By Tracy Farwell and Catherine Thomasson

Big wins and some losses on Climate Change in Salem

As we face another heatwave in Southern Oregon that sucks the desert dry due to drought we did have some wins…

HB 2021 – Clean Energy for All passed along party lines. This commits our 2 commercial electric companies to 100% clean, carbon-free energy by 2040 the strongest targets in the nation. The bill has the strongest labor and apprenticeship provisions ever included in a 100% clean law and contains multi-million dollar investments for community-based renewable energy and storage projects to protect marginalized and frontline communities during outages.

House Bill 2842 – Healthy Homes passed 56-2 in the House and awaits the governor’s signature. It creates a healthy homes program in the state’s health authority and provides grants for low-income households and landlords to repair residential units at the same time as energy efficiency work.

HB 2165: Electric Vehicle (EV) Incentives are extended for purchasing or leasing electric vehicles. The bill expands the Charge Ahead Electric Vehicle Rebate Program for low- and moderate-income residents and requires utilities to invest in EV infrastructure with at least half the funds going to underserved communities. 

HB 2180 EV Ready building codes are now required in new construction so that electrical hookups are available to cost-effectively install EV charging stations in the future. Sadly similar codes for solar have not been enacted or developed through the Executive Order on climate and in the next legislative session.

Unfortunately, SB 583 and HB 2924: Prohibition on future Confined Animal Feedlot Operations (CAFO’s) or mega-dairies died in the legislature, again!

Join the Multnomah Climate Action Team to learn more and to help create more wins in the future!