Stronger Together: The 2015 carbon-busting agenda

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 polluters accountable for the true cost of their carbon pollution

Early in the 2015 legislative session, OEC worked with partners to lift the sunset on the Oregon Clean Fuels Program. SB 324 requires oil companies to be part of the solution—reducing the carbon content of the fuels they sell to Oregonians. Now clean fuels providers have the market certainty they need to produce more clean fuels for the Oregon market, creating good, green jobs; and Oregonians can rest assured that the transportation fuel mix will be cleaner and lower-carbon over time. This is a win for our climate, improved air quality, fuel choice, and better jobs.

OEC is also working with our active transportation allies to ensure adequate resources for low-carbon transportation options. We are especially focused on funding for transit operations, including support for elderly and disabled transit and a new initiative to increase youth access to public transportation.

As the legislative session continues, OEC is also supporting:

Coal to Clean Energy
Although Oregon has only one coal-fired power plant, one-third of the electricity we consume comes from out-of-state coal-fired power plants. Coal to Clean Energy legislation, led by Sierra Club and others, pushes to replace coal with a mix that is 90% cleaner and relies more heavily on renewable energy. (SB 477, HB 2729)

Solar Power 
Environment Oregon and others are working to ensure that solar energy at all levels—from residential to commercial to community solar gardens to utility-scale—faces no barriers and is supported through state-level incentives. (HB 2632, HB 2745, HB 2941, HB 2447)

Electric Vehicles
Cleaner cars should be made more available to a wider range of Oregon drivers. The clean car rebate for EVs creates up to a $3,000 rebate, helping to defray the upfront cost of vehicle purchase. This legislation led by the Energize Oregon Coalition. (HB 2092) 

Energy Efficiency
To provide homeowners an incentive to make energy efficiency improvements, new legislation would exempt energy efficiency improvements from property tax valuation. (HB 3246)

Limiting and Pricing Carbon
OEC will engage in a robust discussion of how to limit and price carbon. We will support policies that result in real carbon reductions, while protecting and creating more opportunities for disadvantaged Oregonians. A number of bills have been introduced, and we expect legislative hearings to begin in April. (HB 3252, HB 3470, HB 2086, HB 2159, HB 3176, HB 3250, HB 2082,)

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