Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar, Friday, July 10 ... More thunderstorms expected ... Stay out of the creek, officials warn ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, July 10 ... More thunderstorms expected ... Stay out of the creek, officials warn ... MEASURE 91 Raising pot could lift all power rates Ashland raises concern growers could bump city into next higher rate bracket Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 6:32 PM Updated Feb 23, 2015 at 6:49 PM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 6:32 PM Updated Feb 23, 2015 at 6:49 PM » RELATED CONTENT What do you think? --> Have an opinion on this issue? Send a letter to the editor at www.dailytidings.com/sendletter. » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this issue? Send a letter to the editor at www.dailytidings.com/sendletter . • Residents tell OLCC: Don't restrict legal pot • Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out today • State records show number of big marijuana farms has increased... » Social News Before recreational marijuana becomes legal July 1, the city of Ashland wants to get rules in place to keep the grows from using so much power that it jacks up rates for all residents.  “Indoor marijuana growing operations are intensive — I would even say extreme — electricity consumers,” city Administrator Dave Kanner said in testimony to a local government listening session of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which regulates legal cannabis, on Feb. 18 in Ashland.  Growers will be responsible for paying their own power bills, but the problem is that excessive power use inside Ashland, a city-owned utility that buys energy from the Bonneville Power Administration, "could easily" cause the city to jump a category, from tier one to tier two, thus increasing rates for all power it buys, said Kanner.  “A large-scale commercial indoor grow operation can use hundreds of 1,000-watt metal halide light bulbs," Kanner wrote in a letter to the OLLC. "Oregon has no energy efficiency standards for indoor agricultural operations, which is something the Legislature may need to address, but in the meantime I believe the OLCC has the opportunity to address this issue as it applies specifically to large-scale indoor marijuana growing operations.”  Kanner, in an email, said the issue of energy efficiency of indoor pot grows is getting virtually no attention. OLCC chairman Ron Patridge, an Eagle Point native, said Kanner was the first person to bring up the issue.  “This is of particular concern to municipal electric utilities and public utility districts that, like Ashland, purchase their power from (BPA)," Kanner said. "We purchase power under a tiered wholesale rate structure whereby our wholesale cost goes up to what’s called our Tier 2 rate if power consumption exceeds a certain threshold. Needless to say, a single large-scale indoor growing operation could easily push Ashland (or other municipal utilities or PUDs) into Tier 2 rates. This then becomes a cost burden that is spread across the entire customer base; I would suggest unfairly so.” Kanner’s assessment of the looming problem puts the city council on notice that he will present them with proposals to skirt that crisis but, says city Councilor Carol Voison, nothing is on the table yet. Kanner has told the council that Kanner’s research into Colorado state and Arcata, Calif., presented to the council, show energy rates jumped there after large-scale indoor growing operations started up. “I don’t know how we can tax just the growers,” Voison said. “We’re not ready for this. I have real questions about how we control (energy use) with outside growers also. And the odor issue, which we get up to a dozen complaints a year about from medical marijuana.”  Since voters legalized pot statewide, the legislature should pass statewide energy efficiency standards for growers, Kanner suggested. The issue has been much-discussed at meetings of statewide associations of municipal utilities and public utility districts.  Energy efficiency standards for state-licensed indoor grows would incentivize manufacturers to produce fixtures that meet new codes — and utilities can adjust standards to go along with them.  Kanner also told the OLCC there should be performance standards for lighting, security, heating and ventilation for odor control — and a ban on big outdoor grows inside urban growth boundaries. Recreational cannabis becomes legal in Oregon on July 1. OLCC is required to begin accepting license applications for retail sale of recreational marijuana by Jan. 4. Reach Ashland freelance writer John Darling at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 6:32 PM Updated Feb 23, 2015 at 6:49 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501