Clinton promises big ‘green economy’ push

Presidential contender backs renewable power and blasts federal laws regulating LNG proposals in Oregon

By Kevin Harden

LocalNewsDaily.com, Apr 5, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

Chase Allgood / Pamplin Media Group

Sen. Hillary Clinton told about 3,300 people in the Liberty High School gymnasium that her ”green economy” initiatives would create millions of new jobs and boost the economy.

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Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign turned a bright shade of green Saturday morning when it hit Hillsboro.

Clinton used her first Oregon appearance to outline “green economy” initiatives she said would create millions of new jobs and lean heavily on environmental technology and efforts already under way in the Pacific Northwest.

Clinton told about 3,300 people in Liberty High School’s gymnasium that she planned to declare the nation’s “energy independence,” cut oil imports by two-thirds and reduce greenhouse gases to slow global climate change.

“Right now, our dependence on fossil fuels threatens our environment, our security and our economy,” Clinton said.

Under her proposed environmental initiative, Clinton said Oregon could lead the way in creating more jobs and boosting the economy without dependence on foreign oil.

“I believe that we can create at least 5 million new ‘green collar’ jobs, that are jobs that won’t be outsourced,” Clinton said.

National energy council

Among her initiatives, Clinton proposed tax credits for the wind-power industry, establishing a green building fund that she said could create 100,000 jobs to help make buildings more energy efficient, set up a “made green in America” program to provide millions for clean energy technology manufacturing and back transportation investments like the region’s light-rail system.

Oregon, Clinton said, was considered a leader in environmental issues that could be an example to other states and regions.

“Part of the reason why I’m proud to be here in Oregon is because Oregon is already doing it. I can point to this state,” Clinton said.

In addition, the New York senator said she would “transform our government to meet the energy challenge” by creating a “national energy council” modeled after the National Security Council or the National Economic Council to deal with energy issues.

“So that our entire government is committed to moving toward energy independence,” she said.

As part of her environmental programs, Clinton said she would give states a bigger say in siting liquefied natural gas terminals. One LNG terminal proposed for the northern Oregon Coast has drawn protests from citizens and flexing of political muscle by state officials who said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission had not done an adequate job determining if the terminal would hurt the region’s environment.

For several minutes in her hour-long speech, Clinton turned the stage over to Anne Berblinger, an organic farmer from Gales Creek, who said a pipeline from a proposed LNG terminal would slash through her western Washington County property. Under new energy rules, the federal government could use the power of eminent domain to take a large part of her land to construct the pipeline, Clinton said.

“It would wipe us out for an entire season, while giant road-type machinery would come and dig a trench through the soil that we have been building for 15 years,” Berblinger told the audience.

Winning Washington County

Clinton spent most of Saturday on a campaign swing along Interstate 5. In addition to the Hillsboro event, the senator held a rally at South Eugene High School and planned to talk with county officials from across the state about her plans for the federal timber fund, which provides millions to rural counties for harvested timber. The loss of the funds has left a huge hole in Southern Oregon county budgets.

After the Eugene visit, Clinton planned to fly to Montana for an evening campaign event.

Clinton is locked in a neck-and-neck race with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both campaigns hope to come out ahead and grab a share of Oregon’s 65 delegates in the May 20 primary election.

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