By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
March 11, 2016
Gov. Kate Brown signed a bill on Friday making Oregon the first state to eliminate coal from its energy supply by legislation, which will happen in phases through 2030. The law also requires utilities to provide half of their customers’ power from renewable sources by 2040, which doubles the previous standard. Ms. Brown and her fellow Democrats said it was an important step in Oregon’s shift to clean energy. Republican lawmakers strongly opposed it, citing concerns about rising consumer costs and overstated environmental benefits.