Oregon House panel takes up — and sets aside for now — restructuring the Oregon Department of Energy

Published: Tuesday, February 08, 2011, 5:55 PM     Updated: Tuesday, February 08, 2011, 8:21 PM

By Janie Har, The Oregonian

SALEM -- A state House panel on Tuesday explored abolishing the Oregon Department of Energy and redistributing its duties.

Whether House Bill 2900 comes back for more than a public hearing is uncertain, but its introduction indicates both frustration with the agency and legislators' willingness to re-think government.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Jules Bailey, D-Portland, said he hopes to save taxpayers' money by cutting down on duplication with other agencies. But the real capstone, he said, would be the creation of a new Office of Energy Planning and Siting, housed in the governor's office, to handle long-term thinking.

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