What’s the latest? A cap-and-invest update
Oregon’s best chance at climate action (Senate Bill 1530) cleared the the Joint Committee on Ways and Means last week at the Capitol. The cap-and-invest climate action is queued up for a vote in the Senate, and Senate President Peter Courtney announced this week his caucus has the votes needed to pass the bill.
Oregon Environmental Council has worked diligently with an incredible coalition to get to this point: This session alone, 500 public health officials delivered a petition, 250 farm and rural stakeholders signed a letter, major business leaders including Nike called for climate action, and over a 1000 people rallied at the Capitol last week.
Sadly, most Senate Republicans have walked out and reportedly left the state before the bill could get to the floor for a vote. OEC has joined with our partners to form a diverse coalition of organizations against this walkout. We are standing together and raising our voices to tell lawmakers enough is enough!
It’s been a jam-packed February. On the 11th, more than 1000 Oregonians, from 27 counties, came to the capital to demand strong climate action.
So what’s new with carbon pricing?
Senate Bill 1530, like previous iterations in recent years, the bill still caps and prices climate pollution, requiring at least a 45% decrease by 2035 and at least 80% by 2050. The bill also covers all major sources of fossil fuel use and directs resources to benefit communities most impacted by climate change, including communities of color, low-income, coastal and rural.
It maintains strong standards for family-wage jobs for construction and transportation projects. However, there are some significant changes. Amendments adopted last week include:
- A geographic phase-in of transportation fuels, starting with the Portland metro region, expanding to most western counties by 2025, then coastal and central areas in 2028. Counties in eastern Oregon are only included if 23 counties opt-in.
- The bill splits resources differently this year as well. The Climate Investment Fund includes the following:
- 10% for Oregon Tribes (still first in the nation to make this commitment!)
- 25% for wildfire mitigation
- 25% for carbon sequestration and resiliency projects on natural and working lands (including, but not limited to wetlands, forests, farms, and urban greenways)
- 20% for statewide programs, with a priority on projects that reduce climate pollution
- 20% for local governments, with a priority on projects that reduce climate pollution
- It remains to be seen if the Constitutional restriction will apply to the transportation sector. For now, the bill restricts the use of funding to areas covered by the program (see geographic phase-in above), funds Metro’s important investments in cutting transportation pollution, and allocates a portion to other local governments and a lesser amount to the State Department of Transportation.
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- An empty Oregon Senate chamber was filled with silence on Feb. 25, 2020. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
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- Renew Oregon organizer Madison Daisy Hathaway enjoys a moment at a rally against the costly Senate walkout Feb. 25, 2020 in Salem. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
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- A reporter interviews Sen. Manning during a rally against a walkout led by opponents to the 2020 climate bill. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
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- Hundreds of people gathered with less than 24 hours notice to protest against a Senate-led walkout against the 2020 climate bill. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
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- PCUN Executive Director Reyna Lopez energizes the crowd. Hundreds of people gathered with less than 24 hours notice to protest against a Senate-led walkout against the 2020 climate bill. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
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- Hundreds of people gathered with less than 24 hours notice to protest against a Senate-led walkout against the 2020 climate bill. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
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- Hundreds of people gathered with less than 24 hours notice to protest against a Senate-led walkout against the 2020 climate bill. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
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- Hundreds of people gathered with less than 24 hours notice to protest against a Senate-led walkout against the 2020 climate bill. Photo by Lathen Gorbett
Climate Protection Program Moves Forward with Community Climate Investments
Yesterday morning, the Climate Protection Program took an important step forward: The Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) officially named CALSTART as the entity to carry out the program’s community climate investments (CCIs). These investments benefit Oregonians hit first and worst by climate change — including Tribal, rural, low-income, and BIPOC communities.
What do these CCIs look like in practice? Here are just a few examples:
Better access to efficient h
July 10, 2026, 12:42 pm
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2026 Oregon Clean Grid Summit Recap
On May 18th, the Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative (OCGC) hosted the Clean Grid Summit in Salem, bringing together more than 100 attendees, including representatives from 13 legislative offices, to discuss the future of Oregon’s electric grid and the policies needed to support a reliable, affordable, and clean energy future.
Through three panels, speakers explored the competing priorities shaping energy policy, the r
June 17, 2026, 12:53 pm
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Earlier this month, the 2026 legislative session officially came to a close. It was a “short” session year – meaning less than a month between the Capitol doors opening and sine die. It was a sprint to get a lot done in a little amount of time.
Even so, we were able to make meaningful progress in some crucial areas. At the same time, the legislature left Oregonians disappointed when it came time to take action on im
March 26, 2026, 12:11 pm
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October Legislative Days Recap
When it comes to lawmaking, legislative sessions tend to get all the attention. During session, lawmakers hear testimony, meet in committee, and iron out the details of bills before (if all goes as planned) sending them off to the Governor’s desk for approval. It’s the final legislative stop in a sometimes years-long journey of
October 22, 2025, 9:34 am
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Oregon’s Report Card: The Urgent Need for Transportation Investment
Everyone deserves the right to safe, accessible, climate-friendly transportation options. And everyone deserves to arrive at their destination safely, regardless of their transportation choice. Yet the need for investments in transportation safety could not be more urgent as this year’s back-to-school season is met with a 40-year peak in pedestrian deaths, nationwide.
September 21, 2023, 11:42 am
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Investing in a Better Transportation Future
Oregon is receiving more than a billion dollars from the federal government through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This money will be allocated to projects around the state by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), under the direction of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC). The OTC
February 4, 2022, 9:54 pm
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A Natural Vision for Water Part 4: Investing in Our Future
By Bobby Cochran, Community Resilience & Innovation Partner for Willamette Partnership and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader. Bobby helped lead the state’s outreach and engagement for the Oregon 100-Year Water Vision, and specializes in water solutions that benefit the environment, health, and community development.
In collaboration with Willamette Partnership and the Oregon Association of Clean Water A
June 1, 2021, 8:50 pm
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