Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • A3

STATESMANJOURNAL.COM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2021 3A CORVALLIS Timberhill Shopping Center 541.753.7540 HOBBIES RADIO CONTROL DRONES CARS BOATS AIRPLANES HELICOPTERS ROCKETS MODEL TRAINS Check out our HUGE selection: TrumpsHobbies.com Also wide selection of parts, accessories, tools, paints, puzzles, art kits, and more. Salem Health Cancer Institute Here for you every step of the way We bring the latest advancements in cancer care to the Mid-Willamette Valley and partner with leading cancer programs, including OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and Oregon Oncology Specialists. Our wide range of services include: Trusted providers Screenings for early detection State-of-the-art treatments Support groups wellness classes Learn more: salemhealth.org/cancer OR-SAL0009929-01 PORTLAND Oregon state Sen. Betsy Johnson an- nounced Tuesday she will be resigning this week to fo- cus on running for governor. In a video statement, Johnson said she will step down from the Legislature Wednesday.

reason is simple: Northwest Oregon deserves a full-time state senator, and running for governor is a full-time Johnson said. Both Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Port- land, and state Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, con- tinue to serve in the Legislature as they run for the highest Johnson, a moderate Democrat who began serving in the Legislature in 2001, is running as an indepen- dent for the seat currently held by term-limited Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat. In her time in the Legislature, Johnson has fre- quently cast her vote with Republicans on issues like gun control, taxes and climate change.

As an independent, Johnson avoids a crowded Democratic in the primary including Kotek, for- mer New York Times reporter Nicholas Kristof and state Treasurer Tobias Read. Republicans seeking their nomination include Drazan, former Re- publican nominee Bud Pierce and Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam. As a candidate, Johnson will not need to run a primary race to make the November 2022 bal- lot. Instead, she has to collect roughly 23,750 valid sig- natures from Oregon voters. She should have plenty of money to get her message across; already raised more than $2.1 million.

With her departure from the Senate, Democratic Party within district will choose a slate of nominees to out the remainder of her term, which runs through 2022. Commissioners for counties included in Senate District 16 Clatsop, Co- lumbia, Tillamook, Washington and Multnomah will then pick a replacement. Cline is a corps member for the Associated Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Sen.

Betsy Johnson to resign to focus on Oregon governor run Sara Cline ASSOCIATED FOR AMERICA SACRAMENTO, Calif. California regulators on Monday proposed reducing the discounts people who install home solar panels and storage systems get on their energy bills, meaning it will take a decade to re- coup the costs of installation. wildly successful 26-year-old program to get more people to put solar panels on their homes has been at the center of a debate between the major utilities and the solar industry, and the California Public Utilities proposed re- forms have been highly anticipated. Current incentives allow residential solar custom- ers to sell whatever energy they use back to pow- er companies at the retail rate for power, usually re- sulting in a big discount on their energy bills. Power companies say the savings are now so great that solar customers no longer pay their fair share for the opera- tion of the overall energy grid.

Major utilities, the solar industry, consumer advo- cates and environmental groups submitted their own ideas for potential reforms. The proposal gut the incentives as much as wanted by the utilities, Gas Electric, San Diego Gas Electric and Southern California Edison. The program known as net metering program launched in 1995 with the goal of boosting solar adop- tion in the famously sunny state. California now has more than 1.3 million residential solar installations, more than any other state, according to the solar in- dustry. That number will only grow because since 2020 all newly constructed homes in California must have solar panels.

CPUC Commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves said the reforms announced Monday are aimed at creating fairness while ensuring the are still strong enough to encourage people to go solar. The proposal would lower the amount of money residential solar customers make by selling their excess energy back to the power companies and add a participation of about $40 per month for households. The changes would apply to new solar customers. People who already have panels on their homes operate under the new system until had their panels for 15 years. But state regulators also want to encourage people with solar panels to install storage systems.

It costs about $20,000 to $25,000 for people to put solar pan- els on the rooftop and another $15,000 to install stor- age systems. Customers who have storage systems only a fraction of the overall rooftop solar market can store the extra energy they make during the day for use at night. The more customers who have solar storage, the fewer people need to rely on the energy grid and fos- sil fuels during the evening. The state has set a goal of generating all retail electricity from renewable or ze- ro-carbon sources by 2045. Under the plan, customers who already have rooftop solar will have ac- cess to a $3,200 subsidy to install storage.

Regulators also propose creating a $600 million fund to help low income households solar and storage. A commission will vote on the PUC reform proposal, likely in January. Calif. proposes reducing for rooftop solar Kathleen Ronayne ASSOCIATED PRESS successful 26-year-old program to get more people to put solar panels on their homes has been at the center of a debate. RICH FILE.