Oregon
Executive Order Positions Oregon for Statewide Climate Action
The past few years, climate news in Oregon has revolved around a bitter and complicated legislative fight over cap-and-trade, which Climate XChange has covered extensively. Positive climate developments out of Oregon have been rare as of late, so it wouldn't...
Oregon Politics Stymie Action on Climate and Wildfires
Oregon lawmakers are fiercely debating the cause of devastating wildfires that engulfed Western states this fall. Wildfire destruction reached a record high in Oregon this year, with over one million acres (1,562 square miles) burned just in the week following...
Republican Walkout Halts Cap-and-Invest (Again), but Gov. Brown Commits to Climate
The 2020 Oregon legislative session just ended with yet another Republican walkout, once again halting the passage of cap-and-invest legislation. In late February, Senate Bill 1530 made it to the Senate floor. However, Republican Senators refused to attend the vote, prompting...
Oregon cap-and-invest makes a comeback
On February 3rd, Senate Bill 1530 was introduced in the Oregon Senate, which establishes a cap-and-invest system that would make heat trapping gas polluters purchase allowances for each ton of carbon they emit. The bill is in line with Oregon...
Judge Approves Oregon Ballot Initiatives, Paving the Way for Climate Action
Last week, a county judge in Oregon ruled that the rejection by Secretary of State Bev Clarno of two ballot initiatives aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was improper. The initiatives will now continue through the process that will place...
Oregon advocates ready for strong climate policy in 2020 — no matter what
It was a sweltering afternoon — just one of many in the warmest June ever recorded on Earth — and it was primed to be a historic one. Advocates, mobilized by the broad-based Renew Oregon coalition, rushed to the Capitol...
It’s Not Over Yet: Oregon Governor Will Push Forward Cap-and-Invest
Oregon Governor Kate Brown (D) announced on Monday that she is prepared to use her executive order privileges to push forward the state’s contentious cap-and-invest plan. The legislation, which would make Oregon just the second state in the nation to put...
Oregon Senate Republicans Flee State to Avoid Vote on Cap-and-Invest Bill
A Senate vote on Oregon’s highly-anticipated cap-and-invest bill (HB 2020) was scheduled for yesterday, June 20th, but Senate Republicans have left the Capitol in a last-ditch effort to block the legislation. The GOP lawmakers, holding super minorities in both legislative...
Oregon Cap-and-Invest Bill Nearing Passage
After nearly a decade of work, Oregon’s high-profile cap-and-invest bill appears to be poised for passage. Last week, lawmakers released what is looking to be the final, 181-page version of the highly anticipated legislation. The new bill includes 84 amendments...