Oregon Environmental Council Inc

THE OREGON ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE INNOVATIVE, COLLABORATIVE AND EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS TO OREGON'S ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES FOR TODAY AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, INCLUDING CLIMATE PROTECTION; CLEAN AND PLENTIFUL WATER; AND TOXIC-FREE ENVIRONMENTS.

CLIMATE PROTECTION OEC PROMOTES SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE, INCLUDING INVESTMENTS AND POLICIES THAT DRIVE DOWN EMISSIONS AND INCREASE RESILIENCE TO EVER-WORSENING CLIMATE IMPACTS. IN FY 22-23, WE WORKED TO SECURE NEW AND EXPANDED CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION POLICIES, INCLUDING A STRONGEST-IN-THE-NATION CLEAN FUELS PROGRAM, AND TO ENSURE STRONG IMPLEMENTATION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS, LIKE OREGONS CORNERSTONE 100% CLEAN ELECTRICITY STANDARD AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PROGRAM. THROUGH OUR ROLE AND PARTICIPATION IN STATE DECISION-MAKING BODIES, INCLUDING AS A VOTING MEMBER ON THE OREGON GLOBAL WARMING COMMISSION, WE HAVE HELPED SET THE PATH TO ACHIEVE EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS ON AN ACCELERATED TIMELINE, IN LINE WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE.IN ADDITION, OEC WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLEAN ENERGY PARTNERS TO PARTICIPATE AS FORMAL INTERVENORS IN UTILITY PROPOSALS TO PUSH BACK ON INCREASES IN CUSTOMER RATES THAT WOULD ALSO EXPAND FOSSIL FUEL USE AND ALSO DEFENDED AGAINST OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY LITIGATION THAT SEEKS TO OVERTURN STATE CLIMATE POLICY PROTECTIONS. OEC IS COLLABORATING WITH PARTNERS, DECISION-MAKERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENSURE STRATEGIC, EQUITABLE IMPLEMENTATION OF UNPRECEDENTED FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY. OEC SERVED IN LEADERSHIP ROLES TO SUPPORT THE OREGON CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, OREGON CLIMATE AND EQUITY NETWORK AND BUILDING RESILIENCE COALITIONS.

TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS OEC PROMOTES CLEAN, HEALTHY, SAFE, AND EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS THAT CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE GOODS AND SERVICES THEY NEED TO THRIVE. IN DURING THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2023, WE CO-LED THE CLEAN AND JUST TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, A STATEWIDE COLLABORATION TO ADVANCE TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION AND SECURE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING FOR A MORE EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. OUR WORK IS HELPING TO SHIFT THE STATEWIDE CONVERSATION ON TRANSPORTATION FROM A MOVE CARS AND TRUCKS EFFICIENTLY NARRATIVE TO A BALANCED APPROACH THAT WILL PROVIDE SAFE, HEALTHY, AND MORE EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. WE SECURED MORE FEDERAL FUNDING FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT FOR ACTIVE AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.WE ALSO SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION, INCLUDING THROUGH EXPANSION OF THE OREGON CLEAN FUELS PROGRAM, WHICH HAS PROVIDED GRANTS FOR US TO PARTNER WITH AUTO SHOPS AROUND EV JOB TRAINING, AND WITH OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY TO DEPLOY ELECTRIC UTILITY VEHICLES. WE WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO ADOPT THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE CLIMATE FRIENDLY AND EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM TO CREATE ACCESS TO MORE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND REDUCED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ESPECIALLY FOR UNDER-RESOURCED AND UNDER-SERVED COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR ADOPTION OF THE ADVANCED CLEAN CARS II RULE TO INCREASE THE SALE OF ZERO-EMISSION LIGHT-DUTY VEHICLES.

TOXIC-FREE ENVIRONMENTS OEC WORKS TO REDUCE PEOPLES EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS FOUND IN THE NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN (WHO ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE) AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES (WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPOSED). WE PROMOTE SAFE, NON-TOXIC PRODUCTS THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY AND THROUGH CONSUMER-ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS THAT ENCOURAGE COMPANIES TO USE SAFER CHEMICALS. DURING THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2023, WE WORKED WITH HACIENDA CDC TO DEVELOP A CURRICULUM FOR THEIR PORTLAND NIOS PROGRAM TO HELP PARENTS REDUCE EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS IN THEIR CLEANING ROUTINES AND THE PRODUCTS THEY USE. WE DEVELOPED COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS ON PLASTICS AS A HEALTH, CLIMATE AND WASTE CONCERN. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH METRO TO SURVEY LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES ON HAZARD WASTE PICKUP AND OUR WORK AND ADVOCACY WITH THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EQUALITY LED TO A ONE MILLION DOLLAR FINE ON AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT THAT HAD NUMEROUS CLEAN AIR ACT VIOLATIONS SURROUNDING A LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY IN PORTLAND. IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED AND SUPPORTED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL, MODERNIZING THE BOTTLE BILL, FARMWORKER OVERTIME, AND MATTRESS RECYCLING.