Former California Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic State Senator Fran Pavley have collaborated on California's climate policies for over a decade. As the Oregon legislature is set to consider passage of House Bill 2020, a cap-and-invest program also known as the Clean Energy Jobs bill, the two joined forces again on an Op-Ed that was recently published in The Oregonian.
At the heart of their editorial, Schwarzenegger and Pavley point to the success of California’s cap-and-invest program and suggest that Oregon will experience similar economic growth while meeting their new climate goals, if they can reach a bi-partisan agreement with HB 2020.
The former Governor and State Senator wrote, “Under a climate plan anchored by cap-and-invest, California grew its economy more than 20 percent on the way to achieving its 2020 emission reduction target four years early. Over that same period, job growth outpaced the nation’s by 27 percent, helping California become the national leader in clean energy jobs.” They believe the Clean Energy Jobs bills can lead to similar success in Oregon.
Oregon’s HB 2020 caps carbon emissions and in turn invests funds in solutions that will help Oregon transition into a prosperous, clean energy economy. An economic study by the state of Oregon projects that HB 2020 will create 50,000 jobs in Oregon, many located in disadvantaged and rural communities.
“After years of debate, outreach and fine-tuning, HB 2020 is poised for primetime. Lawmakers have the opportunity to establish Oregon as a national leader; they should seize the moment and drive Oregon’s clean energy economy forward,” said Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Pavley.