With Portland on board for a statewide ban on single use plastic bags, supporters are bringing the cause to other cities around the state. Tonight, there’s an event in Eugene. More on that in a moment.
I also spoke this morning with State Senator Mark Hass, one of the co-sponsors of ban-the-bag legislation. He’s got some interesting insights on why the Portland City Council voted for a resolution, instead than passing a real law.
Portland’s City Council joins the “ban the bag” movement.
This afternoon, the council voted unanimously to support a statewide ban on single use plastic bags, and a five cent fee on paper bags. The proposed ban would start in 2012.
Success depends on the legislature approving it, but they don’t meet until 2011. So what happens if Oregon’s lawmakers say no? In that case, the council says they’ll look at passing a bag ban law in Portland.
Give Portland Mayor Sam Adams credit for good timing.
Today’s city council meeting opened with about 15-minutes of testimony on why Portland should ban single use plastic bags. The chambers were filled with ban supporters. When it was over, Adams announced that a draft ordinance for a plastic bag ban would be ready by the end of the week. The crowd erupted into cheers.
After coming oh-so close to a statewide ban on plastic bags earlier this year, ban supporters have taken the time to regroup and re-energize the movement.
Just got off the phone with Charlie Plybon of Oregon Surfrider. Plybon says SB 1009, the bill to ban plastic bags at grocery stores and other retail locations is done for the session.
Plybon says sponsor Senator Mark Hass of Beaverton withdrew the bill this afternoon. He quoted Hass as telling the Environment and Natural Resources Committee there wasn’t enough of a consensus for it.
Work on the environment community’s agenda for the special session resumes Tuesday.
The Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee becomes the unofficial epicenter in the afternoon when it takes up two of the most important green bills of the session.
Starting with….
TUESDAY:
Ban The Bag
The Portland Chapter of Oregon Surfrider gets serious about a bill before the legislature to ban single use plastic bags in Oregon. Tonight’s meeting is about giving members the tools for activism, presenting, and engaging in the Ban the Bag Campaign. The chapter has previously supported a 20-cent per bag fee in Portland. But that campaign appears to be taking a back seat now that legislators are showing some interest in a statewide ban.
Details: 7:30pm, at the offices of WEND magazine, 2001 NW 19th, Suite 103 B, Portland.
