Rep. Walden highlights impact of recently advanced bills on Oregon

During remarks at one of this week’s legislative sessions, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR-02), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee, highlighted the impact that bills advanced by the committee Wednesday would have on his home state of Oregon.

“In my home state of Oregon, these bills will help us unlock hydropower’s potential, take steps towards cleaning up the Hanford Site, and strengthen the Brownfields Program to redevelop contaminated sites,” Walden said. “All that we do here, we do for our constituents back home that sent us to Washington and entrusted us with the confidence to get things done.”

The Hydropower Modernization Act, which was advanced Wednesday, aims to streamline the permitting process for hydropower projects, which account for over 40 percent of Oregon’s energy production.

The committee also cleared the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act, which would help clean up nuclear waste at the Hanford Site, located 40 miles north of Walden’s district.

The Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Development, and Reauthorization Act, also advanced Wednesday, would authorize the Brownfields Program, which provides support for communities to clean up contaminated sites.

“While a great deal of the news this year has been focused on health care, both the Subcommittee on Energy and Subcommittee on Environment have been quietly working on legislation that truly makes a difference for folks across the country,” Walden said. “We’ve examined barriers to modernizing the nation’s energy infrastructure and looked at opportunities to modernize our environmental laws with an eye on doing what’s best for consumers, the environment, and businesses across the country.”