The Honeymoon's Over: Environmental Groups Slam Gov. Kate Brown For Bargaining Away Their Legislative Victory

WWeek:

Gov. Kate Brown is facing the first major political challenge in her brief tenure in office, and it's a problem of her own making.

After replacing former Gov. John Kitzhaber on Feb. 18, Brown signed a bill that extends the low-carbon fuel standard. That measure will require companies bringing fuels into Oregon either to blend in lower carbon components such as ethanol or purchase credits to offset carbon emissions.

Brown has also pledged to push a sweeping transportation package through the Legislature—and that means raising the gas tax. She's currently negotiating with legislators on a deal that would essentially swap a higher gas tax for the repeal of the fuel standard. In place of the standard, Brown's offering a package of alternatives, including infrastructure for electric cars and guidelines for low-carbon fuel blending components that would minimize price increases. She says that package would result in lower emissions than the bill she signed into law.

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