16 results for tag: policy

Could Oregon be the 5th state to pass a ‘right to repair’ law? Here is how you can help!

Oregon’s Right to Repair (SB 1596) will reduce Oregon’s electronic waste footprint by requiring technology companies to make parts that allow small businesses to repair electronics like smartphones.

Clean Tech: Greener, Richer, Freer

More and more people in Oregon and across the United States are embracing electric vehicles and efficient HVAC systems to heat and cool their homes. Individual decisions like these will help Oregon deliver on its climate goals, but is our state missing a big opportunity to create thousands of jobs building clean energy technologies? Hear from industry experts who spoke at our latest Business & Environment Forum about Oregon’s chance to be a leader in clean tech.

Climate Champion: Governor Brown’s Legacy and the Path Ahead

Governor Brown delivered historic climate policy protections. Now it’s up to Governor Kotek to build on this progress.

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, and reduce pollution. Now we need to act on their recommendations. Oregon ...

2022 Oregon legislative victories!

With a flurry of action in just five short weeks, the 2022 Legislative Session concluded on March 4th. This year’s session started with extreme uncertainty as a result of major changes in leadership and a new COVID variant. It also began with good news: an unexpectedly large state budget surplus. In the end, Oregon Environmental Council is thrilled that most of our major priorities made it across the finish line and that we helped win crucial investments in environmental and community benefits. We did this work, like always, in collaboration with a wide array of partners. Our alliances aren't always conventional. We worked with farmworker ...

Call on Oregon leaders to move forward with Clean Energy Jobs

When the 2018 session ended, the immense public support and momentum of the Clean Energy Jobs bill helped shape an historic pathway to adoption in 2019. Our leaders in Oregon's House and Senate created a first-of-a-kind committee to tackle carbon reduction and they approved dollars to pay for a Carbon Policy Office to inform the process and the public. The new committee, the Joint Interim Committee On Carbon Reduction, is led by Senate President Courtney and House Speaker Kotek. This summer, in just two meetings, lawmakers have heard from experts in science, economics and policy who have spoken about Oregon’s potential to draw down ...

Safe Drinking Water

Where Do You Get Your Water? More than 70% of Oregonians get some of their drinking water from wells, and 23% of Oregonians rely on privately owned wells as their primary source of water. Yet in many parts of the state, this water is polluted. Thousands of Oregonians may be unknowingly drinking water that could lead to cancer, miscarriage and other serious health risks. The most common contaminants in well water are nitrate, bacteria, arsenic and pesticides. This contamination can come from failing septic tanks, fertilizers, livestock waste, and poorly constructed or maintained wells on a homeowner’s property or property nearby. Well ...

Lawmaking Insider: What It Takes To Put Laws Into Action

It takes hard work, collaboration, and patience to pass new laws in Oregon’s legislature. Sometimes, after years of trying, countless hearings, thousands of emails, and many meetings, we succeed–with gratitude for the help from OEC supporters. And when we are successful, we can transform the system to reflect Oregon’s values. Oregon’s Toxic Free Kids Act is a notable example of our success. In 2015, we partnered with businesses, parents, doctors, legislators, and individuals – including many of you - to create one of the nation’s strongest consumer product safety laws. It was a hard won victory for Oregon’s kids, our families, and our ...

Breakthrough! National toxics reform

This week, Congress reformed the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, changing the way our nation manages toxic chemicals. It's a major overhaul of the only bedrock environmental law that has never been amended. Champions like Senator Merkley are to be commended for standing up to industry interests to defend public health provisions. We still need to address flaws in the new law that undermine its effectiveness. And it will take vigilance and funding to ensure that the this reform is implemented in ways that truly protect public health and protect our most vulnerable. States like Oregon, and a broad network of advocates including Oregon Environ...

Introducing our 2016 legislative agenda

Oregon Environmental Council has been a leader in every legislative session since our founding in 1968. Our steady presence and our ability to forge consensus across party lines have led to creative and practical environmental protections. In 2016, OEC will once again be hard at work in Salem to protect Oregon’s environment and quality of life. Our priorities for this session include: The Clean Electricity & Coal Transition Plan (HB 4036) to transition Oregon off of coal-fired power while doubling the state’s commitment to new renewable energy to 50% The Healthy Climate Bill (SB 1574) to limit climate pollution and account for ...