OLCV Talk

How Is Oregon's Environment Faring This Session?

It’s been a busy five months at the Capitol, and as the session enters its final weeks, we still have a lot of work to do.

Hundreds of environmental bills were introduced this session, an even dozen of which we prioritized, on six key issues. As of today, only two priority bills have made it to the Governor. In short, the session hasn’t exactly gone swimmingly.

 

While the session is not over, right now legislators have a lot of work to do to meet the bar set by the 2007 session, when the Oregon Legislature moved the state forward to fight climate change, fight toxins in rivers, expand the bottle bill, and more. That session was defined by groundbreaking legislation that set goals for reducing global warming pollution and spurred the growth of local renewable energy sources.

 

But a lot has changed since 2007 – most obviously, the state of our economy. And while the climate crisis offers Oregon a chance to create local jobs for Oregon families (The New York Times reports today Oregon leads the nation in green jobs), the 2009 Legislature has yet to send any of the four Oregon Conservation Network priority climate bills to the Governor. The state’s budget woes have proven to be a powerful distraction, and an excuse for inaction.

 

That’s not to say we haven’t seen some small and not-so-small victories, such as:

• TriMet and the Lane Transit District will be able to more adequately fund transit.
• People who dump non-native fish into Oregon lakes and rivers will face increased penalties.
• Oregon’s rivers will be protected from phosphates in household dishwashing soap.
• Homeowners will be able to use gray water to water their lawns and gardens.
• Penalties for corporate polluters will be increased for the first time in 36 years.

 

A critical climate bill, House Bill 2186, passed the House last month, but has yet to pass the Senate. And the House passed a consensus bill (HB 3013) related to OCN's Marine Reserves priority, which is now in the Senate.

Yet the Legislature has missed some opportunities -- like making Oregon's bottle bill more robust -- and may even send the state backwards on climate. Here are some of the battles we’re fighting right now:

 

• HB 2186 - the Senate may considerably weaken the version the House passed, or not take it up at all.
• We may end up fighting against Senate Bill 80, which could be irreparably altered to benefit corporate polluters. Sadly, this bill was once the centerpiece of this session’s climate and jobs package.
• HB 2940 would dramatically cut Oregon’s commitment to our clean energy, undermining the Renewable Energy Standard targets passed in 2007.
• Liquefied natural gas and HB 3058: It’s been an all-session battle against out-of-state corporations determined to site their dirty LNG facilities in our beautiful state. The House passed HB 3058, and it now sits in the Senate. A story in Monday’s Oregonian highlights the battle of grassroots organizations fighting the deep-pocketed fossil fuels energy industry.

 

The session isn't over yet. There's still time for significant progress on climate, water, marine reserves, and invasive species this session. There’s still time to stop major threats and pass key bills that will protect the Oregon we love. That’s what we’re fighting for… Stay tuned.

Bigger budget cuts to environmental programs

Last Wednesday, OLCV blogged about where environmental priorities fit into the ongoing discussions of deep state budget cuts.

Those cuts are now in the works, with natural resources taking more than the average across-the-board cut.

A story in last Friday’s Capital Press explains some of those cuts:

“Overall, lawmakers proposed cutting $350 million from state agency budgets for the final four months of the current biennium. Natural resource agencies are being cut at a higher rate than other state agencies - an average of 7 percent compared to a statewide average of about 5 percent.”

And today, a local blog, Natural Oregon, posted a story (in which OLCV’s Evan Manvel is quoted) about the threat to vital funding for basic programs that protect Oregon’s air, water and wildlife.

Do your legislators know where you stand on funding for state environmental programs?

Welcome to LCDC, Greg Macpherson

Today the Oregon Senate voted on a party-line 18-10 vote to confirm the appointment of Greg Macpherson to the Land Conservation and Development Commission, which oversees Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development.

Macpherson is one of Oregon’s leading experts on land use law and has a diverse background. He grew up on a farm in Linn County (his father Rep. Hector Macpherson was a leader behind Senate Bill 100), served on the Multnomah County Planning Commission in the 1980s, and is an attorney at Stoel Rives. He also served Oregon as a Representative from Lake Oswego.

When he served in the legislature, Rep. Macpherson was known for his ability to tackle difficult and contentious issues and sculpt solutions, such as Measure 49, which balanced the two aims of the commission he has been nominated to serve on: conservation and development.

Special interests who dislike Macpherson tried unsuccesfully to scuttle the appointment. Those who want to undermine Oregon’s land use planning system are angry that Macpherson worked to craft the compromise legislation of Measure 49, which was referred to voters in 2007 and passed overwhelmingly, with 62% support.

Welcome to LCDC, Rep. Macpherson. We're thrilled you can continue to serve Oregon in your new capacity.

Rep. Buckley Calls for No Child Left Inside

Traci Price of Oregon Trout and Rep. Peter Buckley (D-Ashland) are calling for the passage of a "No Oregon Child Left Inside" Act. The Act, HB 2544, would start the ball rolling towards a state environmental literacy plan, ensuring our children have basic understanding of the environment. From an Op-Ed by Price and Rep. Buckley today:

Preparing our youth for these mounting challenges has become complicated in an age largely disconnected from the natural world. Our nation's youth spend far less time outside than their parents did when they were young. In fact, from 1997 to 2003, the percentage of children in the United States ages 9 to 12 engaging in outdoor activities declined by 37 percent, while obesity rates have soared. And with ongoing school budget cuts, we can only expect kids to spend even less time outdoors while at school.

Aside from fresh air, the natural world provides an applied learning platform without parallel. The challenging environmental inheritance we will give the next generation ought to at least come with the tools needed to deal with it. This starts by connecting them to their local surroundings.

Read their whole Op-Ed in today's online Oregonian.

Countdown to 2009

Countdown to the 2009 Legislative Session that is...

The first day of session is January 12 and we can't wait to get to work.

We'll be working on critical environmental legislation as a member of the Oregon Conservation Network (OCN), a coalition of fifty of Oregon’s leading environmental groups. 

Implement Global Warming Solutions We must take action to reduce global warming pollution, which if left unchecked will lead to increased forest fires, water shortages, and major disruptions to our economy. The Legislature should place a mandatory, declining cap on global warming pollution.

Promote Water Conservation Farmers, fishermen, cities, businesses and local communities all need adequate water supplies to thrive. It’s our responsibility to ensure a legacy of healthy rivers for everyone and everything that depends on them

Preserve Oregon’s Coastal Legacy Global warming, pollution, increasing population, and coastal development are taking a toll – and our ocean’s future health is at risk. The Legislature should create a system of marine protected areas and reserves in Oregon’s Territorial Sea.

Increase Transportation Options As the Oregon Legislature considers new transportation investments, we must make sure to use more efficient land use planning and invest in transportation options. This will reduce the amount of time Oregonians spend in traffic, improve our health, and reduce the amount we spend on gas.

Ensure New Energy Supplies are Responsible Liquefied natural gas (LNG) emits 20-30% more global warming pollution than domestic natural gas. LNG terminals planned for Oregon would mainly send gas to California, which has rejected LNG because of safety and environmental concerns.

Stop the Spread of Invasive Species Oregon must take action to stop the spread of invasive plant, animal, and aquatic species. The Legislature should require boats entering the state be cleaned, to prevent the introduction of invasive snails and mussels into Oregon’s waterways.

Learn more about our Priorities for a Healthy Oregon.

To stay up to date on our priorities and other environmental bills during the session, sign up for SalemWatch, our legislative e-newsletter.

Kroger looks out, to bring expertise in

Monday's Oregonian reported on two new appointments to Attorney-General-elect John Kroger's executive team.

One of these appointments is Brent Foster. Foster, an environmental attorney, is executive director or Columbia Riverkeeper and a leading opponent of proposed LNG (liquid natural gas) terminals in Oregon. 

In his new role, Foster will help oversee enforcement of environmental crimes.

Read the Oregonian's article.

Nervous? Burn off that energy phoning for local candidates

It's the Sunday before an amazingly important election.

You're nervous.

You're at home on your computer.

Turn it off and go phone voters.  You can phone for local candidates endorsed by OLCV who're in tough races all day today until 9 p.m. at the OLCV office. 

Just sign up and then come on into the office.  We'll have lists waiting for you.

Friends don't let friends cast uninformed votes

We have a tremendous opportunity to reach out to the tens of thousands of new voters that have been inspired by Barack Obama to become involved in the political process. 

But we must make sure new voters vote the whole ballot (and not just for President) – with information about which local candidates they can trust to promote a healthy environmental legacy for Oregon.

Help your friends cast an informed vote in 5 minutes or less.

How to vote on Oregon's State Ballot Measures

As usual, there are some controversial ballot measures to vote on this November. Many of these measures will derail funding to protect Oregon. I urge NO votes on Measures 59, 61, 62, 63, and 64 and a YES vote on Measure 56.

      

 

Vote NO on Measure 64, Silencing our voice, unclear, unfair and unnecessary

Read more.

 

Vote NO on Measure 63, Unsafe Homes, Overriding Local Environmental Laws

Read more.

Vote NO on 62, Diverting Lottery Funds, Harming Environmental Programs

Read more.

Vote NO on Measure 61, Sentencing Gimmick Would Reduce Environmental Funding

Read more.

Vote NO on Measure 59, Sizemore's Latest Would Gut Natural Resource Funding

Read more.

Vote YES on Measure 56, because every vote should count equally.

Read more.

Meet Richard Riggs (Candidate for House District 20 endorsed by OLCV)

I am a third generation Oregonian, and after serving twenty years in the Navy I chose to return to home because of Oregon’s exceptional quality of life. Oregon is blessed with some of the richest farmlands in the world, abundant wildlife and fisheries, and a diversity of ecosystems in a compact geographic area. An important part our economy and cultural heritage is based on natural resources, including farming and salmon fishing. Protection of riparian habitats is essential to help preserve year round stream flows, maintain water quality, improve salmon habitat all of which benefit our economy, cultural heritage and exceptional quality of life. 

While in the Navy, I lived in eight states and the province of British Columbia, and I have traveled through at least 45 states. I have seen lakes devastated by acid rain, rivers polluted with PCBs, and poorly planned development that resulted in sprawl, urban decay, and traffic congestion.  For more than 30 years, Oregonians have fought to control urban sprawl and worked to improve air and water quality. As a result of our efforts, open spaces and family farms have been preserved, salmon have returned to the Willamette, and Oregon is known throughout the United States for its exceptional quality of life. As more and more people move to Oregon looking for a better quality of life, as they try to escape from the urban decay and congestion of their home states, we must continue to the fight to preserve our quality of life.

As an elected Chemeketa Community College board member, I fully support the college in its efforts towards silver LEEDS certification for the Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry, and all buildings that will be built under our recently passed bond levy. As a legislator, I will continue to support green building standards for state building projects and push for investments in renewable energy technologies so that Oregon becomes a world leader.

Visit www.richardriggs.com to learn how you can join me as we move Oregon forward.