Climate/Energy/Environment Action Team

12/1/21  CEE members are promoting efforts to take down the dams along the lower Snake River in Idaho that are threatening native salmon species with imminent extinction.  There is wide support among tribal nations and state politicians in the Northwest to remove these dams that are no longer serving their former purpose for the region.  See this story.

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Deadline Extended!  Submit Comments for a Strong Climate Protection Program for Oregon

 

10/15/21 The state of Oregon is writing the rules for a new policy called the “Climate Protection Program." Unfortunately, this plan is falling far short of its lofty name and has serious flaws AND Oregon Business & Industry (OBI) requested and was granted an extension to the comment period to Oct 25th. OBI is a lead lobbying group for fossil fuel polluters, and is looking to delay and endanger adoption of this program. 

 

The people drafting these rules need to hear from as many people as possible that climate protection is important. We can use this extension time as an opportunity to double down on comments to make sure that the DEQ and the Environmental Quality Commission hear loud and clear that we support bold and courageous action on behalf of Oregon's climate future.

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The Climate Energy & Environment Team of A4D has made it EASY to do so! Use the template below to personalize and submit comments. To view the version of comments that Act for Democracy has already submitted, click here. These templates also make it easy to share with friends, family and other members of your communities. (You are, of course, welcome to write your very own comments from scratch as well.)

• To link to a CPP Comment template that you can personalize as an INDIVIDUAL, click here.

For more in depth background and support for creating your own comment content:  Link here  to a recording of a recent Comment Writing Workshop  to delve deeper into the details of what is important and at stake.

 

There is also a LIVE Letter Writing Party for Public Comments coming up:

   When: Tuesday, October 19th from 5:30 - 6:30 PM

   Where: Zoom

   What: Learn how to raise your voice for one of the biggest remaining Oregon climate actions of 2021. Help fight back against fossil fuel lobbyists trying to kill an important new initiative-- The Oregon Climate Protection Program.  Click here to RSVP, and please share with friends, family, and neighbors who may be interested.

 

This is our chance to ensure that the voice of the people is louder than the voice of fossil fuel corporations.  Thank you for taking the time to step up on behalf of our shared climate future.

 

Record Low Steelhead Returns on the Columbia River

 

9/11/21  In late August there was a startling news headline from OPB: ”Record Low Steelhead Returns on the Columbia River Prompts Call for Fish Shutdown.”  A working group in A4D’s Climate, Energy and Environment group has taken this on.  For more on this important issue and calls to action, go here.

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6/8/21  The A4D Steering Committee has endorsed the breaching of the Lower Snake River Dams, following it's endorsement by the Climate, Energy and Environment Action Team.  

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Endorsed  That the four Lower Snake River Dams be breached, urgently, to save the wild salmon that are on the verge of extinction. 

The position paper explains the perilous situation of the fish and how the free flowing  “ Snake River provides the greatest potential for wild fish recovery of any watershed in the Columbia River Basin.” (Trout Unlimited)  The controversial dams are used primarily for surplus power and their need is being supplanted by cheaper alternative energy.  Breaching removes the earthen portion of the dams and is relatively simple and  inexpensive according to expert Jim Waddell (retired, Army Corps of Engineers).  Stakeholders in the region should be included in mitigation planning and funding, but not before the dams are breached.  We acknowledge the importance of Idaho Rep. Simpson introducing  a“concept,” but would not go on record as supporting or rejecting it.   We believe having a position on the dams allows our organization to begin the process of taking actions to save the fish as well as staying open to alliances with Columbia River tribes, fishing and environmental organizations as actions develop.

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The background paper is here.

 

5/30/21  At the regular A4D member meeting on May 25, we were excited to have two speakers discussing environment and climate initiatives in Oregon government and the legislature, Nora Apter of the Oregon Environmental Council, and Julia DeGraw, of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters.  

 

Advocating Bills

 

5/22/21  We encourage advocates to use these short summaries as the basis for contacting their legislators to urge their votes for these climate-related bills:

 

100% Clean Energy for All, HB 2021-23

• Ensures new jobs in clean energy - jobs that are well-paid and include benefits.

• Encourages community-based projects that increase energy independence and affordability.

• Improves disaster resilience across the state.

 

Healthy Homes, HB 2842

• Provides assistance to low-income households, landlords and communities to help make homes healthier and less expensive to heat and cool.

 

The Recycling Modernization Act, SB582A

• Increases transparency and accountability by making producers formally responsible for what happens to waste

• Helps prevent plastic pollution in oceans and rivers

• promotes equity by paying workers a living wage
  ensures everyone across the state can recycle easily and conveniently