First, let’s be clear: Oregon Environmental Council supports the right of all Oregonians to live fulfilling lives and feel safe to participate in their communities. We support rights for immigrants in our state.
We believe that immigrants in Oregon bring the social, cultural and economic diversity necessary for Oregon to thrive and build lasting environmental solutions. That’s why we reject the latest anti-immigrant initiative— Initiative Petition 22—and encourage our members and partners to do the same.
The initiative is the first step in pursuing a ballot measure (IP 22) that would repeal a 30-year old law in our state. Today, state and local law enforcement dollars are not to be used to enforce federal immigration law. If the law is repealed, neighborhood police and community safety dollars could be re-directed to federal immigration enforcement.
Oregon Environmental Council is built on the premise that, when we bring Oregonians together, we can solve environmental problems. When Oregonians fear law enforcement and find it risky to participate in our communities, we lose strength.
Here’s another reason that rejecting IP 22 is the responsibility of the environmental community:
The initiative has earned the thousand signatures necessary to move to the next step of the ballot approval process due to the efforts of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, an organization with deep social and financial ties to white nationalist groups. The group is part of a national trend that tries to pin environmental problems on immigration.
By fanning the flames of fear around water scarcity and climate change, the anti-immigrant movement attempts to advance a wide range of laws and measures restricting the rights of immigrants—yet the movement does not support proven environmental solutions and protections.
Oregon Environmental Council, as part of One Oregon, pledges to defend Oregon’s values and keep Oregon a welcoming state.
On September 29, 2023, OEC gathered with a growing coalition of community-based organizations, lawmakers, and business groups following oral arguments heard by the Oregon Court of Appeals to rally behind the Oregon Climate Protection Program (CPP), which is under attack from the fossil fuel industry.OREGON’S CLIMATE PROTECTION PROGRAM
Oregon’s Climate Protection Program (CPP) is a cornerstone in our st
For Immediate Release
September 7, 2022
Salem, OR – A coalition of environmental justice, climate, and business organizations today filed a legal intervention
In some ways it’s hard to believe, but in another sense it’s totally expected: big oil will stop at nothing to protect their self-interests, and that’s why they’re attacking our right to choose clean fuels and reduce pollution in Oregon. In a cynical political move, the oil industry just proposed three initiatives to repeal the state’s hard-won Clean Fuels Program. We can’t let this happen. The Oregon Clean Fuels Program is the
Effective groundwater quality management is crucial for ensuring clean, reliable water for millions of Oregonians, and countless ecosystems. But as things stand, our state lacks the means to manage it effectively. By making much-needed revisions to the 1989 Groundwater Quality Management Act, SB 1154 will improve the process of identifying and reducing groundwater contamination to keep this vital resource safe. Tell your legislators to support SB 1154, and
Oregon is about to make some big transportation decisions that will affect us for decades. Unfortunately, lawmakers are starting from a framework that falls dramatically short on what we need. We need fair funding, accountability, and more robust investments in safety, transit, and pollution reduction.
Tell your legislators that the stakes are too high to settle for less.
Today, Oregon’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule was delayed by two years. Predictably, oil and gas interests orchestrated a multi-state campaign to derail similar policies in other states. Their successful attacks now include Oregon’s ACT rules.
Lawmakers are finalizing the state budget for the next two years. Now is the time to speak up for a strong Climate Justice Budget that protects the environment, uplifts communities, lowers energy bills, and creates clean energy jobs across the state. Use the form below to email your state legislators and urge them to invest in proven programs that deliver for Oregonians.
Today, 100+ Oregonians are rallying in Salem to deliver a message shared by more than a thousand during a legislative listening tour last summer – public and active transportation is equally important no matter where you live in Oregon.
PFAS are called “forever chemicals” for a reason: once they’re in the environment, they stick around – causing harm for generations. This group of synthetic chemicals are added to products to deflect heat, grease, and water. But, instead of helping, these toxic chemicals are cau