Country singer and bio-fuels advocate Willie Nelson joined Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley in celebrating the opening of the new bio-diesel plant in Oregon. It was amazing the see the size of the new plant, to learn about their efforts to make fuel from local products and of course....to see Willie Nelson! More below the fold....
Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley
SeQuential Pacific is the first commercial bio-diesel production plant in Oregon. The plant's production of 5 million gallons of bio-diesel will trigger a new Oregon law requiring that 2% of diesel fuel in Oregon must be bio-diesel. SeQuential Pacific made sure to let folks know that their fuel should not be confused with corn ethanol. SeQuential acquires local feedstock, cooking oil from local companies like Kettle Foods and Burgerville to make their fuel. They not only stress using local products to make their fuel, they also keep their carbon footprint small by using products within a 200 mile radius.
As Oregon's House Speaker, Jeff led the greenest session we've seen in decades. Jeff helped push through legislation which helped protect our streams, rivers and the pacific ocean from toxic pollutants. Jeff pushed through a bill which ensured that 25% of Oregon's electricity comes from renewables by 2025 and pushed through new energy efficiency standards for appliances. Jeff also pushed through HB 2210, which provided tax breaks and tax credits to bio-fuels producers and tax credits to consumer using bio-diesel to fuel their cars and heat their homes. The bill's passage makes it easier for companies like SeQuential Pacific to set up shop which helps strengthen Oregon's local economy and lowers our dependence on foreign oil.
Willie Hearts Oregon
Willie Nelson had some nice words about Oregon and how we've been able to pave the way for companies like SeQuential Pacific:
"Thank you Salem, thank you Oregon for being so forward and progressive in your thinking and showing the rest of the world, the rest of the United States, how to do it. You made bio-diesel mandatory in the trucks going across the highways in oregon. You did a lot for everybody else across the rest of the country."
More Pics!
Here's Jeff chatting with Willie....
Here's Jeff, Willie and the nice folks of SeQuential Pacific....
Check out the video of Jeff's speech at the event
If you'd like to donate to Jeff Merkley and help send a progressive Democrat to the Senate, I set up an Act Blue Page for Kossacks so you can flex your monetary muscles.