On this day, December 12, 2003 Keiko the Killer Whale and star of the movie
Free Willy, and one-time Oregon resident, died in Taknes Bay, Iceland. Part of his training there included swimming in the ocean outside the bay. Keiko disappeared on one of these excursions. He eventually turned up 870 miles away off the Norwegian coast. Again, he became an attraction as boatloads of sightseers came out to see him. Keiko appeared to enjoy the attention. He accepted food from the visitors and even allowed some to climb on his back, defeating the whole purpose of bringing him from Oregon. Keiko's handlers eventually herded him to Taknes Bay, hoping he might join a passing orca pod. These hopes never materialized. Keiko remained in Taknes Bay as his health deteriorated. On the morning of December 12, 2003, Keiko beached himself. He died of pneumonia.
Also on this day, December 12, 2008, a bomb exploded inside a branch of the West Coast Bank in Woodburn, killing a police officer and a state bomb disposal technician. Police arrested 32-year-old Joshua A. Turnidge, a steelworker, in Salem on December 14. Joshua's father, 57-year-old Bruce Turnidge, was also soon arrested and charged with the bombing. In 2010 Bruce Turnidge and his son were convicted on 18 counts related to the bank bombing.
Opportunity to comment on Medium Heavy-Duty Zero Emissions Vehicles Rebate rules
In 2023, Oregon Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) was chief sponsor of
House Bill 3409, along with 28 other Democrats, which included 24 directives related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Among them the bill directs the Oregon Environmental Quality (DEQ) Commission to establish a rebate program for purchase or lease of qualifying medium or heavy duty zero-emission vehicles.
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) account for just 5% of vehicles on the road in the United States, yet they are responsible for 21% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent study by the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). They explored how the conversion of diesel MHDVs would evolve over time to result in a 65% reduction in emissions by 2050. Adding incentives, it can increase to a 70% reduction.
In Oregon, MHDVs are currently responsible for an estimated 9.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually—approximately 42% of all greenhouse gases from the on-road vehicle fleet. This new rebate program will provide critical support for Oregon's transportation fleets to transition to zero emissions technologies and reduce these emissions statewide.
HB 3409 provides $3 million in revenue for the new Zero-Emission MHDV Incentive Fund and authorizes DEQ to establish a program for providing rebates for the purchase or lease of qualifying vehicles for use in Oregon. That’s $3 million of taxpayer dollars for a 5% possible jump on emission reduction in 25 years. There is probably no chance of reaching even 50% as the probability grows that Mount St. Helens will erupt again.
DEQ proposes to complete rulemaking for the rebate program to specify details including application requirements, rebate allocation criteria, other requirements included in the statute, and program elements to alleviate disproportionate air pollution burdens among frontline communities.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
This rule will also incorporate 2024 Legislative changes that were made to the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. The changes include creating a new fund for dedicated Charge Ahead funding and removing the ability to stack the Standard and Charge Ahead Rebates. Instead, it creates a new rebate level for Charge Ahead applicants purchasing or leasing a new vehicle.
DEQ will consider comments received by 4 p.m., on July 22, 2024. A public hearing, will be held Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 1 p.m. For viewing details go
here.
Anyone can submit comments and questions about this rulemaking. Send comments by email to: MHDZEV.2024@DEQ.oregon.gov. By mail, send to Oregon DEQ, Attn: Gerik Kransky, 700 NE Multnomah St., Room 600, Portland, OR 97232-4100.
DEQ plans to present the final proposal, including any modifications made in response to public comments to the Environmental Quality Commission for a decision at its September 26-27 meeting.
--Donna Bleiler| Post Date: 2024-06-26 18:41:09 | Last Update: 2024-06-26 19:20:00 |
