HB 3433 Study of greenhouse gas sequestration and emissions reductions

This bill attempts to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations by requiring certain state agencies and Oregon State University to study opportunities for greenhouse gas sequestration and emissions reductions from activities related to Oregon’s natural and working lands and in forest products, agricultural and building materials industries, transportation sector and electricity sector.

Fiscal Responsibility
Over 60% of the greenhouse gas emissions from Oregon are sequestered in the form of carbon stored within our forests; and over 30% of the carbon stored within our forests is released in the form of greenhouse gas emissions from wildfire and decay. Emissions from Oregon forest fires in 2007 produced greenhouse gases equal to the emissions of 11.1 million cars driven all year. It is believed that 90% of treated acres can be moved into a low-hazard condition, and by thinning forests can reduce wildfire severity by 60% and remove up to 400% more carbon from the air.

Limited Government
Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals were adopted in 2007 and do not reflect complete, up-to-date data and analysis addressing the capacity of Oregon’s natural and working lands, forest products and agricultural industry to sequester or reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or complete, up-to-date data and analysis addressing the role that transportation electrification can play in greenhouse gas emissions reductions; and additional up-to-date data and analysis will provide essential information necessary to update Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, which includes key elements of the Paris Agreement. HB 3433 requires the State Forestry Department to coordinate with the United States Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region to conduct a study on the forest carbon flux associated with wildfire on national forestland in Oregon including studying carbon emissions due to wildfire combustion; carbon emissions due to tree mortality and tree decomposition; effects of wildfire on opportunities for greenhouse gas sequestration in harvested wood products manufactured in Oregon; effects of replanting rates on the carbon sequestration potential; and carbon sequestration potential of Oregon’s orchards, vining and perennial crops, rangeland and agricultural crops.

Local Control
Study and develop recommendations on the electricity grid modernization, capacity and infrastructure changes necessary to provide urban areas in the State of Oregon with adequate access to electric vehicle charging stations to support the transition to the use of light-duty electric vehicles and buses necessary to meet state and regional goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. sector.

Free Markets
Study the potential role for small modular nuclear reactor power plants in reducing greenhouse gas emissions related to the generation of electric power to serve electricity customers in this state; and study the potential greenhouse gas emissions avoided through replacing fossil fuel-powered electric power generating plants with small modular nuclear reactor power plants for producing baseload electricity.