2021 Priorities for a Healthy Oregon

For more information, contact Julia DeGraw, OLCV’s Coalition Director, at julia@olcv.org

The Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity (a package of three bills led by Verde and other environmental justice groups):

• • 100% Clean Energy for All (HB 2021) would transition Oregon to 100% clean energy within the next few decades, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create new jobs in clean energy.
  • Healthy Homes (HB 2842) would help low-income families improve air-quality and energy efficiency in their homes.
  • The Oregon Energy Affordability Act (HB 2475) would make energy bills more affordable for low-income families.

Smart Wildfire Policy (SB 762)
In response to last summer’s disastrous wildfires, groups in the Oregon Conservation Network will support bills that use the State’s limited resources to best protect lives and property and to support the recovery of communities decimated by the Labor Day fires––including support for mapping the areas most likely to be affected by wildfire in the future so we can build back better, restore and protect drinking water sources, and ensure affordable housing is part of the recovery plan.

Disbanding the Oregon Forest Resources Institute (HB 2357)
For years, the Oregon Forest Resources Institute (OFRI) has been using millions in public funding to make the timber industry look more sustainable than it is, using propaganda to cover up the dangerous effects of logging on drinking water and wildlife habitat. HB 2357 would disband OFRI and redirect its public funding to scientifically sound sustainable forest restoration and management practices.

Budget
Due to budget cuts, many of the programs we’ve fought to pass in previous sessions are already struggling to hire staff to do the important work they need to do: we can’t afford to cut the budget even further. There needs to be room in the budget to give natural resource agencies the funding they need to protect our air and water, public lands, and our communities.