SalemWatch - Progress on environmental priorities
Date:
February 10 Special Session - At the half-way mark
|
The 2010 Special Session for the Oregon Legislature started on Feb. 1 and bills are flying around at warp speed, in and out of committees, with many already having seen a floor vote in their chamber of origin. All bills are required to be out of their committee of origin by February 14, which means many of the bills we were tracking are dead because the committees they are assigned to aren't meeting again before Sunday.
The good news is the Oregon Conservation Network is seeing progress and success on our three priorities, as well as many of the other bills we are tracking. With just two weeks—or less—to go, the pace is frenetic and things are rapidly changing. We will continue to do everything we can to keep you in the know and give you an opportunity to help.
|
| Priorities for a Healthy Oregon |
 Protecting our Children from Harmful ChemicalsSenate Bill 1032, which would ban toxic Bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles and sippy cups sold in Oregon, passed out of committee yesterday and is headed to the Senate floor for a vote, possibly as soon as Tuesday. The vote could be close! Let your Senators know that you want them to protect our children from the harmful effects of BPA.
The federal government is concerned about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children. Recent studies have reported subtle negative effects of low doses of BPA. Passing this ban would make Oregon a national leader in protecting children from toxic chemicals. The Oregon Environmental Council is leading a large coalition to pass this important legislation.
On Wednesday night, nearly 4,000 of you from around the state participated in a Tele-Town-Hall to talk to Oregon’s Speaker of the House Dave Hunt and Oregon Senator Chris Edwards about thieopportunity to protect Oregon’s kids from BPA now before Oregon's senators. It was a great conversation. We thank Speaker Hunt and Senator Edwards for taking the time to champion this important issue.
The Senate vote is expected Tuesday or Wednesday and your Senator needs to hear from you urging them to vote YES on 1032, even if you have already emailed them about this in the past. Contact: Andrea Salinas, Oregon Environmental Council, 971-221-2653
or Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, Oregon Environmental Council, 503-222-1963 x 110
Protecting Oregon's Coast from Oil and Gas Exploration
 House Bill 3613 passed the House on Monday 38-21! HB 3613, sponsored by Representative Ben Cannon (D-Portland), will protect Oregon’s special coastal areas by extending the moratorium on drilling for oil and gas in Oregon’s coastal waters for another 10 years. Although we were hoping for a permanent ban, a 10 year moratorium is four times longer than the previous moratorium and represents a significant step in protecting Oregon’s coastal communities, our fishing industry, our stunning coastal ecological diversity and will allow the focus to be on renewable energy opportunities.
HB 3613 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources next Tuesday, Feb. 16.
Contact: Brock Howell, Environment Oregon, 503-231-1986
Jennifer Williamson, Oregon Conservation Network, 503-781-7233
Creating Healthy, Climate-Friendly Communities
A task force established by the 2009 Legislature has proposed Senate Bill 1059, which would assist Oregon's largest metro areas in developing plans to broaden transportation choices while also helping Oregon meet its greenhouse-gas reduction goals. 1000 Friends of Oregon and the Oregon Environmental Council are leading the effort to help pass this common-sense partnership between state agencies and Oregon’s largest cities to coordinate transportation and land-use planning that results in greater transportation and healthier, more climate-friendly communities.
The bill passed out of committee yesterday and is now headed to Ways and Means.
Contact: Eric Stachon, 1000 Friends of Oregon, 503-497-1000 x129
Andrea Salinas, Oregon Environmental Council, 971-221-2653
|
| Other Environmental Bills |
 Keeping Plastic Bags out of our Rivers and OceansSenate Bill 1009 died yesterday in committee. Introduced by Senators Mark Hass (D) and Jason Atkinson (R), this bil would have banned the use of plastic check-out bags throughout Oregon, and would have been a significant first step in addressing the problems created by the proliferation of single-use bags. Oregonians use 39 million plastic bags each year. Those bags require 150,000 barrels of oil to produce, unnecessarily fill our landfills where they don’t biodegrade, and cause significant litter along roadways, waterways and beaches where they wreak havoc with wildlife. Jurisdictions around the world, including China, Ireland, Bangladesh, Mexico City, San Francisco and even Washington DC, have laws in place designed to limit their use. We thank Representatives Hass and Atikinson for bringing this bill to the session and hope to revisit this issue in 2011.
Contact: Sue Marshall, Audubon Society of Portland, Tualatin Riverkeepers and Willamette Riverkeeper, 971-506-4617
Katy Daily, Recycling Advocates, 503-515-3474
Improving Oregon's Business Energy Tax Credit
 House Bill 3680 passed the House Floor 59-1 on Wednesday. This bill makes some minor housekeeping tweaks to Oregon’s Business Energy Tax Credit that would stabilize this critical job-creation program. Senator Ginny Burdick (D-Portland) and Representative Phil Barnhart (D-Eugene) have taken leadership on this issue and we support their efforts to preserve the integrity of this important program. This bill helps to ensure that Oregon continues to invest in homegrown energy and put Oregonians back to work. Specifically, House Bill 3680:
Investment in new renewable energy manufacturing and generation, and increased energy efficiency is critical to spur economic growth, fight global warming, and preserve the unique quality of life across Oregon. Increased renewable energy development ensures that communities can count on jobs, economic development, and a bright future; utilities can count on stable, dependable power; and consumers can feel good about the legacy they are leaving future generations.
Contact: Jeff Bissonnette, Citizen Utility Board and Fair and Clean Energy Coalition, 503-516-1636 Public right to use waterways
Senate Bill 1060 was introduced by Senator Dr. Alan Bates (D - Ashland) and Secretary of State Kate Brown to codify the 2005 Attorney General Opinion that asserts the public’s right to use floatable waterways throughout Oregon. An amended version of the bill, which creates a task force charged with examining the issues surrounding public use of Oregon's waterways, the public use doctrine, judicial opinions and the interests of adjacent landowners, passed out of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee yesterday and is now headed to the Senate floor. The task force will be charged with making a recommendation for the 2011 Legislative Session.
Contact: Dave Moskowitz representing Willamette Riverkeeper and Tualatin Riverkeepers, 971-235-8953
or Tom Wolf, Trout Unlimited, 503-883-1102
Preserving Oregon's Groundwater from Over-allocation
House Bill 3661 is died in committee earlier this week. This bill would have ensured that water rights are administered for certain currently "exempt wells," that is, wells that can now legally exist without public interest review, water availability analysis or fish analysis. The bill died Tuesday in the House Environment and Water Committee. Water Watch of Oregon lead the way to build support for this bill.
Contact: Dave Moskowitz representing Water Watch, 971-235-8953
|
| Events |
|
The Oregon League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (the sister organization of OLCV) wants to help you get ready to win. On February 21, OLCV-EF is hosting its electoral skills training "Campaigning to Win". Here you will learn from an experienced team of campaigners including Education Fund Executive Director Jon Isaacs and Education Fund Political Director Katy Daily. They will teach you the skills you will need to lead the campaigns you will be working on in the future. Sessions will include topics on strategy, fundraising, targeting, messaging, volunteer management and more. Please join us at OSU's Memorial Union in Corvallis on February 21, 2010 form 11:00a.m. to 3:30a.m. Registration is limited so please RSVP today!
|
| Follow the Action – Make Your Voice Heard |
The nature of this session will be fast and furious - from the opening bell to the final gavel - and we will try hard to keep you informed on how you can let your voice be heard. You can follow the action yourself by heading to the Oregon Legislature’s Website where you can find a list of all the bills that will be under consideration this session, sign up for notices of committee schedules, sign up for newsletters of your legislators, and watch or listen committee hearings and floor sessions.
During this special session, SalemWatch will be sent out periodically to Oregonians across the state. Have any submissions? Anything you would like to announce or hear more about? Email ocn@olcv.org or call (503) 227-8073.
Filed in:
Resource Type |