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By Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator and Team
Please consider joining the CE team. We have several critical volunteer openings. Natural and Working Lands Agriculture & Food Insecurity: Public Health, Fossil Fuel (FF) Infrastructure, and Regional Solutions / Community Resilience Hubs. The topic of Transportation has been moved to the Natural Resources Legislative Report.
Climate Emergency Highlights
LWVOR submitted Climate Protection Program (CPP) testimony to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) May 12, 2024, Proposed Rulemaking.
Oregon Climate Action Commission Recruiting Members–The Oregon Climate Action Commission (OCAC was OGWC) is seeking members to support its work and advance its statutory duties. Interested Oregon residents with experience in environmental justice, manufacturing, or the fishing industry are encouraged to apply for one of the commission’s vacant voting positions. The commission is also seeking a youth member (aged 16 to 24) to serve a two-year voting member term. Applications submitted by July 17, 2024 will receive priority consideration.
The Oregon Climate Action Commission will meet on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Read more about the meeting here.
EQC ( Environmental Quality Commission) May Meeting: Included a formal report from DEQ Director.
Interim Legislative Day Public Meetings
(We lacked a League observer for these meetings, so no meeting notes are available, but links to the video recording, meeting materials and agendas are provided.) Note the interim Leg day meeting agendas are influenced by Leg leadership; likely to include future priority topics. The League continues to be disappointed that updating Greenhouse Gas Energy (GHGE) targets and structural rules changing how 60+ state agencies/entities optimize/coordinate/congruent cohesive budget for climate change planning is not listed.
Interim House Climate Energy & Environment Committee
The meeting covered a number of topics with meeting materials provided. The Informational Meeting: Invited Speakers and recording addressed issues dealing with where to site energy facilities.
Interim House Committee on Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans
This meeting included topics primarily related to winter storms and wildfires Video Link , Meeting Materials
Interim Senate Committee Energy and Environment
Link to Video Recording and link to Meeting Materials which include reports from the Citizens Utility Board, the Public Utility Commission, and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative.
News
Local climate group joins campaign to put environmental rights in Oregon Constitution - Ashland News - Community-Supported, NonProfit News
Locals want environmental rights in Oregon Constitution | Environment | rv-times.com
Why do we need the Oregon Coalition for an Environmental Rights Amendment? | Jefferson Public Radio
5 takeaways from the (likely) demise of the Juliana climate case
By Lesley Clark | 05/30/2024 06:33 AM EDT: | EE News: The landmark youth lawsuit never made it to trial, but it left a legacy. Lawyers behind the case say the fight isn’t over yet.
Giant Hail That Batters Homes, Solar Power Is Growing Weather Threat | Bloomberg
As insurers around the U.S. bleed cash from climate shocks, homeowners lose | WLRN
Memo: Hurricanes, Severe Weather, Climate Change, and an Unfolding Insurance Crisis - Public Citizen
Poll: Majority of American Voters Favor Climate Litigation Against Big Oil – Mother Jones,
NOW Rising to Meet the Climate Crisis - Part 5 Gov. Jay Inslee - YouTube
More Than 200 Tribes and Four Territories Covered by Climate Action Plans with Support from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act -Key milestone reached as part of $5B Climate Pollution Reduction Grants Program -May 6, 2024 | Federal EPA PR
DEQ CPP Program
DEQ will hold three advisory committee meetings. The public is welcome to attend all meetings virtually. There will be an opportunity for the public to give oral comments or provide written comments following each meeting. Meeting dates and tentative times are below. Instructions to attend by Zoom will be posted here. Recordings of advisory committee meetings are available upon request at CPP.2024@deq.oregon.gov .
Meeting 2: May 14, 2024, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT
• Agenda
• Meeting 2 Presentation Slides
• CPP 2024 Program Elements Brief
Join via Zoom Join by phone, dial 253-215-8782 Meeting ID: 896 2403 8879
Meeting 3: June 25, 2024, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT
State Treasury and Oregon Investment Council
Treasury: Oregon Investment Council: Invested for Oregon: State of Oregon April Meeting Minutes and May agenda, Public input, and audio recording.
Oregon Attorney General DOJ Climate work: OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL Spotlight: Warming Climate list of a number of DOJ actions related to Climate issues)
Climate County, State, Federal, and Global Lawsuits
Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits, (May 2024 update) some of 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.
Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 75 lawsuits, mentioning Oregon.
Climate Lawsuit News
Climate court cases that could set precedents around the world | Reuters | May 2024
KUOW / NPR- How an ambitious lawsuit reshaped environmental law — without ever going to trial – 5/22/24
Our Children’s Trust – Recent Press Releases
May 22, 2024
Alaskan Youth File New Constitutional Climate Lawsuit Against State Government
May 21, 2024
May 21, 2024
Youth plaintiffs file amended complaint in climate case against U.S. EPA and OMB.
May 20, 2024
Montana Supreme Court Sets Date for Oral Argument in Held v. State of Montana
Rep. David Gomberg’s newsletter published on June 8, 2024