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.

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.