What Governor Kotek’s Executive Order Rollout Means for Oregon
In the face of federal disinvestment and attacks on landmark climate protections, Governor Tina Kotek is ensuring that Oregon continues to build a healthier, more affordable, equitable, and resilient future.
Over the last two months, Governor Kotek has rolled out three new executive orders aimed at accelerating clean energy development, protecting our state’s land and water, and implementing least-cost solutions to decarbonize our energy and transportation systems. With mounting challenges from the federal level, these orders are a display of bold action in the face of adversity – which is exactly the type of leadership our state needs right now.
Oregon Environmental Council commends her and her team for protecting Oregonians today, and into the future.
Here’s what each executive order means for our state:
Executive Order 25-25: Accelerating Wind And Solar Energy Development In Advance Of Elimination Of Federal Clean Energy Tax Credit
The first executive order, signed in early October, will fast-track renewable wind and solar projects in Oregon. By directing state agencies to streamline siting and permitting for renewable energy projects, Governor Kotek’s actions will help these projects take advantage of federal tax credits before funding disappears.
Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill” has set looming deadlines, threatening to slow the growth of cheap and abundant clean energy. However, the Governor’s order is a proactive measure to sidestep his climate chaos agenda and will help protect Oregon’s energy resilience and affordability amidst rising energy costs and negative climate impacts.
Executive Order 25-26: Directing State Agencies To Take Urgent Action To Promote The Resilience Of Our Communities And Natural And Working Lands And Waters
Governor Kotek’s second executive order directs state agencies to coordinate and integrate climate-resilient strategies into existing state programs that work with the state’s natural and working lands, and waters. Those lands include state-owned forests, grasslands, rangelands, farmlands, wetlands and urban parts, and open outdoor spaces.
The positive effects are varied across the areas OEC works on. When it comes to the intersection of climate change and water management, OEC’s Water and Rural Partnerships Program Director, Karen Lewotsky, described the benefits of this order to Oregon Public Broadcasting:
“As climate impacts increase every year, Oregon’s communities need smart water management to ensure access to safe, clean, and plentiful drinking water. That’s why it’s so important for our state to incorporate both climate change and community resilience into the ways we manage our water resources and natural and working lands.”
Not only are Oregon’s natural resources vital to the health and livability of this state, they play an important role in reducing the negative impacts of climate change. This executive order protects and coordinates the management of natural and working lands, and water to ensure they remain functional and supportive of community resilience and sustainability for years to come.
Executive Order 25-29: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Advancing Oregon’s Clean Energy Future
Governor Kotek’s third executive order has two main components: fostering the transition to a clean energy economy, and ensuring accountability, coordination, and progress on implementation to make this transition a reality.
The order directs an array of state land and natural resources agencies to collaborate on adopting and implementing greenhouse gas reduction strategies (outlined in the newly released Oregon Energy Strategy). OEC, in partnership with other stakeholders, helped develop the five least-cost pathways in the Energy Strategy. These pathways (listed below) reflect many of the coalitions and campaigns OEC supports, such as Move Oregon Forward, Building Resilience, and Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative:
- Advancing Energy Efficiency Across All Sectors
- Supporting Investment in Clean Electricity Infrastructure
- Increasing Strategic Electrification of Vehicles and Buildings
- Increasing the Supply and Use of Low-Carbon Fuels
- Strengthening Grid Resilience Across all Levels of the Energy System
It’s a comprehensive and decisive order, requiring careful planning and coordination between the dozens of state agencies involved. But it’s exactly the type of bold action we need right now.
Major Milestones, More to Come
Trump’s rollout of egregious executive orders — withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord (for a second time), slashing environmental justice efforts, and pulling the U.S. out of the World Health Organization, to name just a few — exemplify the dangers of this type of policy. He has weaponized executive orders as a way to target populations and programs he disagrees with. Kotek’s rollout, on the other hand, exemplifies the tool’s potential for good. By seeking to uplift communities through wise, forward-thinking investments, her executive orders represent lasting benefits for every Oregon,
OEC is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Governor Kotek on these high-impact environmental actions and proactive policy implementation. As the federal government loosens regulations and props up polluters, Governor Kotek is acting to ensure Oregon’s natural and working lands, water, and communities are resilient to the negative impacts of climate change. OEC will continue to support the Governor, state agencies, legislators, and other stakeholders as they carry out this critical work.
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