Coastal Leaders Urge Congress to Prepare Communities for Tsunami
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici has introduced bipartisan legislation to help prepare coastal communities for tsunami.
Oregon’s First Congressional District is known for its natural treasures — from the Pacific Ocean to the Columbia River to the Clatsop State Forest — and it is imperative that they be preserved for future generations. We do not need to sacrifice environmental values to rebuild the economy, and in Congress I have repeatedly voted against legislation that would weaken the environmental review process or threaten the environmental health of our public lands.
With oil prices increasing and the effects of global climate change already apparent, it’s more important than ever to develop a comprehensive national energy policy that includes a greater emphasis on renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. Investing in and developing these nascent technologies will help drive down demand for, and the price of, gasoline. In Oregon, with our natural solar, wind, and wave resources, we have an opportunity to lead the nation in efforts to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels. By focusing our investments on renewable resources, we not only protect our environment but also have the opportunity to support new industries, jobs, and innovative businesses that are developing natural energy sources. One of the many steps we can take to begin a shift in our energy policy is eliminating costly and ineffective oil and gas subsidies, and instead putting those resources toward renewable energy research and development.
Additionally I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in Congress to vote for the continuation of renewable energy tax credits in 2015. These credits are critical to supporting emerging industries, creating new jobs across NW Oregon, and moving toward a new energy future for our country. We should be pursuing policies that support working families and small businesses instead of supporting Big Oil and special interests. I will continue fighting for legislation to repeal subsidies that support our nation’s reliance on dirty fossil fuels.
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