Update: OR OSHA publishes final rules governing the right to refuse dangerous work
Earlier this year, OEC and partners helped win a bill to give workers the right to refuse hazardous work (SB 907). We stayed at the table and provided information on how Oregon OSHA should carry out the intent of the law. While we are disappointed that the rules are missing some key points of clarity around extreme heat, smoke, and other environmental threats, OEC and our partners plan to ramp up education and outreach to ensure workers understand their rights.
Electrifying Oregon’s Local Economies
To advance an equitable transition to electric vehicles, OEC recently partnered with several local women- and/or BIPOC-owned small businesses to invest in on-the-ground workforce development, consumer education, job creation, and business competitiveness – all powered by funding from the Oregon Clean Fuels Program via PGE’s Drive Change Fund.
2023 Mid Session Update
In 2023, OEC has ambitious goals to deliver sensible, workable, solutions to Oregon’s most pressing environmental challenges. As we have for the past 55 years, our team is excited to join with our partners, broaden coalitions, and reach across ideological divides so that we can deliver benefits for everyone who lives in Oregon.
Our work this year focuses on expanding Oregon’s clean energy economy, creating more resilient and healthy communities, improving water security, reducing the prevalence of toxics in our homes and landscapes, and ensuring that the state budget ...
Climate Protection Win for Oregon Workers
Industry plaintiffs brought two claims against rules to protect workers in Oregon from the harmful and dangerous impacts of exposure to heat and smoke. Both suits were dismissed “with prejudice” which means they were dismissed permanently and cannot be brought to Court again.
On December 20, 2022, the U.S. District Court in Medford dismissed a lawsuit brought by Oregon Manufacturers and Commerce, Associated Oregon Loggers Inc., and the Oregon Forest Industries Council. The suit was intended to roll back a set of rules that Oregon OSHA put in place in June ...
REBuilding Task Force Delivers Recommendations
The buildings we use for homes, workplaces, and gathering spaces play a special role in the future of our changing climate. They can provide a safe place to escape extreme heat, storms, or wildfires caused by climate change. But when those same buildings rely on fracked methane (“natural”) gas, the air insides in unsafe to breathe and methane is one of the worst climate pollutants.
A special state task force came together to tackle this issue and recently recommended some practical, common-sense policies that can make Oregon’s buildings safer, lower energy bills, ...
A Clean Cars Win!
Today, Oregon took a momentous step to reduce air pollution and help us meet our state’s transportation emission reduction goals by passing the Advanced Clean Cars II Rule (ACCII). These rules will help us in our transition to 100% zero-emission passenger vehicles by 2035!
The Advanced Clean Cars II Rule will reduce tailpipe emissions, one of the biggest sources of climate pollution in Oregon, from new passenger vehicles like cars, personal trucks, and SUVs, starting with the 2026 model year through 2035. This rule strengthens Oregon’s vehicle emission standards ...
Tolling in Oregon: What’s The Deal?
What is tolling?
It seems like a simple question, but a “toll” can be understood in many different ways. Most simply, a toll is a charge for driving a vehicle on a specific piece of roadway.
Looking beyond that, though, there are a lot of really interesting questions worth considering. For example, how much should a toll cost? What is the toll really paying for? Should every vehicle be charged the same amount, regardless of factors like the time of day or the number of passengers? The answers to these questions are more important than you might think. The price ...
Native American Heritage Month Resources – 2022
Engage with our partners who serve Native American communities and tribes in Oregon and beyond.
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
In 1953 farsighted tribal leaders in the Northwest formed the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and dedicated it to tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Today, ATNI is a nonprofit organization representing 57 Northwest tribal governments from Oregon, Idaho, Washington, southeast Alaska, Northern California and Western Montana. ATNI is an organization whose foundation is composed of the people it is meant to serve.
Col...
Your Voice. Your Vote. Your Planet
It’s that time of year again. Election season always seems to creep up quickly and navigating important deadlines, candidate debates, and ballot measure information can be tricky. But voting in Oregon is one of THE most important actions one can take, not only for our environment but for the stability of democracy and our collective future. This page has key information needed to make a difference this November 8th!
Why Vote?
We need elected officials at every level of government to protect our environment and fight for a stable climate, clean air and water, and ...
