Cap and trade impacts local businesses

Oregon's Cap and Trade Bill could impact anyone, whether your business is big or small.

This bill being on the table is making local business owners nervous, and wonder if they'll be out of a job.

Cap and Trade is a bill has not been passed yet since the Republican Senators held a walkout on Thursday to avoid voting.

If passed, the bill will put a limit on greenhouse gas emissions, and then each company will be given an "allowance" of emitting one ton of emissions.

Some are saying that this could be harmful to businesses in a rural area. More specifically logging, timber, construction and contracting companies.

We spoke to local businesses owner Ralph Hite of Plumley Contracting Company on Friday , and he had some concerns of his own on how this could potentially affect himself and his employees.

"If we can't compete with the lumber industry and the plywood, then they're not going to make product and we won't have a job because we supply them logs." said Hite.

Hite worries that this will lead to the increase of diesel fuel, which is all that his equipment runs off of.

Since the walkout, Oregon Governor Kate Brown said that she is planning to hold a special session on July 2nd.