Oregon Climate-Related Lawsuits
State, Regional, National, and Global CE News
Climate Emergency Priorities
By Claudia Keith
The League has identified six priority CE policy and budget topics. Following are updates on those topics:
1. Resilient Buildings: Refer to the Legislative Joint Task Force on Resilient Efficient Buildings Dec 13 Report. It’s unclear when the bill(s) will be posted to OLIS, or which Leg policy committee(s) will be affected. As of this week the League is an active coalition member. (Some of these building topics were included in this 2017 Executive Order 17-20: Accelerating Efficiency In Oregon’s BUILT ENVIRONMENT TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE. This EO was posted a few days before Gov Brown attended COP 23 in Bonn, Germany).
2. Natural and Working Lands: (Establishes Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Fund, carbon sequestration opportunities…): Natural Climate Solutions SB530. The legislation includes activity-based metrics and community impact metrics for net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands and establishes carbon sequestration and storage goals. Assigned to: Natural Resources Senate Committee, find Committee Bills HERE and Related, see interim NR committee SB88). The League continues to be an active NWL coalition member.
3. Environmental Justice: A number of 2023 Leg bills are expected to address new and ongoing related topics. A recent update EPA: ‘EPA Releases Updated Legal Guidance on Identifying, Addressing Cumulative Impacts to Advance Environmental Justice, Equity | US EPA, clearly defines at the federal level this new foundational area. (Related to HB 4077 (2022).
4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap, SB 522 , will change "Oregon Global Warming Commission" to "Oregon Climate Action Commission." and modify membership and duties of commission and state greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets/goals. This will direct state agencies to report to the commission on progress toward achieving greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals (see SB 928 2019). Referred to the Senate E&E committee.
5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics. This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/reductions and new clean renewable energy (DOE), OHA public health, and DOT Dept of Transportation policy and funding.
6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget* is scheduled to be available in Feb. There is now expected > $70M in CE related state agency POPs and new Legislative funding. (* budget items will come from over 22 state agencies including 14 NR agencies, OHA, DAS, ODOT, ODOE, etc.)
Other CE Bills
By Claudia Keith
The League may support or just follow these bills. (This is a preliminary list; many bills are not yet posted to OLIS.)
Natural Working Lands: See Rep Pham’s urban forestry bill, HB 3016, Rep Holvey’s severance tax bill, HB 3025 to replace the harvest tax, and ODF’s Regular Harvest tax bill, HB 2087. SB 88 climate smart Ag increases net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands. Requested: Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery. See Keep Oregon Cool, Natural Working Lands.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation: HB 2816 High Energy Use Facility - Required GHGE reduction, Chief Sponsors: Dembrow and Marsh.
Fossil Fuel (FF) Divestment: HB 2601 Oregon FF Divestment … Requires State Treasurer to address the urgency and risk associated with FF energy investments. Chief Sponsors: Rep Pham K, Senator Golden, Rep Gamba.
Green Infrastructure: HB 3016 community green infrastructure, Rep Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Rep Gamba. Public & Green Banking: SB501 Bank of the state of Oregon Sen Golden. HB2763 Create a State public bank Task Force, Rep Gamba, Sen Golden, Rep Walters
Clean Energy
By Kathy Moyd, Greg Martin
Legislation for the 2023 Session
A quick review of the almost hundred bills posted for H Climate, Energy, and Environment and Senate Energy Environment showed that most of the bills have some connection to climate change action both with respect to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or adaptation to extreme climate events already occurring. Some of these will be under the Natural Resources Portfolio. Since greenhouse gasses are frequently associated with air toxins, some air quality bills may be considered under both portfolios.
Some of these bills have been submitted in both committees and some of them are obvious placeholders for which amendments may be submitted later in the session. Of course, not all will actually be passed or even given a public hearing. In addition, those requesting funding will have more difficulty this year and may not get out of the Ways and Means Committee.
The League will be working over the next few weeks to determine which of these bills we should actively follow, including giving testimony.
Oregon Global Warming Commission
The Oregon Global Warming Commission (OGWC) and the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) have been working for a year to develop the Roadmap to 2035 through the Transformational Integrated Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction (TIGHGER) project, aiming to identify decarbonization actions that can reduce GHG emissions while continuing to grow Oregon’s economy and enhance equity and quality of life. The commission devoted all or part of nine meetings to TIGHGER-related topics during 2022.
At the OGWC meeting on January 13, draft recommendations seemed to be nearly in place. The League will consider providing comments if there is a public review.
At the beginning of the meeting, Sen. Dembrow referred to two related bills: SB 522, updating the GHG reduction goals, restructuring and renaming the OGWC and clarifying its role in climate action; and SB 530, natural climate solutions (N&WL). He said both will involve expenditures and thus will go to W&M late in the session.
House Committee on Energy, Climate and Environment
Jan 18, 3pm Meeting, Claudia Keith
Find Meeting Highlights HERE and link to video HERE
Meeting Agenda: Invited Speakers Only
House Bill 2021 (2021) Implementation:Christy Splitt, Government Relations Coordinator, Oregon Department of EnergyMegan Decker, Chair, Public Utility CommissionThomas Burns, Vice President Resource Planning and Acquisitions, Pacific Power Kristen Sheeran, Director of Resource Planning and Sustainability, Portland General Electric (Kristen was Gov Browns Climate/Carbon policy advisor for 4+ years)Jennifer Hill-Hart, Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board Bob Jenks, Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board
Energy Markets Overview:
Adam Schultz, Lead, Electricity & Markets Policy Group, Oregon Department of Energy Scott Bolton, Senior Vice President Transmission and Market Development, Pacific PowerNicole Hughes, Executive Director, Renewable NW
Oregon Economic Analysis
By Claudia Keith
The next Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast is scheduled for mid-Feb. It is unclear how the very volatile security market and banking issues / risk will develop. The last State of Oregon quarterly forecast assumed a likely mild recession in 2023.
Climate Emergency Financial Risk: The Fed wants climate risk analysis from 6 largest U.S. banks by July 31 2023 | Reuters
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has never conformed to what is now recommended in the SEC Climate Risk disclosure rule. SEC Plans to Finalize Two Dozen Rules in 2023 | Thomson Reuters.
See supportive LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony, June 2022. Related: ‘ESG Watch: Why this year could be a watershed moment for investors on nature-related risk | Reuters. The Status of Two Pending Rules That Would Require Disclosure of Climate Risks| Environmental Leader.
Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read has changed his Fossil Fuel risk perspective. Oregon investments will be affected by ESG reporting.
5 banking trends to watch in 2023 | Banking Dive, “Harsher penalties, a fiercer fight over ESG philosophy and a more urgent push to regulate crypto appear poised to roil the finance sector this year.”
Oregon Climate Related Lawsuits
By Claudia Keith
Be reminded there are numerous lawsuits challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits, (Jan 12, 2023 update) some which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. A national perspective: ‘Environmental cases to watch in 2023 | Reuters
State, Regional, National, and Global CE News
By Claudia Keith
New report highlights opportunities to mitigate and adapt to climate change in Oregon – OPB. Central Oregon Community College: Aiming for a Carbon-Neutral Future | The Source Weekly - Bend, Oregon. Clean energy bill could spell trouble for Oregon datacenters. The Register. Environment Oregon's 2023 Legislative Agenda. 2023 Outlook: US power sector trends to watch | Utility Dive.
What Does the War in Ukraine Mean for the Climate? - The New York Times. Climate Goals Are Still Doable With More Renewables And Secure Financing| Forbes. Energy & Environment — Biden energy chief pushes back on GOP bill | The Hill. Why Europe Is Fuming Over America’s Green Subsidies - The Washington Post. Biden's climate agenda has a problem: Not enough workers | Reuters. European Executives Eye US Green Plan With Envy in Davos – Bloomberg.
A Chart: China Dominates the Rare Earth Market | Statista.
BlackRock’s Larry Fink Says ESG Narrative Has Become Ugly, Personal – Bloomberg. Federal Reserve Board – PR 1/17/2023: provides additional details on how its pilot climate scenario analysis exercise will be conducted and the information on risk management practices that will be gathered over the course of the exercise.... “Climate scenario analysis is distinct and separate from bank stress tests. The Board's stress tests are designed to assess whether large banks have enough capital to continue lending to households and businesses during a severe recession. The pilot climate scenario analysis exercise, on the other hand, is exploratory in nature and does not have capital consequences….”. SEC aims to set climate risk, cybersecurity rules before May | CFO Dive.
The EU’s pioneering carbon border tax | Financial Times. Why (Some) Central Banks Are Acting on Climate Change - The Washington Post. How Climate Catastrophe Could Be Averted If World Bank Helps Wall St – Bloomberg. Taiwan central bank to incorporate climate change risks into forecasting | Reuters. Global oil demand set to reach record high as China reopens, IEA says | Financial Times. Key sustainability trends that will drive decision-making in 2023 | S&P Global
The Nature Conservancy: 10 Places to Watch in 2023: PERSPECTIVES
The world just signed a new deal for nature—now it's time to put it into action.
Local League Climate Updates
By Claudia Keith
Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions.
Volunteers Needed
By Claudia Keith
Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas:
Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA
ODOT Transportation & DLCD/LCD Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities
Efficient Resilient Buildings
Public Health Climate Adaptation
Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team)
State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services)
CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets
Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment
Climate and Environmental Justice.
We all collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: The 2023 legislative session began Jan 17. If any area of Climate Emergency interests you, please contact Claudia Keith, CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.