland there are businesses that actually manufacture
things. Horror of horrors, these recent residents actually smell things in the
air like paint and Natural Gas.
HB 2336 was drafted at the request of Neighbors for CleanAir. It adds new requirements to Air Permits issued under the federal Clean Air
Act. Oregon’s air quality has been improving for the past two decades. Now air quality in cities is affected by automobile exhaust to an extent almost ten
times more that filtered air releases from business and industry.
House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, testified in favor of
HB 2336. Further action on the bill will be attention grabbing, given the
Speaker’s expressed concerns about jobs and the economy. Stay tuned.
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