A two-year-old Oregon program is making significant progress promoting renewable energy production and energy conservation. At the same time, the success of the program is tearing down one of the most persistent, Republican-peddled lies in the rural West: that clean energy and environmental protection are somehow threats to rural livelihoods.

As Oregon’s program is proving, clean energy and rural prosperity actually go hand-in-hand:

"Renewable energy and efficiency are more prevalent in agriculture," [renewable energy specialist Stephanie] Page said. "A lot of folks have completed projects already, but as energy prices go up, more people will look for opportunities."

On the energy efficiency side, operators have found ways to save through more efficient irrigation, greenhouse heating, lighting, pump and motor operation, and even milk cooling in dairies. On the renewable energy side, operators have harnessed solar, wind, small hydroelectric, and geothermal energy sources. Some producers have pursued biofuels. In many cases, the energy saved or generated on the farm is being used to run the operation. In other cases, a surplus of energy is used to provide power for others. What works best for an individual farmer or rancher depends on the type of operation and, to some extent, the tax liability. Accessing tax credits can make these kinds of projects worthwhile.

"Oregon has some of the best incentives in the country," said Page, who credits the 2007 State Legislature for adopting a comprehensive renewable energy package.

Among the programs available to producers is the Oregon Business Energy Tax Credit, which provides a 35 percent credit for energy efficiency projects, a 50 percent credit for renewable energy projects, and a pass-through option for businesses that don't have the tax appetite to use the credit themselves.

As states expand their small-scale renewable energy programs across the country, we’re learning that rooftop solar panels are only the beginning, especially in rural America. Some of the most exciting opportunities involve agricultural production, which uses scores of energy-intensive (or energy-producing) processes that can be re-thought and harnessed. Oregon is leading the way and proving that renewable energy is more than a pet project for urban progressives – it’s also a money-saving tool that’s helping more and more farmers stay in business.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way:

The Legislature on Thursday put an end to the need for uninsured Oregon children to depend on safety net clinics or emergency rooms for health care.

A health reform bill that cleared the Legislature will provide health coverage for 80,000 uninsured children and an additional 35,000 uninsured low-income adults and put the state on a path toward covering all of its more than 600,000 uninsured residents.

"It is a great day for kids," said Cathy Kaufmann, policy director for Children First for Oregon, which has been lobbying fora decade to insure all children. "To finally cross that finish line is truly phenomenal."

The plan, one of Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski’s legislative priorities, funds the effort through a tax on private insurance companies and providers. Despite the cost, and despite a recession-induced budget crunch, legislators felt the move was a good value for the state because it unlocks nearly $1 billion in federal matching funds for healthcare – an amount several times higher than the required state investment.

In a further effort to protect Oregon taxpayers from rising health costs, the Senate also voted to create the Oregon Health Authority, with a mandate to explore efficiency and cost-cutting measures across all state health programs. As we’ve discussed previously, state-level health reforms are already saving some states hundreds of millions of dollars, and the new Oregon Health Authority will (hopefully) lead the way to similar savings in Oregon.

Both bills are now waiting for Governor Kulongoski’s signature.

Private charities are needed now more than ever in these tough times – they help millions of families facing every sort of hardship, but the recession has choked off many of the donations that keep charities running. State governments, facing huge budget shortfalls of their own, are in no position to fill the gap, but Oregon legislators have found an innovative way help without costing taxpayers a dime.

The Oregonian explains:

Nonprofits whose real property is exempt from taxation will have a lot less paperwork next year, thanks to a bill that recently cleared the state Legislature.

The organizations will no longer have to list personal property assets as part of their application for tax-exempt status, eliminating the annual Confidential Personal Property Return on tax-exempt property.

The article goes on to profile one local charity which lost $30,000 on administrative costs needed to prepare its property disclosure forms – money that could have done a lot of good in the community. The Democratically-controlled legislature voted unanimously to repeal the disclosure requirement, a move that won’t cost the state anything because the property is already tax-exempt.

The bill now awaits action by Governor Kulongoski.

On the first weekend after the November election, Dave Hunt effectively became the Speaker of the House in Oregon. He was endorsed unanimously by his caucus, and because of his work to ensure electoral success, Democrats control 36 seats in the chamber -- a supermajority.

Hunt officially assumed the post in mid-January, promising to focus on the economy and continue to promote education, health care, and renewable energy. While lawmakers in Oregon must address an estimated $800 million budget deficit, he is confident that the legislature has the capacity to meet the challenge.

In one of his first acts as Speaker, Hunt announced a plan to freeze a scheduled increase in lawmaker salaries -- a move that trims $4.3 million from the budget of the legislative branch. Already this month, the legislature has passed a $175 million statewide stimulus package which focuses on school construction and infrastructure improvements.

Before becoming Speaker, Hunt was the Democratic Majority Leader, a post he held from 2006 until this year. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the DLCC and is serving in his fourth term in the legislature.

Outside the legislature, Hunt is the executive director of the Columbia River Channel Coalition and the Association of Pacific Ports, which works to promote trade and job opportunities. From 2002 to 2003, he was the National President of American Baptist Churches USA -- the youngest person to head the organization in its history. He previously served as a Congressional staffer for a decade, working for three different members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Heading into Election Night, Oregon was a state that we were watching closely.

A switch of just one seat would have left the Oregon House of Representatives tied and two seats would have given the Republicans control.

Tonight, Democrats have a lot to celebrate.

It looks like we've made a net gain of eight seats, which gives us a new super-majority in the lower chamber.

Earlier this year, I wrote about how Democrats in Wisconsin and Oklahoma are fighting for insurance coverage for autism.

In the Oregon House, Democratic Rep. Chris Edwards, a freshman, is also working hard on this issue. Edwards, whose young son has autism, has been chosen to lead an autism project work group in preparation for the 2009 session.

He was also a sponsor of a key health coverage bill during the 2007 session, HB 2918. This legislation prohibits a health plan from denying various therapies to children under 18 solely because of a developmental disorder like autism. The governor signed the bill on July 31, 2007.

The Eugene legislator is a member of the House’s Five Under 35 group which has established an ambitious legislative agenda that includes support for such key bills as the Family and Medical Leave measure (HB 2575) and the Protecting Children from Online Predators bill (HB 3515).

Edwards is a great example of how young Democratic lawmakers are energized and fighting for a strong legislative agenda for working families.

The legislative races in Oregon haven’t gotten a lot of attention because Democrats already control both chambers. That said, a switch of just one seat would leave the Oregon House of Representatives tied and two seats would give the Republicans control. The chamber is an important one to defend.

But there’s a real chance we might be able to do more than that on Election Day.

Leaders in the state are looking to pick up as many as 5 seats. That in turn would give Democrats a super-majority, allowing us to pass legislation without the support of even a single Republican.

Even as we fight for chamber control around the country, it’s important to remember states like this one.

A super-majority would guarantee that a Democratic agenda for governing gets serious traction next session, and that’s a goal worth fighting for.