Stronger Together: Environmental legislation on our radar
OEC has six legislative priorities in the 2015 session, several of which involve a number of partners, but our work doesn’t end there! We support additional protections for the environment, including the following, and are tracking a number of other bills that could positively or negatively impact Oregon’s environment.
Oregon Conservation Network’s Priorities for a Healthy Oregon OEC is a member of the Oregon Conservation Network, a coalition of over 40 organizations throughout the state that work together to defend and increase protections for the environment in the Oregon Legislature. Each session, we unite around several key bills. Read more about this session’s Priorities for a Healthy Oregon.
What’s next on the carbon-busting agenda? Now that we’ve secured the Clean Fuels Program, OEC is turning its attention to other important policies to reduce carbon pollution. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet—tackling climate change requires overarching policies, like putting a price on carbon, and complementary policies that advance low-carbon technologies more quickly and support people in adopting more climate-friendly lifestyles. Among other things, OEC will be lending our voice to a robust discussion this legislative session about how to limit and price carbon in Oregon. Read more about legislation to curb carbon.
Restoring outdoor education for Oregon students Outdoor education has been an Oregon tradition for over 50 years—yet today less than half of all Oregon students have the opportunity to participate in outdoor education programs. Outdoor school helps young people gain the knowledge and perspectives to make responsible choices about our natural resources throughout their lives. OEC has endorsed the campaign, led by Oregon Outdoor Education Coalition to secure significant and lasting public funding for every Oregon fifth or sixth grader to experience a full week of Outdoor School or similar programming.
To get a handle on climate disruption, we need everyone’s participation and we need to tackle carbon pollution from every source. OEC is promoting and supporting state policies that:
Make our homes and other buildings more efficient
Make our cars and trucks more efficient
Transition Oregon away from dirty energy, like coal and oil, toward clean, renewable energy sources
Provide people with more transportation options
Hold big p
A few years ago, several groups got together to examine how state legislative proposals address issues of racial equity. They shone a light on laws that could have significant negative impacts on communities of color and recommended laws that could address racial disparities. To begin holding lawmakers accountable, they published the first Racial Equity Report Card in 2011. The report card, which is published every long session, evaluates each state legislator’s commitment to advancing o
At the end of the 2023 Oregon Legislative Session, OEC is proud to have secured several major policy victories that will benefit Oregonians and our shared environment. Thanks to our coalition partners, supporters, and legislative champions, the Oregon legislature delivered critical action to reduce climate and air pollution, support healthy, affordable, resilient communities, and leverage once-in-a-lifetime federal funding for clean energy and clean water infrastructure.
Healthy
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Contact:
Jana Gastellum, janag@oeconline.org, (360) 618-2722
SALEM, Ore.– Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) called on State Senators who have walked out of the Capitol to return to work and vote on critical environmental legislation.
It’s Black History Month, and we want to acknowledge and celebrate the many ways Black activists, visionaries, communities, families, and youth leaders have made a powerful difference in the environmental movement in Oregon and around the world. OEC is proud to work alongside and in support of partners like NAACP-Eugene, C
By Lynny Brown, Health & Outdoors Partner for Willamette Partnership and co-author of the Natural Infrastructure in Oregon report. As an environmental public health professional, Lynny advocates for a