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Climate Emergency

Legislative Report - Week of 1/20

Climate Emergency Team

 

Coordinator: Claudia Keith

  • Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire

  • OHA & Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger

  • Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith

  • Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne

  • Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone 

  • Transportation: Claudia Keith

  • Clean Energy & GHGE Mitigation: Greg Martin

  • Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith

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Climate Emergency Updates


By Claudia Keith


There are now over 100 Environmental/Climate Legislative Bills posted or soon to be posted to OLIS in January. At this point here are a few that have been identified as potential League policy and/or budget Climate priorities:



Transportation package that prioritizes climate, equity, and wildlife: This package would build on the historic gains on HB 2017 (which included investments in public transit, Safe Routes to School, and vehicle electrification), to shift the focus to multimodal, safety, and climate-forward investments. This will create a system that saves money over time and builds a more resilient, equitable, and healthy future for all Oregonians.(see OCN Press Rel)

Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package*  (HB 3081, SB 88, LC 1547): Oregonians are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing utility bills in the face of ever-worsening climate impacts. HB 3081 would create an active navigator to help Oregonians access energy efficiency incentives all in one place. SB 88 limits the ability of utility companies from charging ratepayers for lobbying, litigation costs, fines, marketing, industry fees, and political spending. SB 553 LC 1547 ensures that large energy users (i.e. data centers) do not unfairly burden Oregon households. (*see OCN Press Rel)


Climate News:


Natural and Working Lands


By Josie Koehne


LWVOR is a member organization of the Natural Climate Solutions Coalition that meets weekly. The Coalition is monitoring the implementation of the Natural Working Lands Fund. The legislature approved $10million in 2023 to implement the Climate Change and Carbon Plan (CCCP) approved by the Oregon Department of Forestry in 2021. See our supporting testimony. The funds are funneled through the Oregon Water Enhancement Board (OWEB) to the other Natural Resource agencies, the Dept of Agriculture, Oregon Fish & Wildlife and the Dept of Forestry (ODF) for grants for climate-smart incentives. The LWVOR submitted these comments concerning ODF’s use of the Funds for the Board of Forestry meeting on Jan. 8 and 9th. These comments were referred to by State Forester Cal Mukumoto in his opening remarks, saying he would follow up on the suggestion we made to redirect some of the funds for a dedicated position to implement climate-smart forestry practices throughout the Department. We will be making a budget request during the upcoming session for his Climate Coordinator position. 


At the Board meeting on Jan 9, a panel of six climate researchers from Oregon State University’s College of Forestry discussed their areas of expertise and offered to work with the Board to assist in making scientifically informed decisions. An excellent presentation by Dr. Matthew Betts ended that morning with a very lively discussion and much interest from the Board for future collaboration. A video of that portion of the Board meeting can be found here. The day concluded on a very sad note when an emotional Chair Kelly announced that State Forester Cal Mukumotois was resigning his position as head of the agency and would end his term in just two weeks, due to “politics”. We are very unhappy to hear of his departure. Bob Van Dyck also has resigned, and January 9th was his last day serving on the Board.


House CE&E Committee Meeting - December 11, 2024 -from notes received

 -  Work session:


The committee voted to adopt these LCs to be introduced as committee bills:

LC 649 – Bottle Bill changes

LC 701 – Rebates for purchase of battery-powered leaf blowers

LC 1513 – PUC must create rules and framework for microgrids

LC 1514 – Allows third party to evaluate a request to connect a project to a power system

LC 1516 – PUC must take “certain actions to support microgrids”

LC 2097 – Creates Agrivoltaics Task Force to study agrivoltaics

LC 3674 – Requires battery makers to collect and recycle batteries

Invited testimony:

 

Community Resiliency Programs Updates


Ed Flick, Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS): HB 3409 authorized programs to address wildfire smoke, extreme heat and cold. ODHS is building congregate shelters for 28 communities across the state, deploying portable equipment including climate trailers, building coastal infrastructure for earthquake and tsunami evacuation.


Resilience hubs are designed to operate every day, not just in emergencies. Have received 700+ applications from 35 counties with requests totaling $173 million ($10m available), identified 89 applications for award.


Praise for the program from Greater Douglas United Way and Thrive Umpqua.

Hannah Satein, Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE): County Energy Resilience Program (HB 3630) goal is to provide communities with energy for hospitals, law enforcement, waste management, water supply, etc. during energy disruption. Awards up to $50K per county. Applications accepted through Feb. 2025.


Christy Splitt, ODOE: Community Renewable Grant Program (HB 2021) provides public bodies, tribes, utilities with grants to plan for and build renewable energy projects. Has invested $70 million since 2021 for 44 construction grants and 50 planning grants in 28 counties outside of Portland. Demand has been twice as high as available dollars. ODOE also administers Oregon’s participation in the federal grid resilience program and has submitted the state energy security plan.


Oregon Environmental Quality Commission Meeting


January 9, 2025. (~40 participants at peak)

Presentation slides of the Department of Environmental Quality for the following items are available for download on the EQC rulemaking web page.


Clean Fuels Program (CFP) Updates Rulemaking


The CFP, in effect since 2016, is expected to bring about roughly half of the overall greenhouse gas emission reduction that Oregon has targeted through 2035.DEQ previewed this rulemaking at its November meeting. The primary goals are to harmonize CFP rules with similar rules in California and Washington and to improve program efficiency by accommodating new fuel technologies in Oregon. The rule changes are narrow and technical, focused on the methods and data sources used to determine the carbon intensity (CI) values of transportation fuels used in Oregon. This includes updating the full well-to-wheels OR-GREET fuel CI model and updating and adding simplified calculators for Tier 1 fuels.


This rulemaking also adds requirements for (1) high-risk pathways to use attested source feedstocks to better ensure the environmental integrity of those fuels; (2) third-party verification of fuel pathway applications and electricity reporting (excluding residential EV credits); and (3) CFP handling of fuel pathways with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects.


Per DEQ, CCS projects pose a unique risk to crediting under the CFP, as the CI score reflects carbon that is stored geologically and there is a risk that the stored carbon may be emitted in future years. The rule change addresses this by requiring fuel pathways with CCS to set aside some of the credits they would otherwise generate into a new reserve account in case of future carbon leaking. California’s CCS protocol uses the same risk-based methodology. DEQ plans to review this provision in 2029 to determine if an update is needed.

EQC voted unanimously to adopt the proposed rule amendments.


E-Cycles 2024 Rulemaking


DEQ presented proposed rules to implement HB 3220 (2023), which modernizes Oregon’s electronics recycling program launched in 2009.


Under E-Cycles, electronics producers must share in the responsibility for the end- of-life management of their products and materials. Effective Jan. 1, 2026, HB 3220 greatly expands the list of electronic devices a recycling collection site must accept (See E-cycles 2024 Rulemaking Item D Presentation  slide 9 ) and requires each county to maintain a permanent collection site, so that 95% of Oregon residents are within 15 miles of a site. Producer Responsibility Organizations must provide fair financial compensation for collection site operators. During the rulemaking process, DEQ modified the proposal to respond to comments the agency received regarding enforcement, market share, fees, reporting, product categories, and other issues. Slides 16–27 summarize the final proposed changes. Slides 28–31 summarize the projected fiscal and racial equity impacts. In brief, manufacturers provide the program funding to cover DEQ’s oversight costs. DEQ anticipates no direct costs to the public. The rules could reduce local government costs related to illegal dumping of covered devices. Collection sites, transporters, and processors may experience impacts related to environmentally sound management practices.

The commission voted unanimously to adopt the proposed amendments.


Public Forum


Strong statements by Columbia Riverkeepers and other organizations opposing DEQ’s approval of water quality permit for the NEXT Energy biofuel refinery on the Columbia River.

 

Climate-Friendly Equitable Communities (CFEC) Program Update


Carbon Sequestration 


See also the Natural Resources Legislative Report


Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Budget Policy Option Package (POP) for 2025-27(Funding is in DSL budget: $10 million from the Common School Fund with a separate position in DEQ budget) POP 103 – Subsurface Geology and Mapping, is focused on the carbon sequestration in basalt in 108 northeast Oregon. The Director explained how the method is done and showed a picture of the results 109 taken in Iceland. This is a way of developing economy in northeast Oregon and to meet the 110 climate goals/objectives of the State. It is in partnership with POP 106 – MLRR Class VI Injection 111 Well Regulatory Program, to create the regulatory program.. Oreogn is hoping the EPA approves Oregon's Primacy to take on this program.


Geologic carbon sequestration possibilities in the Pacific Northwest:  Two areas of study and opportunity are recognized for future Geologic Carbon Sequestration in the Pacific Northwest: the Western Oregon and Washington Basins and the Columbia Basin of eastern Oregon and Washington. See the U.S. Geological Survey interactive map for additional information – Geologic Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Interactive Map | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov).


Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust (OCT) 



By Claudia Keith


Recent OCT Press Releases: January 13, 2025

Merkley, Schakowsky Lead 41 Members of Congress in Filing US Supreme Court Brief Supporting Landmark Juliana v. US Youth Climate Rights Lawsuit; Public Justice & Montana Trial Lawyers Association Join in Separate Brief


Here is one example of how to track DEQ CPP cases.

Basically, there are several active federal lawsuits, Jan 2025 update) “Montana Supreme Court Ruled that State Law Restricting Consideration of Climate Change in Environmental Reviews Violated Youth Plaintiffs’ Right to a Clean and Healthful Environment”

 

Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 83 lawsuits, mentioning OREGON.

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