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Oregon Legislative Days November 2021 The Oregon legislature is meeting Monday through Thursday this week, starting this morning. LWVOR can use volunteer observers. If these topics interest you, please click the committee agenda links, click the video buttons (under “MEETINGS” on the right), watch and summarize proceedings. Committee agendas are linked below. Interested in helping out? Contact us for instructions to share and join our team! We can use more observers for health and transportation, for starters! Send us an email at lwvor@lwvor.org. Thank you! Monday, November 15 8:00-10:30 Senate Judiciary and Ballot Measure 110 Implementation Committee: Ramos Decision (Potential Overturning of Cases Decided by Non-Unanimous Juries) Ballot Measure 110 Update Compassionate Medical Release Work Group Update Implementation of Delta-9 Cannabis Regulations House Housing Committee: Update on Housing Planning and Zoning Requirements: HB 2001 (2019) and HB 2003 (2019) Construction Costs and Regulatory Barriers New Home Construction Discussion of Committee Members’ 2022 Legislative Concepts 11:00-12:15 Joint Ways and Means, Human Services Subcommittee: Consent Grants Oregon Health Authority - Health Insurance Marketplace Oregon Health Authority - Climate and Health Program Individual Items Oregon Health Authority - Mobile Crisis Services Oregon Health Authority - Provider Relief Fund Oregon Health Authority - COVID-19 Federal Awards 12:45-2:00 Senate Rules and Executive Appointments: Appointments to Boards and Commissions and Executive Appointments that Require Senate Confirmation. (See agenda for list of appointments.) Joint Ways and Means, Education Subcommittee: Consent Grants Higher Education Coordinating Commission - Comprehensive and Accessible Reemployment Higher Education Coordinating Commission - Fostering Access, Rights, and Equity Higher Education Coordinating Commission - AmeriCorps Volunteer Generation Fund Department of Education - Preventing School Violence Individual Items Department of Education - Summer Learning Grant Programs Department of Education - Department of Early Learning and Care and ERDC Transfer Department of Education - Child Care Development Fund Cash Flow Joint Ways and Means, Public Safety Subcommittee: Consent Grants Criminal Justice Commission - Smart Probation Criminal Justice Commission - Project Safe Neighborhoods Military Department - Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Individual Items Judicial Department - Elder Justice Innovation Department of Corrections - Overtime Usage Military Department - Ten-Year Capital Construction Plan Department of Justice - Housing Stabilization for Survivors Department of Justice - Child Support Payment Processing Services 2:30-5:00 Senate Education: K-12 School Reopening Prison and Reentry Education Programs Summer Learning SB 283 (2019) Report: Concerns Regarding the Health Impacts of Wireless in Schools Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery: Organic Food Production in Oregon Private Forest Accord 2021 Oregon Fire Season SB 762 (2021) Implementation Updates: Wildfire Oversight: Wildfire Programs Director and Council Fire-Adapted Communities Wildland-Urban Interface & Statewide Map of Wildfire Risk Emergency Planning Electric System Plans Health Systems for Smoke Defensible Space Building Codes Land Use Hazardous Fuel Reduction Fuel Reduction Activities Oregon Conservation Corps House Business and Labor: Recovery of Workers’ Compensation Benefit Overpayments Data Broker Registration Worker Classification Discussion of Potential Concepts for the 2022 Legislative Session House Human Services: Oregon Department of Human Services Updates Oregon State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Support Services for Afghan Arrivals Tuesday, November 16 8:00-10:30 Senate Energy and Environment: Oregon Clean Fuels Program Oregon Global Warming Commission Natural and Working Lands Report Biennial Zero Emissions Report Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub Risk Analysis and Recommendations House Agriculture and Land Use: Impact of Natural Disasters on Oregon Agriculture Risks to Agricultural Ownership and Land Use Patterns Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program House Health Care: Oregon’s HealthCare Workforce Crisis Transforming Care: Role of the Oregon Health Policy Board Update on the Coverage/Access Landscape Discussion of Member Legislative Concepts for the 2022 Legislative Sessions 8:00-9:30 Joint Legislative Audits: 2022-23 Audit Plan Risk Assessment: Committee Member Input and Requests - Secretary of State Audits Division State of Oregon Financial Condition and Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports - Secretary of State Audits Division Oregon Government Ethics Commission (Report 2021-14) - Secretary of State Audits Division ODOT Wildfire Debris Removal Advisory Report (Report 2021-30) - Secretary of State Audits Division 11-1:30 Senate Veterans & Emergency Preparedness: COVID-19 Testing – Veterans and the General Population Veterans’ Housing and the Impact of COVID-19 House Veterans & Emergency Preparedness: Veterans’ License Plates The New Department of Emergency Management – Implementation of HB 2927 Discussion of Grant for State Preparedness & Incident Response Equipment (SPIRE) Treatment of Military Members Assisting with COVID-Related Missions In-State Fire Season Update – Now and Future Veterans’ Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Landscape Grant Program Updates House Economic Recovery & Prosperity: Business Oregon Program Updates Economic Development Tools for Local Jurisdictions OLCC Updates and Cannabis Regulation Overview Update on Study of System Development Charges Required by HB 3040 (2021) 11:00-12:15 Joint Ways and Means, Natural Resources Subcommittee: Consent Grants Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Outreach and Training Department of Agriculture - Animal Disease Response Department of Geology and Mineral Industries - LIDAR Acquisition Department of Geology and Mineral Industries - 3D Elevation Program Department of State Lands - Wetland Program Development Individual Items Department of Agriculture - Seafood Processors Pandemic Assistance Department of Geology and Mineral Industries - State Map Program Department of Forestry - 2021 Fire Season Joint Ways and Means, Transportation and Economic Development Subcommittee: Consent Grants Employment Department - Short Time Compensation Employment Department - Unemployment Insurance Accessibility Department of Transportation - Transportation Innovation Council Department of Transportation - Advanced Congestion Management Technologies Department of Transportation - Accelerated Innovation Deployment Individual Items Housing and Community Services Department - Housing Stability Counseling Oregon Business Development Department - Broadband Infrastructure Oregon Business Development Department - Pandemic Economic Recovery Planning Department of Veterans' Affairs - Provider Relief Fund Department of Transportation - Bus and Bus Facilities Program Department of Consumer and Business Services - Oregon OSHA COVID-19 Activities Department of Consumer and Business Services - Workers' Compensation Premium Assessment 12:45-2:00 Joint Information Management & Technology: Cybersecurity, Ransomware, and Cybersecurity Education & Workforce Development: Impacts on public and private sector organizations Joint Ways and Means, General Government Subcommittee: Individual Items Public Employees Retirement System - Changes to Actuarial Methods and Assumptions Department of Administrative Services - Lottery Bond Refunding Department of Administrative Services - Article XI-G Bond Refunding Department of Administrative Services - Compensation Plan Changes Judicial Department - Compensation Plan Changes 2:30-5:00 Senate Labor & Business: Farmworker Overtime Delta-8 Cannabis Regulation Administration of the Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Tax Rates Oregon Workplace Fairness Act Senate Health Care: OHA COVID Update Brain Injury Trust Legislative Concept In Vitro Fertilization Legislative Concept Health Equity Data Mapping Task Force on Universal Health Care House Education: K-12 Update College/University Reopening Update on HB 2835 (Benefits Navigators) State Financial Aid Programs Implementation of HB 2166 (2021): Diversifying the Educator Workforce, Limiting Suspensions/Expulsions House Judiciary: Ballot Measure 110 Update Public Defense Services Commission Update Update from the Department of Justice Labor Trafficking Task Force Discussion of Proposed 2022 Legislation Wednesday, November 17 8-10:30 Joint Ways and Means: Approval of Grants and Reports from Subcommittees Individual Items 1. Judicial Department - Compensation Plan Changes 2. Judicial Department - Elder Justice Innovation 7. Department of Education - Summer Learning Grant Programs 8. Department of Education - Department of Early Learning and Care and ERDC Transfer 9. Department of Education - Child Care Development Fund Cash Flow 11. Oregon Health Authority - Mobile Crisis Services 13. Oregon Health Authority - Provider Relief Fund 14. Oregon Health Authority - COVID-19 Federal Awards 17. Department of Corrections - Overtime Usage 19. Military Department - Ten-Year Capital Construction Plan 20. Department of Justice - Housing Stabilization for Survivors 22. Department of Justice - Child Support Payment Processing Services 25. Housing and Community Services Department - Housing Stability Counseling 26. Oregon Business Development Department - Broadband Infrastructure 27. Oregon Business Development Department - Pandemic Economic Recovery Planning 28. Department of Veterans' Affairs - Provider Relief Fund 31. Department of Agriculture - Seafood Processors Pandemic Assistance 34. Department of Geology and Mineral Industries - State Map Program 36. Department of Forestry - 2021 Fire Season 40. Department of Transportation - Bus and Bus Facilities Program 41. Department of Consumer and Business Services - Oregon OSHA COVID-19 Activities 42. Department of Consumer and Business Services - Workers' Compensation Premium Assessment 43. Public Employees Retirement System - Changes to Actuarial Methods and Assumptions 44. Department of Administrative Services - Lottery Bond Refunding 45. Department of Administrative Services - Article XI-G Bond Refunding 46. Department of Administrative Services - Compensation Plan Changes 11-1:30 House COVID-19: OHA Update K-12 School Update COVID-19 Variant and Outbreak Update Health System Update Vaccine & Testing Verification Processes House Water: 2021 Drought Update on Community Water Systems Affected by 2020 Wildfires Framework for Conversations about Oregon’s Water Future, 2021-2023 House Wildfire Recovery: 2021 Investments in Wildfire Impacted Communities Update: Housing Related to 2020 Wildfire Recovery 12:45-2:00 Senate Finance and Revenue with House Revenue: December Economic and Revenue Forecast 2:30-5:00 Senate Human Services, Mental Health & Recovery: Overview of Developmental Disabilities System and “Agency with Choice” Oregon LGBTQ+ Older Adult Survey Refugee Resettlement Youth Voices Senate Housing and Development: Current Eviction Landscape Rental Assistance and Wildfire Recovery Panel on Homeownership House Behavioral Health: Behavioral Health Package of Resources Update Update on Ballot Measure 110 Implementation 9-8-8 Workgroup Update Behavioral Health Systems Needs Oregon State Hospital Update Joint Transportation: ODOT Projects and Programs Update DMV Status Report Update Renewable Fuels Briefing Transportation Equity in Oregon Wildfire Cleanup and Recovery Update Thursday, November 18 11:00-1:00 Task Force on Underrepresented Students in Higher Education: Task Force Work Plan Orientation by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission on Current Conditions for Underrepresented Students Thanks to Senator Michael Dembrow, SD 23, 11/14/21

Photo by Callum Shaw on Unsplash The annual UN Climate Conference, COP26, is underway in Glasgow, Scotland and 5 League representatives are attending this year as delegates for the League of Women Voters of the U.S. The team will be reporting daily for the duration of the conference. See the reports below. 11/10: Week 2, Day 4 of COP26 Submitted by the LWVUS COP26 Delegation Negotiations Some NGOs (Women, Young people, enviros) are demanding that if a market mechanism is put in place, strong safeguards must be included. This would include having an independent grievance process which would allow those impacted to have their concerns addressed. At this COP, there is a strong sentiment that the market mechanism will only benefit companies and rich countries. Small island states, indigenous peoples, and the people in developing nations will be harmed. Thus, there is a strong push from outside the ministerial meetings to include language that will address these issues. Furthermore, the delegates are reluctant to come to an agreement on how loss and damage, adaptation issues should be addressed. Most of the efforts in the negotiations have been spent on mitigation. At this point in the negotiations, the negotiating is being done, primarily, by blocks of nations, such as a group called the “Group of 77 + China”, “Alliance of Small Island States” (AOSIS), and “Like-Minded Developing Countries” (LMDC). These groups have enormous sway and seem to be driven by one country. For example, the LMDC seems to be directed by Saudi Arabia. There is a good article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2021/nov/10/cop26-draft-text-annotated-what-it-says-and-what-it-means, which contains annotations to help explain the language of a draft of the COP outcome statement. There is a People’s Plenary on Friday to make the outcomes of this COP recognize the citizens of the world, especially those most impacted by climate change. At a UNICEF event, it was stated that only 29 countries have signed onto the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action (https://www.unicef.org/environment-and-climate-change/climate-declaration ). The US has not. It is time that the US signed onto this very important declaration. Launch of the UN's Green Events Tool, 11 Nov Events have a significant carbon footprint. You can follow how the UN is doing with mitigating its environmental footprint from its facilities and operations in its annual Greening the Blue Report. For example, COP 26 is intended to be the first carbon neutral COP. The free Green Events Tool originally was developed to green UN events. It now will be made available to anyone wanting to make their events more sustainable, regardless of event size. It includes sustainability practices and a GHG footprint calculator to help event planners focus their GHG reductions and is integrated with building certifications. Event planners can take greening steps all the way up to certification. Release to organizational users and medium/large events will happen in the first quarter of next year. This launch follows the global events industry's 10 November announcement of a Net Zero Carbon Events pledge. Signatories commit to publish before the end of 2023 their organization’s pathway to achieve net zero by 2050, with an interim target in line with the Paris Agreement’s requirement to reduce global GHG emissions by 50% by 2030, and to report on progress at least every two years. This roadmap already has been adopted by 109 venues, organizers, suppliers, and associations. 11/10: Week 2, Day 3 of COP26 Submitted by the LWVUS COP26 Delegation Climate Change and its Threats to Takistan Climate Change and its Threats to Takistan was well attended. The International Bamboo and Rattan Organization had items displayed and elaborate posters. I was alarmed when I passed the Nuclear for Climate exhibit --- “Nuclear is a proven low carbon source of energy.” #NetZeroNeedsNuclear Qatar was presenting to a full house about “filling the enforcement gaps”. And there was a good crowd listening to the presentation by the representative of the Republic of Congo. China may not be attending COP26 but that country didn’t miss an opportunity to market itself in the China Corporate Pavilion – “Facing the Future, Daring to Initiate.” Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE and many others have elaborate displays and presentations for anyone they might lure into their spots. Green Climate Fund (GCF) Innovation Working Paper GCF has surveyed farmers all over the world starting with “What can you do on your farm?” to find out mitigation and adaptation methods that they could and would be willing to do. They hope to complete the survey by COP27 and will have a report then. Everything is about what’s in soils. Politics may differ but soil is always soil so there is a constant for communications around the world. There are actions that have direct benefits, but this always takes time. Working with existing problems is best because soil depletion is much harder to replenish. Unfortunately, this is a very common problem all over due to unsustainable farming practices. He quoted John Kerry as saying “The basis of sustainable of farming is the profit of farming.” It is important to diversify land use between food, textile and energy crops and converting from conventional to regenerative farming requires a special kind of loan. The Green Climate Fund works to provide gap funding for this process while making sure that the funds are used in the correct way. They believe that soil recovery and enrichment for agriculture does more about climate change in the shortest time when in partnership with farmers, financiers and policy makers. Reykjavik Green Deal Reykjavik Green Deal; Sustainability, Innovation & the Healthy City; Speaker Mayor of Reykjavik In 1932, this was a coal and wood-burning city with a dark cloud of smog hanging overhead. Since the Paris Agreement, they had been measuring their carbon footprint and studying transportation, land use, waste management and creating an Action Plan. Working with citizens and stakeholders, 100% of homes in the city now use geothermal for heating and they are now looking at alternatives to landfills as well. They are using CARBFIX for carbon capture, creating a type of stone, which is then used for municipal roadways and building projects. In addition, they now have programs to support wetlands and are planting ‘climate forests’. Iceland has a population of approximately 70,000 and 22% live in Reykjavik. Through careful study and planning, the city continues to reduce urban sprawl by building community spaces nearer to city offices, improving public transit, reducing the number of petrol stations and working to make Reykjavik a ‘Bicycle City’ with traffic patterns to create safe bike lanes. The mayor, a medical doctor, stated that one of the hardest things to do is change human behavior. Much progress was made while taking advantage of the break in routine caused by Covid. Every action taken makes the city more livable and healthier. The benefits to the population as well as the environment are clear. The best advice given to communities beginning this process is “measure, measure, measure”. One must have accurate tools to take appropriate action. Negotiations Still a hard road for the Ministers. British COP26 President Alok Sharma said on Tuesday negotiators at the United Nations' climate summit were making progress but there was still a mountain to climb to reach an agreement. The USA made the following announcement: The USA promoting gender equity and equality in responding to climate change as a priority of its National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality; investing at least $14 million of the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund toward gender-responsive climate programming; and investing more than $20 million towards initiatives to increase women’s economic opportunities in the clean energy sector, strengthen action on gender-based violence and the environment, address barriers to women’s land rights, and support women farmers in East Africa to adapt to climate impacts. 11/9: Week 2, Day 2 of COP26 Submitted by the LWVUS COP26 Delegation Negotiations Parties word-smithed a statement on Climate Finance. Words seem to matter to some more than others. Time was spent on whether or not the “welcome” or “to take note of” an item. More importantly, there was a discussion on the definition of climate financing. Some parties appeared to be saying that fossil fuel (clean or not) should be included. Another made a rather sarcastic remark that the United States had a 10-page definition of what climate financing is (need to look up this definition!) At the High-Level Segment where heads of delegations or the head of state make grand statements, a couple stood out from the ones we observed (the speeches are still going on). Iran made the point that it was hard to be ambitious in addressing climate change since sanctions prohibited them to accesses technology or funds that would help them to achieve reductions in their ambitions. Russia (yes they are here in the negotiations, just were not at the World Leader Summit) stated it would reach net zero by relying heavily on natural carbon sinks such as their forests and on clean fuel. More to follow. 11/8: Week 2, Day 1 of COP26 Submitted by the LWVUS COP26 Delegation Former President Obama spoke in the afternoon to a capacity crowd. One of our delegates managed to get in the room partway through his speech. It was a powerful speech, especially the second half in which he spoke to the youth of the world. He emphasized that the UN process and getting to a climate agreement is political and it can’t be ignored. He urged the youth that the one most important step they could take is to vote and to vote their interests. Here’s the link to the speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbikEWq_5b4. A Greenpeace event entitled "Net Zero Smoke and Mirrors, A Story of Betrayal" making the case against carbon market offsetting, had a panel discussing how companies and countries are using “net-zero” phrasing to hide behind efforts which seem to suggest emission reduction, but are not. One panelist suggested that individual targets to reduce emissions that a company says it is using should be examined closely, rather than any net-reduction target. The use of “net” is not a transparent way for a company to report its emission reduction. The Greenpeace panelist (a lawyer) suggested that the only way to hold companies and countries accountable is to sue. She listed several lawsuits that have been successful: Germany was successfully sued for not having a emission reduction plan, France also was found to have inadequate measures, and Shell (sued in the Netherlands) has been held liable for damaging the climate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QywPKXwesi0 "Loss and Damage" Day It was “Loss and Damage” day at Cop26. A recurrent theme today was the public/private partnership. It is critical for governments to support green economics in order to achieve maximum effectiveness. One cannot efficiently operate without the other. It is a topic in which many agree that a shift is needed, but there doesn't appear to be any political will where the power rests. Here’s a summary of one event: In Exploring Loss and Damage, the moderator tried to break silos and refresh a toxic stalemate. Barbados' PM said tropical nations already are on the front lines of Climate Change, which can be measured in % GDP loss. These countries have limited capacity and are burdened by cleaning up from the 70% of emissions caused by the Global North plus problems with paying insurance premiums for that damage. She seeks a 1% fossil-fuel consumption fee to produce more than $170B/year for a Loss and Damage fund for immediate liquidity and natural disaster clauses to suspend debt repayment for two years in the event of a natural disaster. Other speakers raised concerns about Climate Change's reducing protein sources, drinking water supplies, and destroying cultural heritage. More ambitious adaptation is needed. Migration already is occurring. At least the idea of involving corporate leaders to give back to damaged nation-states who really need it was raised in some fashion in the overlapping biennial High Level Ministerial Dialogue on climate finance under the CMA. From the U.S.Center’s, a panel on Adaptation: From planning to action where a representative from Canada spoke of their efforts to support NAP (National Adaptation Plan) to help developing countries advance their processes to work with accelerating climate change. Some of the places Canada has doubled its financial resources sent to Figi, Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands and Cote d’Ivoir, all of whom are at grave risk from rising seas. Canada is also working to help scale up efforts regarding climate action and to allow mainstreaming of gender (equality) in order to be more effective in dealing with dire circumstances. There were a number of funding resource representatives in the audience. Also speaking was a UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development official, who explained their adaptation and climate resilience must be met with an ‘all governments/all society’ approach and vowed to integrate consciousness of women, girls, indigenous people and others when purchasing. The goal is to reach adaptation resilience by 2030 and have included a ‘water tracker’ that evaluates risks and sets policies for NAP water issues due to climate change. NAP is looking for funding commitments for the coming year. A presentative from Granada is making funding requests and feel that the adaptation implementation should be centralized in public social services because ease of communication and identification of the most vulnerable starts there and adds that there should be a cabinet-level position created in order to oversee the work because of the need for rigorous fiduciary standards to ensure correct use of funds. A ground-up approach with front-line communications and a local approach is favored. The proof is in implementation or sitting merely as a good idea. (An audience member called out Canada as guilty of hypocrisy due to its ill treatment of indigenous people.) In the Resilience Lab, a panel discussed some of the emotional aspects of climate science and global community. Human capacity for solidarity and the difference between psychology and ideology (religion, race, gender, etc) being all imagined communities as well as concepts of time and technology. We don’t experience that we are one with others, but we all have the common experience of crisis. Politically created problems must have politically worked answers and the common thread through many speeches is to express a threat with all its psychological possibilities. The speaker from Save the Children said we were all children once and can look back for solutions. A ‘green’ transition will likely have a high level of positive impact, whereas 8% have serious risk from extreme events and this rises to 18% if they are geographically vulnerable. We can build on things we share in common, such as children’s educations. There is a great emphasis on collaboration rather than competition and that exacerbates the issues and this is apparent in social media. Other ideas discussed by the panel were: We need a mechanism to work with differences Finding common values Funding positive intervention Regional security (or not)- the need for protection ‘I protect you” Questions regarding values, then drawing interest based on common values A holistic approach to community without borders or boundaries Finding common values and drawing interest based on those values Women’s solidarity and respect for other cultures as a foundation for sharing. Sharing of educational resources throughout the world. Language is important, using we rather than I or me. In the Denmark pavilion – a panel on Climate Finance (Institutional Investors) The panel discussed climate finance and the need for public/private partnerships. Private must be willing to invest and should have government support for needed programs. For instance, Denmark’s ambition is to mobilize $1b investments in solar by 2030. Why? Solar is not a practical energy source for these northern countries. Wind power is the order of the day there. However, Denmark and their Nordic partners realize the value of supporting action that may not support them directly but will support them indirectly by ameliorating climate crises in other areas, thus reducing the deleterious effects of climate change. They also feel a moral imperative to use their wealth to enhance the lives of others. It is important to create a roadmap of international solar needs and get it done within a year and continue working until the work is complete. 800 million have no access to solar or wind power and many are in developing economies—they included China in this assessment. Shipping and aviation are two specific areas to focus on and the actions must be changeable if necessary with reasonable targets for the short term. 11/5: Day 5 of COP26 Submitted by the LWVUS COP26 Delegation Today in Brief Al Gore gave an inspiring presentation: "The Danger We're In and the Case for Hope". You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAJ_Vx3XUdw. Here are our takeaways: "The Danger We're In and the Case for Hope" presented hundreds of images and videos from current weather disasters that are attributable to climate change. He said that he used to have to search for images for these presentations, but these events are happening so frequently now that he had several images that had just occurred in the past week. Atmospheric rivers result in rain bombs and flash flooding (NYC this summer), heat waves lead to uninhabitable temperatures (Pacific NW this summer, town in Iran had a temperature of 165 degrees, not compatible with life - leading to climate migration), high temperatures lead to drought (Madagascar climate, famine), and heating oceans results in toxic algae blooms (fish shortage for consumption) and coral reef bleaching (loss of biodiversity). He did speak of reasons to have hope at the end of the talk. Solar and wind energy is approaching similar pricing to fossil fuels and should be cheaper within the next three years. Several countries are destroying their coal plants as they are no longer cost-effective. Green hydrogen is getting new investments and becoming more reasonable as an alternative solution to fossil fuels. Once the world reaches true net-zero, the earth's temperature will stop increasing in as soon as 3-5 years, and half of human-made CO2 would be absorbed into the ocean/trees in about 25-30 years. Following that presentation, there was an event called "Destination 2030", where several panels gave hope that we can reduce our carbon emissions by 2030. We have the technology, we just need to act (as Gina McCarthy says). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgTxzTbwMWQ Negotiations Slow progress to create text that the climate ministers can work to finalize next week. Lots of people pushing to get the work done to finalize the Paris Agreement rule book, but several parties are putting up roadblocks for one reason or another. Disability-Inclusive Climate Action: Rights and Obligations LWVUS was the co-sponsor of an event entitled: Disability-Inclusive Climate Action: Rights and Obligations. LWVUS moderated the event. The panel included His Excellency Jan Walberg, Ambassador for Climate Change, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland; Katherine Lofts, McGill Univ; Susie Fitton, Inclusion Scotland; Pratima Gurung, Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Global Network; Cara Schulte, Human Rights Watch; Jose Viera, International Disability Alliance; and Sue Swenson, Inclusion International. Watch the LWVUS hosted event here: 11/4: Day 4 of COP26 Submitted by the LWVUS COP26 Delegation Today's events featured a presentation of the IPCC's recent report that was released in August 2021: "Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis". The trailer for the report can be viewed here and was played at the beginning of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Vx_a6F57Q. The co-chair of the committee covered the following topics: current state of the climate, possible climate futures, climate information for risk and adaptation, and limiting climate change. All of the panel members highly recommended use of their website (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-working-group-i/) and the resources available, including FAQ and their Interactive Atlas. USAID and EPA held an event in the US pavilion with several groups (Clean Cooking Alliance, Power Africa, and the WHO) to discuss "Advancing Clean Energy Access to Households for Climate and Health Equity". USAID and the EPA have promised to support these groups that work to reduce emissions from home cooking as well as to electrify homes and health systems throughout the US and developing world, ideally with renewable energy sources. Several of the panelists spoke of feminist climate justice in this discussion as women and children face most of the consequences of household air pollution (cooking with fire/rudimentary stoves) and health impacts from health clinics without electricity (pregnancy, childbirth; by providing electricity to a primary health clinic, infant mortality rates drop by 40%). Energy Day An historic day as the first day in all of the COPS to be dedicated to renewable energy and no more fossil fuels. Saw presentations for offshore wind, green hydrogen, and small modular nuclear reactor energy. At the US Center Interior Secretary Deb Haaland kicked off the presentation of the US goal (from March 2021) of building 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind farms by 2030. Already have plans for 19 GW off of MA. Partnering with Denmark for their expertise. Denmark minister discussed that they have started transitioning from oil/gas production in the North Sea to wind energy. They are on target to reduce emissions 70% by 2030, and will become net negative and energy exporter in the future. Italian minister claimed that 1.25 million jobs are supported by the wind energy sector, with 10,000-15,000 jobs/GW wind power created. Delegates saw the Green Hydrogen Show. Green hydrogen is created by electrolysis of water. I believe hydrogen can then be stored to power electrical generation later. Australian companies are developing green hydrogen and green ammonia to power mining and heavy industry. It needs big capital investment upfront. Something to watch. US Center hosted a joint agreement with Romania to build a small modular nuclear reactor. Small modular nuclear reactors have different cooling mechanisms to make them much, much safer than our present nuclear reactors. This is a continuation of the agreement since the Reagan administration for help in bringing their nuclear reactors up to US safety codes. Attending negotiations was tougher today. The Article 6 negotiations were full (no chairs left) and only a few seats for observers. In one negotiation related to science and research, the group was attempting to agree to a statement that accepted documents from various UN organizations such as WMO and IPCC. The statement also was drafted to thank the organizations for their work. However, after 1 hour, only 4 of the 16 short paragraphs had been spoken to, and the group of member states could not agree to the text. Saudi Arabia is being particularly troublesome as they thought the statement “It [the SBSTA] encouraged Parties to use the information to inform their actions under the Convention and the Paris Agreement" went a bit too far! If the member states are having difficulty agreeing to such a statement – how are they ever going to agree on how to create a market for trading carbon credits! Want help with monitoring and understanding your local area’s carbon emissions? Go to this website http://ig3is.wmo.int to check out the Integrated Global Greenhouse Gas Information System. 11/3: Day 3 of COP26 Submitted by the LWVUS COP26 Delegation Here’s some of what we learned today: Heard from John Kerry about the US’s part of the pledge to reduce deforestation by 2030. Treasury Dept’s pledge to use resources to fight environmental crime. USAID’s pledge to aid foreign countries to save forests and respect indigenous people’s lands. Additionally, financial institutions, part of the Forest Investment Club and the LEAF foundation as well as others that represent 9 trillion in portfolios, pledged to divest of projects that cut forests for agricultural use by 2025. "We have the new currency that the world needs: biodiversity." Another take on the same event: The US pavilion had a press conference this morning to announce that five developing countries (Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nepal, Ghana, Vietnam) have signed letters of intent to join the LEAF Coalition for tropical forest conservation. These countries are agreeing to limit deforestation and help with reforestation in their own countries, which will offset private companies' carbon usage with carbon trading (Amazon, AirBnB, Walmart.com). I thought Ecuador's representative had a particularly meaningful quote, "We have the new currency that the world needs: biodiversity." Heard from another discussion regarding global governance for global forestry, noted the need for adequate payment for environmental services. There are many issues, such as equity in price on carbon, reciprocity of what developed countries have done in past and what less developed countries are doing today, avoiding corruption, and allowing sustainable logging while considering action to save forests without creating unintended consequences. The EU and UK appear to think of the Congo River Basin as the US thinks of the Amazon. They are very concerned about deforestation. An example is that the Paris Olympic committee is using wood to avoid C from cement in building venues and Olympic village. And they are banning tropical timber to make a statement of avoiding tropical deforestation. In doing this, they are harming the well being of the villages of the rainforests that are the best group to conserve. Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo are perhaps #1 and 2 in the world in being either lowest carbon emissions or negative due to their extensive forests. Reciprocity needs to be considered as the UK has the lowest forest cover of just about anywhere. They have already done their deforestation, but nobody is banning timber exports. Other issue is that C is priced at $5/ton C for Congo area GHG reduction projects vs $50-60/ton in EU. The lower price is created not by Gabon or Congo, but as a sort of currency of carbon markets. This cheapens the environmental services of the Congo Basin Forests. Sustainable logging can be a viable industry in the tropical rainforests of the Congo River Basin. There was a question about corruption in Congo and other African nations and forestry. What they have done to address this in 2006, 2009 is to have traceability stamps on products, and to split proceeds between local villages, companies and 30-40% to governments so as to reduce corruption and profit taking. Countries have followed these international agreements, yet are still being tartgeted. These countries need additional revenue to continue maintenance of forests and environmental services. Everyone agrees forests store carbon, provide water, support biodiversity, support villages, renewable resource. Today was Finance Day at COP and the United Nations Development Programme hosted a talk on "Socially Inclusive and Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Planning Solutions for Climate Resilience" - several countries are adding gender terms and language to their climate promises in an effort to reach gender equality, but most speakers mentioned that "plans need to be implemented, they cannot stay plans". Also – The Women and Gender Constituency announced an action as delegates left the hall for the day. They lifted up the names of the women from the global south who could not attend COP – due to cost, visa issues, covid and other reasons. They need to be at the table. Another event, led by young people, spoke about how the youth of the world needed to also be at the negotiation table because they will inherit the earth. One speaker from Africa made the point that the youth need also to help find solutions, not just protest. And finally – negotiations are plodding along. The issue of how often Nationally Determined Contributions need to be updated was finally in a form to send (in week 2) to the heads of delegations to make the decisions on the final text. But the negotiations for Article 6, which deals with carbon markets are not. Not only is there disagreement in whether or not language related to human rights should be included, there is disagreement in how non-GHG credits should be treated. There is a concern from some developed countries that “nature-based” credits can be misused, while other countries want to be able to use such credits. 11/2: Day 2 of COP26 Report submitted by Robin Tokmakian, LWVUS UN Observer for Climate Attended the Plenary Session on Forests and Land Use (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiKn-qKfO34). This event was a set of panel discussions to address the need to stop deforestation. In the session that we observed, it started off with a speech from His Royal Highness Prince Charles. (We missed the first part which PM Boris Johnson and President Biden addressed the group because of the long time it took to get through security! And then we had to get a special ticket to attend!) Prince Charles spoke about his “Natural Capital Investment Alliance” (NCIA). The NCIA looks to the finance community to create natural capital investing to help communities to reduce deforestation. Addresses were also heard from the PMs of Finland and Norway, and the President of the EU, each offered up money to help improve the health in forests, mainly in the Congo and Amazon regions. Other speakers were the heads of the WTO, World Economic Forum, Ford Foundation, and several indigenous groups. One indigenous person (Tuntiak Katan - Indigenous Org of Amazon River Basin) was very passionate about how we all needed to work together to restore our global forests (“All get into the canoe together”). With a sober nod to reality, the head of the Nature Conservancy shed a light on all the proposed funding and ambition. She reminded us that a similar effort was made in 2014, and yet not one dollar had yet to be spent from this 2014 effort on reducing deforestation. Let’s hope the proposed efforts made today at COP26, do see results. The major outcome of the World Leaders Summit resulted in several agreements – one of saving forests (110 leaders signed on) and one to address methane (20 leaders signed on). The US signed onto both. See this link for a full in-depth look at the formal UN negotiations: Earth Negotiations Bulletin: https://enb.iisd.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/enb12784e.pdf and https://enb.iisd.org/Glasgow-Climate-Change-Conference-COP26 for previous/future days. 11/1: Day 1 of COP26 Report submitted by Robin Tokmakian, LWVUS UN Observer for Climate 5 LWV local members are here this week. 1 from CT, 2 from CA (1 recently moved from WA), 1 from DC, and 1 from OR. Biden gave his speech at the World Leaders Summit. You can find a UK press summary of it here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/01/biden-cop26-speech-climate-change-action-us-lead-example. (We did not see it live or in-person). Besides that, some of us attend heard Sec. Blinken, John Kerry, and Gina McCarthey speak at the US Pavillion. It was difficult to hear Blinken and Kerry because the organizers did not want to use microphones to keep the crowd around the pavilion small (didn't work). McCarthey, however, used her powerful voice to make strong statements about the US's Climate Goals and Actions. A couple of us were able to hear some of the negotiations on several topics. On Article 6, both Canada and Australia strongly support added language to address how carbon markets need to consider human rights (US did not mention human rights in their statement). The other topic we covered was for Article 4 of the Paris Agreement on Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs. Delegates learned how to track progress of how individual countries are living up to their NDCs. Last - A couple of members attended the “Feminist Action for Climate Justice” sponsored by the Women & Gender Constituency. Here's her summary: Today’s event featured nine female speakers from around the world who talked about the role of women and indigenous people within the context of climate change. I was most impacted by the speaker from Madagascar - the first country to experience a famine due to climate change, which is having severe impacts on women and their families. The country is experiencing limited fishing resources due to coral reef bleaching as well as heavy winds and droughts that have limited crop growth. The speaker told of her recent conversation with Veronique, a 43 year old mother of twelve children who has experienced severe loss over the last year. Two of her children have died of hunger as well as about half of the children in her village. Veronique married off two of her daughters (11 and 14 years old) as she did not have enough food for them. Despite this, she is working with a grassroots organization of other women to explore efforts to repair their food sources and find potential solutions for climate change. (This story was just published today by ABC News about the crisis: https://abcnews.go.com/International/madagascar-verge-climate-change-induced-famine/story?id=80857410) Stay tuned for more updates coming later this week.

Dear LWVOR members, Welcome to November 2021! This is election week for some districts; Check your County Clerk listing on the SoS page to be sure, if you haven’t gotten a ballot. October’s virtual Fall Workshop and local League Pesticides consensus meetings are complete. Member agreement committees now need to convene to develop positions for both the Hard Rock Mining and the Pesticides studies. Holidays are approaching and the League is working hard to improve prospects to make the future brighter for all of us. Local Leagues are resuming some in-person activity. LWVOR Voter Education / Service is gearing up for 2022, watching as two lawsuits filed against last month’s Oregon redistricting map adoption may affect our 2022 election calendars. Action coalitions are working on pre-session filings for the short legislative session. Nationally, we’re pushing for passage of federal social safety nets and voting rights legislation. We’re proud of our members attending COP26; watch our social media! Please thank the members in your leagues working on each of these and choose ways to help! I encourage everyone to take a deep breath, take care of yourselves and each other. The last few years have been so stressful. We may be able to see each other again soon and we’ll want to work with renewed vigor. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Becky Gladstone, President, LWVOR Please keep reading for more information on: Action Communications, Fall Workshop Voter Education (Service) Studies Updates Fundraising Recommended Reading (and watching) LWVOR Action News COP 26 CLIMATE. LWVOR members are attending and reporting on COP26 from Glasgow. See their news forwarded in LWVOR social media, linked in this newsletter. REDISTRICTING. Oregon’s new congressional district maps have been challenged by two lawsuits. One suit asks the Supreme Court to get rid of the Legislature’s plan entirely, while the other alleges Democrats punished one of their own. A member forwarded this from The Washington Post: Democrats backed a commission to draw fair House lines in Colorado. Now they worry they gave up their power. ACTION RETREAT. The Action Committee will hold an annual retreat meeting soon and convene two member agreement meetings for two studies, scheduled to fit in time for board position adoption before the 2022 short session. This is as pre-session work is underway for the upcoming 2022 short legislative session. To learn more, see the LWVOR website, Take Action! Communications Committee Survey Watch your email in the next few days for an All-Member survey from this committee. Your responses will help to set LWVOR communications’ strategy going forward. Local League leaders have stepped up to facilitate providing surveys for members who do not have emails. Voter Education / Service LWVOR will need Voter Education / Service volunteers for the May 2022 Primary Election! Please prepare now and reserve time in your schedules so you can help! Collect local candidate and ballot measure information for Vote411 Reps will need volunteers to help present civil and informative candidate and measure forums, coordinating with LWVOR and each other to share event news and tips. Distribute printed Voters’ Guides and share more complete Vote411 information digitally Register voters GOTV! (Get Out The VOTE!) Volunteer for the Election Protection Hotline, for which LWV is a coalition member. Oregon’s 2022 elections will be as busy as any for the League, with candidates already declaring for major races. Compare the coming 2022 Oregon elections to this, from last year’s newsletter. Remember that Oregon did not have to stand in line to vote and Oregon’s popular Vote By Mail had enviable voter turnout. Election drama is high as I write this. The League will work steadfastly to defend our democratic principles, especially our elections. Please follow us on social media for daily updates, read your email, and reinforce to all that WE MUST COUNT EVERY VOTE. CANDIDATES: To see the 69 candidates already filed, go to ORESTAR and click the fine print, middle of the page, “Candidates for 2022 Primary Election”. These are the major 2022 races: US Senate, (currently held by Sen Merkley) All federal House seats, now increased to 6 for Oregon The Oregon Governor. Kate Brown is term-limited and 14 candidates have already filed BoLI, Commissioner of Labor & Industries Judges, including a seat for state Supreme Court Justice. BALLOT MEASURES Campaigns, some repeatedly filed, like redistricting, are working hard. To see the list, go to the SoS’s IRR page (Initiatives, Referrals, and Referenda) for a full list. Click the small button “Summary Results” for the full list. Filings aren’t automatically withdrawn so some of the 43 currently listed may be redundant. Vote411.org LWVOR growth is REALLY IMPRESSIVE! 129,481 Oregonians used Vote411.org in 2020! We will repeat the local Voter Education publicity grants. This growth reflects your efforts. Thank You for making them work! Vote411.org works because we “deliver the GOODS” and voters find what they’re looking for. We count on local members to collect candidate filing and ballot measure info. Contact your local League to volunteer in advance so we can know we’re in good stead! Voters’ Guides LWVOR hopes that usual distribution channels (local leaders’ suggestions below) will be fully functional, post-COVID, by the 2022 primary. Printed Voters’ Guides are valued as outreach and an introduction to the League, including in Spanish. We still need to emphasize that print versions include only about 7% of what we cover online. We encourage Vote411.org online use whenever possible. Our aim is to provide full individual ballot information. We continue to invite all candidates (who provide campaign filing emails). We have the capacity to cover all local ballot measures, with local Leagues’ help. Where does your League share printed Voters’ Guides? Here are some examples: Local elections Offices “Congregate care” places, great for older people Meals On Wheels, libraries, and food pantries Grocery stores, places of worship, to other nonprofits Civics Education Events Please share your League and civics education events with LWVOR staff, lwvor@lwvor.org, and we can help with publicity! Send links to your recordings to share, too! Harvard Case Studies Oregon Leagues have participated in the Harvard Case Studies for a few years, invited by Dr. Deirdre Kamlani, LWV CT, who coordinates Leagues’ participation. LWVOR members are invited to attend and invite high school teachers to this event, offering a unique chance to learn by experiencing a case discussion first hand. The case reading will be sent automatically upon registration (make time to review the materials in advance). The Case: a pivotal debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 Wed, November 10th, 7pm (Eastern), REGISTER. Harvard Business School Professor, David Moss, will moderate a live demonstration of the Madison case at a special Community Case Discussion on Zoom. This case centers on a key debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787: Should the federal government have veto power over state laws? How much power-and what kind of power-should the federal government have over states? Upcoming Tigard Public Library Civic Education Programs Thank you to League member Donna Cohen, a featured speaker at the LWVOR 2017 Fall Workshop, for sending these, sponsored by Tigard Public Library, Free and Virtual. Beyond Voting: Elections and Campaign Financing (REGISTER) Friday, Nov 5, 2021, 6:30-8:00pm Election security, fraud, and voter suppression Redistricting / gerrymandering Electoral College Alternative voting systems Campaign finance issues / tracking The Constitution: Fulfilling Democracy’s Promise? Democracy, the Constitution and Representation in Congress Friday, December 3rd.,6:30-8:00pm Status of democracy Structural issues / representation Interpreting and changing the Constitution Registration link posted at Tigard Public Library two weeks prior. Studies Update To learn more about our studies and to volunteer, please head to our Current Programs page. Child Care The Child Care Update Study Committee is requesting local League volunteers to interview some of their local child care providers. If you are interested or want more information contact Kathleen Hersh. Election Systems Update The committee is currently in the expert interview stage, on schedule. If you are interested or want more information contact Peggy Bengry. Pesticides and Biocides Thank you to all who participated in the member consensus process! The Member Agreement Committee will be meeting to consolidate input and craft a position for board approval. For information, contact Action Chair, Alice Bartelt. Fundraising, Holiday wish lists? As the weather cools, we want to be warm and housed, want to celebrate fall colors and harvests, and think of sharing our bounty with others. League leaders compared fundraising notes. Here’s a partial list: LWV Curry will observe GivingTuesday and put a note in their newsletter. They will run a gift-wrapping booth in their community holiday bazaar, counting on it for great League visibility. LWVPDX has been producing holiday cards since 2012-2013, in appreciation of their members. They use members’ images and public testimonials taken throughout the year, and include an envelope and coupon for return donations. 2021 will be their second Giving Tuesday, with a goal of $2000, starting with an internal match of $500. They ask members to repost and retweet. Lane sends soft fundraising outreach, asking members to round up their membership renewal figures in July, also a nonmember letter in March. Their “fruit loops” annual fruit order sales are underway, with the option to buy and donate as a support for Food for Lane County. LWVLC wants someone to gift them a building to manage and rent out to other nonprofits. Umpqua Valley has slots for donating directly on their website, advertises with a membership drive, and sends letters to past donors. Be sure to take a look at the Abigail Scott Duniway suffrage musical, A Musical For the Ages, A Frontier Family Feud! They’re looking for in-person engagements, also ZOOM. #GivingTuesday is just after Thanksgiving, great timing for year-end IRA distributions, tax write-offs, etc. Several Leagues will participate, including LWVOR, via social media. Investments Leagues absolutely value and need our donors' time, talents, and treasures, all important and all needed! Ted Kaye, LWVOR Investments Committee, spoke to leaders and used an Apple Orchard analogy for legacy investments. Having apples and cutting down the trees if you need the wood can both be beneficial. A few donors might like to give perpetual proceeds (the apples) while protecting capital, and some might want to give you what you need right now (the trees). For the apples, think “25”: give $25 so that $1 annually (a long-term, 4% average) can keep giving you apples. *LWVOR gets $5,000 in proceeds annually from funds at OCF, Oregon Community Foundation. We discussed SRI (socially responsible investing, e.g. barring alcohol, gun, fossil fuel stocks) and ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance ratings, see wiki). Recommended Reading – LWVOR FALL WORKSHOP! This month’s recommended reading boosts our Fall Workshop presentations. A number of presenters sent materials for follow-up reading. Enjoy! This year’s Fall Workshop presented four virtual sessions, all recorded and posted. Thank you to the Events Committee, Chair Robin Tokmakian, Program Chair Sheila McGinnis, Membership & DEI Chair Kathleen Hersh, our staff, the Amazing A&A, Amanda and Allison, for meeting tech support, video editing, and website posting, and our publicity contractor, Sarah Andrews, for social media. These sessions are all worthy of review, please take a look! Defusing Contentious Conversations We can all be thankful for diversity. If this sounds challenging for your Thanksgiving table, or perhaps the upcoming candidate forums, this workshop is for you! Dr. Busch outlines four clear steps to help find common ground. The goal is understanding, not persuasion. Read More Here. LWV Oakland’s Volunteer Development Experience Learn how LWV Oakland’s one-year-old Volunteer Development Committee is building capacity to recruit, engage, train, and retain volunteers, with practical tips, resources, and ideas you can implement! Read More Here. Garrett Epps, Keynote: Can SCOTUS bring US Together? As we begin a new Supreme Court Term, Americans have every right to ask, “What are the prospects for the survival of our democracy? What will happen to the right to vote, the right to choose, the right to peaceable assembly for redress of grievance? Are there any guardrails left?” See Professor Epp’s new release: The New Supreme Court—A Brief Inimicus Curiae, the forward to the ACS 20-21 Supreme Court Review. Read More Here. Constructive Conversations in a Diverse World, Cheryl Graeve Concerned about rancor and polarization threatening our democracy? Want our public life to be more grounded in understanding and respect? This session covers constructive conversations to find common ground and bridge our differences. Learn how empathy, listening to understand, and humility can overcome divisions and open doors to meaningful connection. Read More Here. Thank you for reading! I am thankful for our League Teamwork, and for what each of you is doing. Yours In League, Becky Gladstone, President, LWVOR

LWVUS Voting Rights Push This week! A majority of Americans support the major voting rights bills in action in Congress. Wednesday’s Senate vote shows that we need to increase pressure to pass meaningful voting rights. It is time to reform or eliminate the filibuster rule. The Senate cannot do what Americans elected them to do until they release the filibuster gridlock, the one procedural hurdle standing in the way of saving our freedom to vote. Join this week’s events to protect the Freedom to VOTE! Watch the LWVUS Women Power Democracy panel with female members of Congress, recorded Wednesday, Oct. 20. (forward 10 minutes in to start) Support this week’s Freedom To Vote Relay, particularly Thursday, Oct. 21, when LWV of Maryland leads the baton handoff at Point of Rocks. Follow instructions on the LWVUS Action page to contact our Senators, Representatives, and the White House and urge them to support the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. “We need the President to step up with the full power of his office and get the Freedom to Vote Act across the finish line. The American voters are counting on this legislation to protect our democracy.” - Virginia Kase Solomón, LWVUS CEO. As over 400 anti-voter bills advance across the nation, our democracy is in crisis and we must defend the right to vote. The Voting Rights Act Congress passed in 1965 outlawed the worst of the Jim Crow laws, those literacy tests and other barriers that kept Black Americans and other POC out of the voting booth. Now, we refuse to sit back and let politicians silence the votes of millions of Americans. It's up to us to defend our democracy. Join us! Rebecca Gladstone LWVOR President

By Terry Styner, Member of the Study Committee and the Washington County Unit Building on the 1988 LWV study on child care in Oregon, the Washington County Chapter is considering how to support the needs of working parents with children from birth to high school graduation. We spoke with Beth Unverzagt, Executive Director of Oregon ASK (After School Kids). She gave us her thoughts on access, affordability, and economic impact on society. Oregon ASK’s various studies conclude that those who benefit most from after-school programs are those with the least access. Communities with limited availability of programs often are those with limited economic opportunity. Oregon does not have a systemic approach to funding and regulating child care programs. Different agencies are responsible for supporting different age groups. For example, programs supporting pre-school age children are overseen by the Early Learning Division of the Department of Education. Programs for school-age children are overseen by Department of Human Service’s Employment Related Day Care (EDRC) agency. The result is a fragmented approach to availability to support families. When asked how LWVOR could help address the challenge of access and affordability, Ms. Unverzagt suggested that anything leading to a systemic approach for funding, credentialing, and regulation of child care programs would provide significant improvement in the lives of our state’s working families. From a policy standpoint, there is tremendous opportunity to impact the lives of Oregon children and their families. While studies on the economic impact of childcare are scarce, one of ASK’s reports quoted “The Boys and Girls Clubs in Ventura County: Serving the Economic Interests of the Region while Providing a Positive Place for Kids.” by Jamshid Damooei, (2014). It looked at just one program in one county, concluding that, for every $1.00 spent on child care, $9.93 was earned by parents who could continue working. As our lawmakers work toward creating an inclusive, sustainable society, this suggests an area where further study might reveal similar impact potential for Oregon. The study committee is currently meeting and doing literature reviews and interviews.

by Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator for the State Action Team 2021 legislative session was remarkable in many ways. For water enthusiasts, it was historic. The 2021 session’s access to federal funding, a surprising positive state revenue forecast, and all the work we and others had done the past 10 years to address water issues meant legislators had a guide to funding a complete water package, with $538.1 million in staffing and projects for agencies, cities and towns across the state. The League of Women Voters of Oregon has studied and developed positions on water quality and quantity since the 1960s and 1970s. In 2007, under the leadership of Liz Frenkel, our convention authorized a new water study, intending to update and combine our water quality and quantity positions. Under the leadership of Marnie Lonsdale and Robin Wisdom, League members spent almost 2 years compiling the responsibilities and laws of all the state water agencies, federal laws and court rulings, interviewing water users and engaging members in a conversation around water. Part 1: Regulating Water in Oregon is a concise review of current Oregon laws and regulations for water resources and water quality. The committee took another year to focus on issues around water in Oregon and members adopted our new position in 2011. Part 2: Issues and Perspectives covers the current issues facing water quality and quantity from the perspectives of stakeholder groups throughout the state. As a result of local leagues’ engagement and education efforts, a member was selected to serve on the first state Integrated Water Resources Strategy in 2012 and again in 2017. Over the years, our Action Team worked with state water agencies to fund their staffing needs and a variety of projects as well. The Dept. of Agriculture received money for another water staffer, for work with small watersheds in Oregon and to work on groundwater management areas in the state. Coastal groups received money to study ocean acidification. The Dept. of Environmental Quality received staffing to improve water quality data and to work with the Oregon Health Authority on harmful algal blooms. They also received money for grants or loans to repair or replace on-site septic systems. The Dept. of Fish and Wildlife received funding to create a new Habitat Division and permanent funding for fish biologists who work with stream flows. The Water Resources Dept. received a major infusion of staff to work on place-based planning and regional planning discussions. They were also given authorization to create a new well repair and replacement fund. And then there were the projects: money for repair or replacement of drinking water and sewer systems, especially for small towns across Oregon. Some of this money will also help the communities who suffered from the 2020 Labor Day fires to protect Oregon’s water sources. Lastly, money was allocated to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to continue work on a 100-year water vision. As the entire state is suffering from drought, we hope this is the beginning of investments in water. League members should know that our studies with their subsequent adopted positions and our Action volunteers who help educate and advocate with legislators to address these important issues make Oregon a wonderful place to live. $538.1 million! What a victory! (To volunteer to work on water or other natural resource issues, contact Peggy at peggylynchor@gmail.com. Training provided.)

By Becky Gladstone, LWVOR President Dear members, We are pleased to welcome a new VOTER editor and we will be asking you about a fresh look at communications. I recommend preparing in advance by enjoying the 14th Amendment video with our Garrett Epps, the Fall workshop Keynote speaker. Professor Epps has a dry sense of humor; check out his aside about US Constitution authors referring to “Congreff” in his talk, The 14th Amendment: The Framing of America’s Second Constitution, from Duke University’s School of Law, Program in Public Law. Please read the President’s letter for monthly updates, set to arrive on the first of the month, for recommendations like this every month! These are in our LWVOR Newsroom pages, https://www.lwvor.org/newsroom. For those who worked on National Voter Registration Day, Sept 28th, Thank You! October 4-8 is Voter Education Week, https://votereducationweek.org/! A huge thank you to our board, our members, and our hard-working staff for the accomplishments you can read about in this newsletter! Here’s an overview. Oregon’s virtual redistricting process felt compressed, now awaiting possible legal recourse and Independent Redistricting Commissions, in one form or another, on November 2022 ballots. The federal census, complicated by COVID and partisan tensions, is complete. Now we can dig into the data! Our Pesticides consensus should be fully collected by November for analysis. Election Systems and Child Care studies are on schedule. We are working with LWVUS to chart a successful path to concurrence for Privacy and Cybersecurity. Our Action Team continues to grow with strong successes in 2021, both challenged and helped by virtual access. It is fitting that our reporting on fire and water issues reflects the contentious 2021 legislative session. “May you live in interesting times!” is apparently not ancient nor Chinese in origin, but is traceable to a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Sir Austen Chamberlain, in 1939. Here’s to maintaining our energy and perspective, in good health and good humor. Please take care of yourselves and each other. Becky Gladstone, LWVOR President

By Peggy Bengry Since our 2017 position on election methods, new ideas have surfaced that, as our position states, could “affect how voters participate in our democracy, who can run for office, and who can get elected”. A committee of nine Leaguers, with help from LWVOR President Becky Gladstone and LWVOR staff, has begun work on an informational update to the 2016 Election Methods Study Update that resulted in the 2017 position. The current update is for informational purposes only. It will evaluate new STAR (Score then Automatic Runoff) and RCIPE (Ranked Choice Voting with Pairwise Elimination) voting methods against the criteria established by League positions and the 2016 study; provide a recent history of the use of ranked choice voting; examine new information on Top 2 primaries, including Final Four/Final Five; provide more input on proportional representation systems for multi-member districts; and expand the 2016 study’s bibliography. Members expect to have a final report to the Board by May of 2022. Committee members have held four meetings, have formed sub-committees, have approved question sets for interviewees, have begun selecting interviewees and are researching media and academic literature. If you would like to join this effort, contact any of the co-chairs, Barbara Klein, Kristin Eberhard, or Peggy Bengry, through our staff at lwvor@lwvor.org.

by Chris Cobey and Norman Turrill Proving Oregon residents’ abiding interest in Oregon’s redistricting process, Norman Turrill, Dan Vicuna, and Chris Cobey attracted hundreds to their August 25 one-hour review; how the legislature has and will be attempting to accomplish this once-a-decade task. You can view the recording at: https://www.lwvor.org/redistricting-in-oregon. At press time, the legislature had just released seven sets of draft maps for public review, in 12 virtual hearings over five days. The expectation was that the legislature would be given its opportunity to pass redistricting bills by the state Supreme Court’s mandated September 27 deadline. If it could not do so, the redistricting task for state legislative districts would fall to the Secretary of State, and congressional districting would be tackled by a quintet of state court judges. The work of both groups would be reviewed and approved by the state supreme court. If the legislature met the deadline and passed maps, court action could still ensure in the fall. Check the LWVOR redistricting website for the latest information on this fast-moving subject: https://www.lwvor.org/redistricting-in-oregon.

Wildfires have increasingly become part of our lives. As of early Sept, there are 23 active fires with more than 200,000 acres burned thus far. Oregonians are affected either directly by being in an evacuation area or indirectly by poor air quality. Oregon also has many resources available at Oregon Wildfire Response and Recovery with links for assistance, wildfire cleanup, drinking water supply and more. This site also has up to date information on active fires, evacuations, sheltering and air quality. Oregon recently instituted an emergency alert system, OR-ALERT, designed to ensure the most timely alerts, warnings, and notifications statewide, tailored to geographic location. OR-ALERT is administered locally, requires only a name and phone number, and alerts are customizable for your interest. In addition, the Oregon Health Authority has resources pertinent to Covid 19 and evacuations/smoke exposure, as well as the short information sheets "Hazy, smoky air: Do you know what to do" and available in multiple languages.

by Toni Lampkin The census has been completed and information is being tabulated for redistricting purposes. There are many recorded webinars at Census.gov. Some recent offerings are the Exploring Census Data series (includes topics such as How Americans Spend Leisure Time, Using Census Data to Buy a House and Small and Minority Owned Business), Bracing for the 2021 Hurricane Season, Recent Cross Country Commuting Patterns and Elevating Our Culture Using Census Data. There is something for everyone! Take a look when you have some time.

by Amelia Nestler Contact your local league for ways to participate in member consensus! https://www.lwvor.org/local-leagues End of October: Local Leagues should plan to complete their consensus. Mid-November: Local Pesticides/Biocides consensus reports are due to LWVOR November: the study committee will tabulate consensus results December: the LWVOR Member Agreement Committee drafts a position statement January ’22: LWVOR Board approves the position The use of pesticides is a balancing act between advantages and disadvantages. To understand both beneficial and adverse impacts requires a broad overview of prevailing policy and the effects that policy has had. This study reviews the environmental and health costs and benefits of pesticide use, the current state of regulation at federal, state and local levels, and the practices and precautions presently in place for their use. It reviews potential improvements to regulations and changes to practices that could improve outcomes and protect the environment and human health while maintaining a stable, safe and reliable supply of foods and other farmed products. Five key areas of pesticide development, use and policy were identified for review and potential improvements: • Education, training and labeling • Transparency and information gathering • Funding, research, and evaluation • Adaptive management and Integrated Pest Management • Burden of proof and the precautionary principle.

Was anybody really surprised that Oregon legislators couldn’t agree on redistricting? We’re guessing you weren’t. It’s too political. There’s too much at stake — control of the Legislature and the majority of Oregon’s seats in Congress. Democrats have that clinched for now and perhaps for the future. Read More...

Immigration - Claudia Keith Immigration: This recent 9/26 ‘Effort could create a path to citizenship for undocumented Oregon farmworkers’, Statesman Journal news article highlights congressional possible path to citizenship status for Oregon undocumented farmworkers ‘ “…Because of these failed efforts, advocates and congressional Democrats are trying to create paths to citizenship through reconciliation, a budgetary process that makes it easier for legislation to pass in the Senate…” Refugee: Oregon is one of 35 states proactively welcoming Afghan refugees. The Governor was very clear in August. ’Governor Kate Brown Issues Statement on Welcoming Afghan Refugees ‘ ’Oregon stands ready to help the federal government resettle Afghan refugee families’. “Oregon lawmakers call for the US to allow more Afghan refugees into the state, Sen. Kayse Jama and Rep. Khanh Pham say Oregon is well-poised to help those fleeing Afghanistan as the Taliban takes over.’ Hate Crimes: ‘Reports of hate crimes to Oregon police shot up 59% last year’ “Reports of hate crimes in Oregon rose from 170 incidents in 2019 to 271 incidents in 2020. Law enforcement agencies in Oregon documented a 59% increase in reported hate crimes last year, according to data the FBI collected from law enforcement agencies across the state. The number of victims climbed to roughly 360 last year, from approximately 242 in 2019. Because of the way the FBI collects the data, a small number of victims can be counted more than once if the perpetrator committed the crime because they perceived the victim to be part of multiple protected classes. Nationally, hate crimes reports rose to their highest levels in more than a decade. “They reflect likely both an increase in reporting as well as an increase incidents,” said Kiran Ramsey, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Portland field office….” Youth at Risk: This Brookings report highlights Oregon and 2 other states choosing not to report on a Youth Risk Behavior Survey. DATA ON TRANSGENDER STUDENTS FROM THE YRBS “We explored data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The CDC, in partnership with states and school districts, has administered the YRBS and related surveys since the early 1990s to monitor the health and well-being of U.S. high school students in most states.” (Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington did not participate in 2019.) Gun Safety - Marge Easley Gun safety supporters breathed a sigh of relief when petitioners for IP 301, a referendum to repeal SB 554, failed to gather sufficient signatures by the deadline of September 24, thus allowing the law to go into effect on September 25. The law requires firearms to be securely stored when not in use, prohibits firearms at the State Capitol and PDX, and allows schools and universities to prohibit firearms. Housing - Nancy Donovan The most pressing problem facing Oregon renters is the potential for mass evictions. These will leave many families and individuals without a safe and stable place to live and exacerbate Oregon’s homelessness problem. Up until recently, tenants were protected by eviction moratoria but those have expired. The statewide moratorium ended on June 30. The Oregon legislature provided a safe harbor under SB 278. Tenants who submit an application for rent assistance to an agency serving their community are protected from receiving a termination notice for non-payment of rent or eviction proceedings for 90 days in Multnomah County or 60 days in the rest of the state. The federal government allocated $204 million to Oregon for the rent assistance program. Unfortunately, social service agencies throughout the state have been slow to process assistance applications due to complicated requirements, lack of staff, and software issues. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) recently contracted with a new vendor, Public Partnerships LLC, to help process rental assistance applications. OHCS Director Margaret Salazar is encouraging community agencies to focus on outreach to renters so they are aware the assistance is available while the new vendor handles the processing. Other states are experiencing similar challenges. Beginning on Sept. 30, the U.S. Department of Treasury can start to reclaim unused funds from states unable to distribute the resources. The OHCS Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the status of applications in process. Oregonians facing eviction can find out if they’re eligible for emergency rent assistance by visiting the state’s website or dialing 211 to speak with someone about what options are available. Homeowners will benefit from the foreclosure moratorium extension ordered by Governor Brown, giving homeowners until December 31, 2021 to work with their lenders to evaluate viable reinstatement and loss mitigation options, outlined in HB 2009.

By Claudia Keith Climate Emergency Coordinator and Climate Emergency portfolio team members: Julie Chapman, Shirley Weathers, Cathy Frischmann, Josie Koehne, Kathy Moyd, Robin Tokmakian and Greg Martin Climate Emergency Highlights Federal Both the Biden administration and bipartisan Congressional proposed Build Back Better: $1.2T and $3.5 T infrastructure bill and reconciliation package, if passed in any form, will significantly affect Climate Change mitigation and adaptation funding and policy in Oregon. Senator Merkley, Wyden and our House (D) Congressional team including Rep DeFazio (chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee) have been very supportive of these policies. Find details HERE. The Democratic caucus current version may include adding a price on carbon policy amendment. 2021 White House Deputy Director for Climate and Environment, OSU faculty and recent NOAA Director, Dr Jane Lubchenco, recommends this short 4-minute congressional public hearing presentation by Dr Leah Stokes. Recent national news: NPR: ‘The Battle Over Biden's Infrastructure Bill Continues‘. ‘Pelosi Vows to Pass $1T Bill, Move Ahead on Larger Measure House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has moved a vote on a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill to later in the week as Democratic leaders shore up support for the measure.’ EENews: ‘Path on Infrastructure, Climate elusive after Biden meetings.’ Brookings: ‘THE AVENUE ‘Five ways regional leaders can prepare future infrastructure workers now’. “Federal policymakers are on the verge of advancing two historic pieces of legislation: a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and a $3.5 trillion reconciliation package. The infrastructure bill contains generational investments in transportation, water, energy, and other systems to improve the environment and boost the economy—at spending levels not seen since the New Deal. The reconciliation package goes a step further, aiming to address a variety of climate, education, health care, and other priorities….” Mark your calendars Attend as a League Observer, interested citizen, and/or view recorded agency and commission meetings, including new reports and studies. ​ ODF Climate Carbon Plan Updates DEQ Climate GHG Program Updates Oregon Global Warming Commission: Meetings ODOE , DLCD Land Use and Transportation planning Agency and Commissions ​ Find updates across many agencies at the State of Oregon “Action on Climate Change”. Find weekly 2021 updates at Oregon Greenhouse Emissions Program. DOE weekly blog updates HERE. New Oregon Dept of Energy (ODOE) Report HERE. ​ Clean Energy Kathy Moyd Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Rulemaking For up-to-date links for a program, check the list under “Proposed Rules 2021” Climate Protection Program The League has been following the Climate Protection Program, which originated from the “cap and reduce” directive in the Governor’s Executive Order 20-04. Draft rules were issued for public comment on August 4. A DEQ public hearing on the Draft Rules was conducted on August 22 and one with the Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) is scheduled for Sept. 30. The League plans to present verbal testimony at the September 30 hearing and written testimony by October 4. Cleaner Air Oregon Air Toxics Alignment The League was the only speaker at the July 22 public hearing.The approved verbal text was incorporated in a letter. It has not yet been scheduled for approval at the EQC. Clean Trucks Rule Two public hearings were conducted on September 16. The League opted not to testify because the California Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rules to be adopted by Oregon had not been completed. It has not yet been scheduled for approval at the EQC. Clean Fuels Program Expansion 2022 The expansion of the Clean Fuels program in response to the Governor’s Executive Order 20-04 will be kicking off with a listening session on Wednesday, October 13, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Landfill Methane Rules The rules are on the Environmental Quality Commission agenda for adoption on October 1. Although the League certainly supports the control of methane from landfills, we opted not to testify because it was not clear why the California rules were not accepted completely, leaving the possibility that some small rural landfills would unnecessarily be included. Oregon Regional Haze Plan 2018 – 2028 The proposed plan has been published, with one public hearing scheduled for Oct. 25. Forestry Josie Koehne (find a consolidated Forestry report in the NR LR) ​ Climate/Transportation Julie Chapman Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) The Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rulemaking advisory committee (RAC) met on 9/15/21. The rules apply to the eight metropolitan regions of Oregon. The work session focused on equity, pedestrian, bicycle, and transit planning to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). VMT refers to getting people out of personal vehicles by providing safe and convenient alternatives. In part, this transition relies on densification of housing and centering resources for those communities. A large packet of complex rules was distributed to the RAC, with a short lead time before the meeting. Several RAC members from small jurisdictions/organizations commented that they lack staff/expertise to expeditiously review the rules prior to the meeting. Draft rules are expected by the Oct 15 meeting; final RAC meeting and review Nov 16; anticipate revisions subsequent to that. Regional hearings will be held 10/25: Southern Oregon (register here), 10/26: Bend, Corvallis, Albany (register here), 10/27: Salem, Eugene, Keizer, Springfield (register here), and 10/28: Portland Metro (register here). Participants are welcome to attend the event most convenient for them. Implications for Portland Metro: no scenario planning (already done); Metro’s Climate Smart Program may be used for modeling elsewhere. The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) will clarify Climate Friendly Area draft rule applicability for Portland Metro’s cities and counties that have yet to adopt town and regional center boundaries. The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) received an update on the CFEC Rulemaking on 9/23/21. Discussion centered around the structure of the rules, with a tension between prescriptive and outcome-based models. Prescriptive rules detail the design and process of how to comply with regulations. Outcome-based rules allow for more flexibility in meeting clearly defined objectives and may be more acceptable and sensitive to local communities needs, but require more ongoing oversight (i.e., more staff time) by DLCD. The critical and measurable goal for the Climate Friendly Areas (CFA) is reduction in VMT. The rules require designation of CFAs by 2023 for larger cities, and by 2024 for smaller local governments. CFA’s promote mixed-use development, increased residential density, and designations for building heights and setbacks from property lines. There are special standards for parking, pedestrian, bike, transit and street infrastructure. The Oregon legislature provided $768,000 to support local planning and one additional DLCD staff to provide metropolitan planning guidance. A “pot” of $500 million for housing funding must be allocated in the next 22 months; additional federal money may also be appropriated. Associated actions: Community engagement/outreach and engagement of underserved populations; Analysis of housing capacity to meet requirement that at least 30% of needed housing is located within CFAs to justify Urban Growth Boundary expansion; Plan for fair & equitable housing outcomes, including consideration of and mitigation for displacement; Adoption of development standards (zoning requirements); Adoption of climate-friendly comprehensive plan. Excellent public testimony followed the DLCD presentation, lauded by Commissioner Jacobsen for its effective use of linked testimonies by planning advocates (Jonathan Harker, retired Gresham city planner, Ariel Nelson, League of Oregon Cities, and Mary Kyle McCurdy, One Thousand Friends). Commissioners endorsed additional support for RAC participants, to clarify “planningese”/technical jargon and to schedule additional meetings with deeper dives into complex rules sections. Our Children’s Trust - Claudia Keith Here is a recent Sept interview by UN and Max dos Santos, ‘No Denying It episode 4: Kyne Introduces Mat dos Santos | | UN News’. ‘In the fourth episode of the UN climate action podcast No Denying It, drag performer, social media star, and mathematics communicator Kyne introduces Managing Attorney at Our Children’s Trust, Mat dos Santos. Mx. dos Santos and their colleagues oversee a legal program that brings climate litigation on behalf of youth in federal and state courts in the United States, and tribunals across the globe.’ And a good article in Nature.com 08 September 2021 on the Climate Litigation topic: ‘Climate science is supporting lawsuits that could help save the world’ Governments have failed to slow climate change quickly enough, so activists are using courts to compel countries and companies to act — increasingly with help from forefront science.’ World Economic Forum: Preventing – ECOCIDE ‘With legal and environmental experts pushing to criminalize the destruction of the environment, “ecocide” could have major consequences for both government and business. How could a new legal definition transform climate action?’ Climate Emergency Team Volunteer Opportunities Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: 1) Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA, 2) Clean Buildings, 3) Public Health Climate adaptation, 4) Regional Solutions Infrastructure, 5) State Procurement Practices (Dept. of Admin. Services), 6) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets, 7) Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment, 8) Join Julie, DOT/Transportation with a focus on DLCD/LCD Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities – a major program across multiple agencies. and a priority focus on a just transition, ie; 9) Climate and Environmental Justice. We all collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics.

by Peggy Lynch, Coordinator Air Quality: DEQ is asking for public comment on their Regional Haze 2021 Regional Implementation Plan. See the rulemaking page: 2018-2028 State Implementation Plan. The comment period closes on Nov. 1, 2021 at 4 p.m. Budgets/Revenue: The next Revenue Forecast is November 17. For more information, see the Oregon Economic Analysis. The 2021 legislature set aside $50 million for general use and 10 Special Purpose Appropriations of almost $500 million to address various anticipated emergencies or assumed expenses by the Emergency Board. The Emergency Board meets when the Legislature is not in session. The last Revenue Forecast added $700 million for the legislature to consider in 2022. Climate (Claudia Keith and Team): See Climate Report in a separate Legislative Report section. See the Forestry section in this report for forest climate work, the Coastal section and the Land Use section related to other agency work. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues (Christine Moffitt and Peggy Lynch): The Territorial Sea Plan, Part Three Section E and Appendix C are now available for Review. The draft amendment of the Rocky Habitat Site Designation Proposal is now available for review. A cover letter describing materials for review is available on the Oregon Ocean Information website. The public comment period extends to October 18, 2021. Amendments to Goal 18 related to continued requests for adding riprap to private property along the ocean are also being discussed. There may be changes to the Goal to protect Hwy 101 as we see increased king tides and storms damaging the road. We are less supportive of changes to the Goal to allow indiscriminate installation of riprap that may affect a neighbor’s property or destabilize our public beaches. Oregon’s forward-thinking, internationally known early actions to adapt to and mitigate for a changing ocean are highlighted in a special issue of Coastal Management Journal. The special issue was recently published online by the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification of which Oregon is a founding member. A marine heat wave is projected to hit Oregon within the next month, causing have higher temperatures than normal for West Coast water. Listen to this OBP “Think out Loud” program. Peggy Joyce was our coastal legislative volunteer a couple of years ago. She has been nominated by the Governor to serve on the Ocean Policy Advisory Council. The Senate Rules Committee will meet in November to consider the appointment. Dept. OF Environmental Quality (DEQ) (Josie Koehne and Peggy Lynch): Both DEQ and the Oregon Dept. of Forestry have drafted a new Memorandum of Understanding MOU related to the nexus between the federal Clean Water Act which DEQ is to implement in Oregon and forest practices under the purview of the Dept. of Forestry. The League provided testimony in support while making it clear that Oregon’s waters need to be protected. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries(DOGAMI) (Peggy Lynch): State Geologist Brad Avy has retired. Sarah Lewis has been named interim DOGAMI leader. Elliott State Forest (Peggy Lynch): There has been a flurry of activity around the Elliott State Forest this past month. After the Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Director announced that Oregon State University (OSU), while continuing to be interested in creating a research forest, will be searching for an alternate ownership and management model from having OSU own the Elliott. Focus has now moved to possible creation of a public corporation or some model reflecting the South Slough National Estuarine Reserve model. The League has concerns about either of those ideas but are willing to listen and learn more. The Advisory Committee met on Sept. 8 where a proposal to create a public corporation was presented and on Sept. 22 where the discussion turned to establishing a relationship more like the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (SSNERR), meeting information on the Elliott webpage. The League worked with others to assure that the SSNERR continued to be under DSL and the State Land Board. That process might fit the Elliott, but it does NOT take DSL off the hook for management or budget decisions—something I believe the Land Board was looking for. There was also no mention of how the Common School Fund would be reimbursed for the $120 million still owed from the last appraisal. OSU is suggesting it needs $17 million in infrastructure to house staff on or near the Elliott and $10 million in operating expenses the first three years (before they can gain revenue from timber harvest) in their management plan. While this discussion is on-going, progress is being made to consider a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Elliott. The latest draft plan is now available. A proposed HCP will need to be forwarded to federal agencies for a final public review which could take from six months to two years. Read the Elliott HCP Administrative Draft – September 2021. Watch the September 23, 2021 Elliott Advisory Committee Meeting on YouTube. HCP presentations. Public meetings have been set for Sept. 27 and Oct. 6. (See webpage.) During each info session, the DSL and OSU project team will provide updates on the habitat conservation plan, public ownership, forest management planning, decoupling, and more. Each session will also include time for questions and input. Emergency Services: October 21 will be the Great Shake Out – an annual emergency exercise that all responders participate in and Oregonians need to consider as well. Although focused on “the Big One”, a catastrophic earthquake, it is also time to be 2-Weeks Ready for any emergency. Forestry (Josie Koehne, James Cannon and Peggy Lynch): A flurry of rulemaking meetings is in progress currently that will define details of implementing the comprehensive wildfire bill, SB 762, to provide for wildfire risk reduction, response and recovery, with programs related to defensible space, prescribed fire (the Burn Manager Program), landscape resiliency and community emergency preparedness. A fiscal summary of all elements can be found here. One SB 762 rulemaking committee (RAC), the Statewide Fire Risk Mapping RAC, requires development of a statewide wildfire risk map to be developed by the Department of Forestry in collaboration with Oregon State University. The RAC includes members of the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, other state agencies, local governments, tribes, and other public bodies with additional information sources. As part of the bill approval deal, another RAC had 100 days from its first Zoom meeting on Sept 7 to come up with a definition for the wildland urban interface, or WUI, and establish criteria to identify and classify the WUI. The RAC recommends the WUI definition to be based on the international definition of the WUI based on ODF’s recommendations: “that geographical area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with wildland or vegetative fuels.” The League provided testimony in support of the international WUI definition and sent a members’ Action Alert. Public hearings were held with a final decision to be made by the Board of Forestry by Oct. 27. The risk mapping and WUI definition rulemaking committees will now meet jointly, starting September 30 from 9AM - 1PM, and will meet every two weeks intermittently through February 10, to more clearly define criteria to develop and maintain a comprehensive statewide wildfire risk map, including wildland-urban interface boundaries and five fire risk classes by June 30, 2022. The final rules will include an appeals process for property owners since these maps will guide future rules on action needed around the defensible space for the most at-risk properties. Those rules will be determined by the State Fire Marshal. In addition, a Certified Burn Manager RAC met August 18 and September 15 led by ODF’s Tim Holschbach. Rules must be complete by November 30. These meetings are thoughtful deliberations about who will use the program and what skill levels will be required for different types of certification and geographic areas for prescribed burns. Videos of all these rulemaking deliberations can be found here. All meetings are open to the public and have public comment opportunities. To access meetings, visit the RAC webpage for the Zoom links and sign up to receive meeting reminders and agendas. Written comments or questions about any aspect of SB 762 implementation may be submitted by email to sb762.rulemaking@oregon.gov. Board of Forestry: Governor Brown nominated retired USDA Forest Service Southern Regional Forester Liz Agpaoa to the Board of Forestry on September 1. Her nomination is awaiting Senate confirmation, now scheduled for November Legislative Days.This appointment and others have been postponed due to redistricting mapping delays and COVID in the Legislature. Liz Agpaoa began her work in 1979 as a district biologist at the Willamette National Forest in Oregon and has a passion for ecology. The Board of Forestry met September 8 to hear public comments on ODF’s draft Climate Change and Carbon Plan. The LWVOR provided comments on July 28 and again on September 3. The League commented about positive improvements in the second draft, but also pointed out elements where an independent consultant, PSU’s Oregon Consensus, had consolidated stakeholder feedback, but this feedback had not been incorporated into the latest revision: “There was a shared desire expressed among different stakeholders to assist and help shape the future of ODF’s policy and operations related to carbon and climate change.” Another League comment was “Climate Smart Forestry Management is not merely an extension of sustainable management, a term that is also not clearly defined, as “sustainable” is not merely replacing and replanting the same tree species as was harvested…there needs to be a more complete and thorough explanation of “climate smart forestry” upfront, not developed later in the plan….Because climate smart forestry is a guiding principle, the LWVOR thinks the wording for the first principle should read “All forest management activities should be planned in light of both present and future impacts from climate change.” We commented that the plan needed to “Include more specificity with regards to metrics, goals, accountability measures, and implementation timelines as part of this plan” This comment was brought up by many other stakeholders. ODF acknowledged receipt of our comments. We look forward to seeing a new draft in the next few months. Other topics discussed on Sept. 8 included an update on wildfires including costs to date, and a progress report on the implementation plan developed by ODF’s financial consultant, MGO. The Board of Forestry will have a 2-day virtual retreat on October 6 and 7, an informal event for members of the Board and agency leadership to fulfill retreat objectives, connect on planning matters, and discuss work for the future. See the agenda and packet. Objectives are for the Board to: Connect with each other and discuss leadership effectiveness and desired working relationship in support of sound public policy decision making, Tee up the Board’s future review and update of the Forest Program for Oregon, Engage with ODF’s Executive Team on current and future strategic initiatives, and Discuss Board priorities and Board work plan items for the upcoming two years and provide thoughts to inform the 2023-2025 biennium. There will be no opportunity for the public to provide comment or testimony during the meeting, but both days of the retreat will be livestreamed on the ODF youtube channel. HCP and FMP: The Oregon Department of Forestry is continuing to work on a Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for State Forests and the lands they manage to protect the covered endangered species on their lands that must be protected under the federal Endangered Species Act, to be developed in conjunction with a Companion Western Oregon State Forest Management Plan, not updated since 2010. An Alternate Habitat Conservation Plan with three goals has been proposed by some Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee members, David Yamamoto and John Sweet. They are presenting their alternate plan to other county commissioners to gather support. The plan has had no public hearings or public input to date, nor has it been reviewed by state biologists and other ODF specialists. Their plan calls for more land devoted to timber harvest to increase revenue for the counties by reducing the size of the habitat conservation areas (ACAs) that are designated in the current draft plan for spotted owl habitat, and calls for more reductions in the barred owl population that compete for the same habitat. Currently the schedule is for a final draft expected to be approved by the Board of Forestry in February of 2023. That draft will be submitted to federal agencies for a federal process (taking up to 2 years) with additional public comments before it is finalized. In the meantime, in a separate process, an HCP for private forests is under negotiation by 25 timber and conservation groups under an agreement signed in February 2020, through a Memo of Understanding (now known as the Private Forest Accord). Delivery of this much-anticipated plan is expected by the end of October. Hopefully it will include an adaptive management component that involves a rigorous look at efficacy of existing and future forest practice regulation, and a science-driven process for analyzing the need for any changes. See additional details in our last report. New legislation during the 2021 session regarding improvements to the Forest Practices Act or other regulation was put on hold awaiting outcome of the Private Forest Accord draft agreement. Legislation is expected in 2022 to memorialize the Accord agreement. Separately, SB 1602 (2020) required the department to improve their public notification system (FERNS) related to forestry work including aerial spraying and improving their data on water points of diversion in Oregon. To implement those requirements, ODF is working with the Water Resources Dept. to locate and map those water points. They are also providing helicopter pesticide application and communication training opportunities: Nov. 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. Meeting link: https://odf.zoom.us/j/96592108915 Meeting ID: 965 9210 8915 or Nov. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m. Meeting link: https://odf.zoom.us/j/93765787796 Meeting ID: 937 6578 7796. The training will explain how to use E-Notification to notify for helicopter pesticide applications and register to receive operations updates. The SB 1602 summary provides background about the law. For more information contact Josh Barnard, Interim Division Chief, Private Forests Division (Josh.W.BARNARD@oregon.gov). New helicopter pesticide applications and neighborly communications procedures will be effective December 15, 2021. MOU between ODF and DEQ: A new, revised Memorandum of Understanding between ODF and DEQ has been developed and is under review with input from the public. The MOU spells out roles and responsibilities of the two agencies in collaborating to improve drinking water standards to meet the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requirements. Oregon has lost federal funding for failing to meet EPA’s standards for drinking water quality. The MOU clarifies responsibilities of the two agencies to implement the CWA. DEQ is responsible for setting the limits on water pollutants allowed, called TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Loads). These TMDLS will be used to determine if the current regulations of the Forest Practices Act are adequate to protect the state’s watershed drainage areas. The League provided testimony in support, submitted September 25. The public has until Sept. 30 to comment. Land Use/Housing (Debbie Aiona, Nancy Donovan, Peggy Lynch and the Climate Team): The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) continues to receive reports on the implementation of HB 2001 (2019). See their past meeting materials to learn more. The Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) staff will facilitate a public review of the Draft Policy Agenda (the department’s 2021-23 work plan) from Sept. 27, 2021, through Oct. 14, 2021. The League often comments on this work. DLCD is the convenor for the state’s Climate Change Adaptation among a broad group of state agencies. This work will be on-going. The League has suggested that this work be used by all 24 state agencies as they develop their 2023 budget proposals. The League supports another program, the on-going Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities rulemaking. See more about this in the Climate Report. As the League follows HB 2003 (2019) work, we learned a bit more about the process at the local level. A previous bill required rent burdened communities to hold annual open houses. It also required that cities submit annual reports to DLCD on the number of permitted and produced housing units. HB 2003 now requires cities to complete a “pre-HPS Survey” 24-months prior to completion of their Housing Production Strategy (HPS). This survey is basically for cities to compile and report all of the housing production activities they are working on currently as a precursor to the work of their scheduled Housing Needs Analysis (HNA) and HPS. The HPS timing is tied to the HNA deadline established by LCDC. The rules for engagement and discussion surrounding the HPS push cities to think holistically about their housing policy and not in a vacuum. The League is concerned that local jurisdictions are not looking holistically at the many new state requirements placed on them related to how we plan our cities for a climate-stressed future. For more information, go to the DLCD housing website. A pilot Regional Housing Needs Analysis (RHNA) was part of HB 2003 (2019). The League has concerns about the “regions” currently designated and the lack of substantial data outside of Metro and Central Oregon. Budget Notes were included in HB 5006: Budget Note #4 and #8: OHCS and DLCD are to provide an initial legislative report no later than February 1, 2022 and a final legislative report no later than December 31, 2022 on efforts to develop a legislative proposal for incorporation of a Regional Housing Needs Analysis into future state and local planning processes. The issue of Systems Development Charges (SDCs) and who should pay for infrastructure needs for new development and that cost burden on “affordable housing” was discussed during consideration of HB 3040 (2021)., which now requires OHSC to conduct a study with other agencies and local governments to provide a broad review of the history, purposes and calculations of SDCs. A preliminary report is due in Dec. 2021 with a final report due by June of 2022. SDCs became a greater revenue source when Oregonians passed property tax limitation measures in the 1990s, reducing local government revenue. The League continues to be a member of the Oregon Housing Alliance. Members attend regular meetings to discuss past and future legislation and programs. See also the Housing Report in other sections of this Legislative Report. Northwest Energy Coalition (NWEC) (Robin Tokmakian): The Northwest Power and Planning Council will hold hearings soon. See below for an opportunity to learn more from NWEC of which the League is a member. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the region’s official power planning agency, has just released its draft 2021 Northwest Power Plan. The public now has until November 19 to submit written comments, and several opportunities to testify at public hearings (virtually): · September 27, 4-6pm Pacific, 5-7pm Mountain, hosted by Montana · October 7, 5-7pm Pacific, 6-8pm Mountain, hosted by Washington · October 12, 1:30-3:30pm Pacific, 2:30-4:30pm Mountain, hosted by Oregon · October 14, 4-6pm Pacific, 5-7pm Mountain, hosted by Idaho The Council’s power plan is important. It helps determine how much clean energy and energy efficiency we use by providing a blueprint for power system decisions throughout the region. It guides the Bonneville Power Administration’s choice of resources to meet public utilities’ needs and establishes benchmarks for long-term plans of both public and investor-owned utilities. The 2021 Northwest Power Plan comes at a critical time. The region needs to replace the energy and capacity services from retiring fossil fuel resources and meet aggressive economy-wide greenhouse gas reduction goals in Washington and Oregon, while maintaining reliability and affordability. As we begin to see the impacts of climate change on the grid, the importance of having a clean, flexible, and resilient power system has never been greater. The NWEC is providing an Oct. 6 opportunity to learn more about the 2021 Northwest Power Plan and how to get involved. The NWEC will review the plan, its strengths and drawbacks– and provide information and talking points you can use to send in comments or participate in a public comment hearing on the Draft. Webinar #2 - Hosted by the NW Energy Coalition, October 6 12:00pm – 1:30pm PT. Register! The webinar is designed to be one hour and they are reserving extra Q&A time for those who want to go more in depth. Radioactive Waste (Shirley Weathers): The League will participate in rulemaking to implement SB 246 (2021), Radioactive Waste Disposal Definitions and Enforcement. There are tentatively six meetings scheduled with the first meeting on Oct. 19. Recycling: Since Governor Kate Brown signed the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (SB 582-2021) into law on August 6, DEQ has been developing an implementation plan, estimated timeline and other resources to support implementation of the new law and inform interested parties. The law goes into effect on January 1, 2022, and the start-up phase will span multiple years with extensive planning, research, rulemaking and stakeholder engagement. DEQ will keep interested stakeholders informed and seek input through several different channels throughout the first few years of implementation. More details about engagement opportunities Transportation: The Malheur County Development Corp. last week got Americold's signature on a 20-year lease to operate the Treasure Valley Reload Center near Nyssa. Work on the facility will begin in November. The taxpayer-funded shipping center is designed to cut onion shippers costs, now relying on trucking or unreliable rail service to move their product. The rail shipping center will function through a partnership between onion shippers, the county, Union Pacific Railroad and Americold, a national warehousing company. See Malheur Enterprise.com for stories about this important public investment. Another transload facility is being built near Millersburg off I-5. Toxics (Amelia Nestler): See our Pesticides and other Biocides study. Local Leagues will reach consensus on the study to adopt advocacy positions based on this important educational work. See your local League to be a part of developing these positions! Water (Peggy Lynch and Amelia Nestler): The Water Resources Dept. (WRD) received a huge infusion of staff positions and program changes with the 2021 session. With on-going drought and their long-term responsibilities, they are working toward hiring the appropriate staff and addressing things like an update of the Integrated Water Resources Strategy, the 100-year water vision and a number of rulemakings and work groups that they will need to accomplish in less than 2 years. The League has been supportive and it is now time to review the department’s Place-Based Planning program. The Planning Assessment will include an evaluation of the program which now has 4 pilot projects. The Assessment results will be used to guide future approaches and support for water resources planning efforts.The scope of the Planning Assessment was described to the Water Resources Commission in June 2020. Click here to view the presentation. View a one-page handout describing the Planning Assessment. View a one-page summary of the place-based planning evaluation. WRD received Budget Note #9 in HB 5006 (2021): WRD is directed to use provided funding to contract with Oregon Consensus to convene a workgroup comprised of a balanced membership including, but not limited to, conservation groups, agricultural water users, municipal water users, environmental justice organizations, tribal interests and state agencies including WRD and ODFW to consider regional water management opportunities that build on the 100-Year Water Vision and further the goals of the Integrated Water Resources Strategy. The League had concerns around regional water planning if Oregon counties were to be responsible for making decisions around our statewide water laws. This Budget Note and monies allocated provides opportunities to have a broad discussion before any such regional program is adopted. Water in Oregon belongs to all of us. A Work Group has been formed by Rep. Anna Williams to find consensus related to HB 2594 (2021) which did not pass but would have provided more protection to drinking water streams and other sources. See Forestry (above) related to work on SB 1602 from 2020 and the MOU being considered between DEQ and ODF. Another Work Group around water measurement is attempting to find a compromise between the need for good data and those concerned with the need to measure the water they are legally using. The League supported HB 2145 (2021), the agency’s modernization of well construction bill, and worked to add a well repair fund to the bill similar to the on-site septic program at DEQ. The bill approved a fee increase for “start cards” to help pay for this work and the legislature provided more than $2 million in the new fund. Rulemaking is needed to set criteria for allocating the funds. Members might be interested in reading this comprehensive Oregon Water Futures Report. Amelia Nestler serves as the League’s statutory member of OHA’s Drinking Water Advisory Committee (DWAC). The committee meets quarterly to consider issues around drinking water systems serving Oregonians. Among the issues being considered are systems affected by the wildfires, including possible benzene contamination and new rules for very small water systems where staff is needed to manage drinking water requirements. Oregon’s nine federally recognized Indian tribes have asked to be included in Oregon’s water plans as stated in a letter to Governor Brown dated Sept. 21. “As Oregon’s “water vision” initiative moves forward, and to ensure that our voices will be clearly heard in all that process might entail, the tribes request the following: By executive order, establish a “Tribe-Agency Water Vision Task Force” to include representation from Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and the nine state agencies identified in Oregon’s Water Resources Strategy. The goal of this group would be to fully coordinate the vision and goals of a holistic water vision. Collaborate with each of our tribes to develop specific recommendations for the water plan. Each of our sovereign tribes may have unique, specific interests pertinent to water resources and/or water infrastructure within their ancestral areas.” With the on-going drought throughout Oregon, League members may want to check the U.S. Drought Monitor map, updated every Thursday, at least during the summer season. And here’s the counties in Oregon for which a drought declaration has been approved. This last week Curry County declared a drought emergency which the Governor will need to consider. It’s been good to see a bit of rain this September, but it will take a lot more to remove Oregon from our serious multi-year drought situation. Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. We have also seen beach closures this late summer, many of which may be related to failing septic systems along the coast. Wildfires (Joyce Chapman and Peggy Lynch): We are pleased to report that Oregon’s communities are seeing some recovery after the Sept. 2020 wildfires. The policy changes and infusion of monies by the legislature and the federal government have helped some homes and businesses return. There is, however, much work to be done. There are still many people living in motels, RVs, FEMA trailers and may well also be living in tents, particularly in Jackson County where manufactured and mobile home parks burned. Jackson County reports the debris removal estimate was 18 months, but it got done in 8 months. There is discussion around FEMA trailers as they usually have a deadline for use. Oregon will need to apply for an extension to keep them in use here. Both the Lane Electric and Consumers Power Co-Ops have been awarded federal funds to replace and perhaps upgrade their facilities damaged in Sept. 2020 wildfires. The Oregon Dept. of Energy is working on the best way to spend the $10 million they were allocated to help upgrade new homes or provide other building money for permits and other assistance. Rulemaking is needed to clarify the allocation criteria. That is also true with other monies. Agencies need to set clear and fair criteria to assure taxpayer dollars are spent as anticipated AND that Oregonians can get back into homes in their communities. For example, Marion County officials are planning to build 32 houses in the Santiam Canyon to provide short-term shelter for people displaced by the Beachie Creek Fire last summer. The county will use wildfire recovery funds approved during the 2021 legislative session for buying and installing the houses, which will be split across two sites – a group of cabins at North Santiam State Park and a so-called “tiny home village” in Gates, Matt Lawyer, a policy analyst for the Marion County Board of Commissioners, said at a recent board meeting. Here is an impressive but sad tour of the Santiam Canyon—before and after the Sept. 2020 fires. Lest we forget, there has also been a 2021 fire season. As of Sept. 16, 174 residences, one business and 294 other structures have burned. Most of the homes were lost in Klamath County’s Bootleg Fire. ODF suppression costs are $122 million gross and $59.5 million net ((following FEMA and other Federal agencies’ reimbursements). Oregon State Fire Marshal suppression costs are $21 million, as of Sept. 13. See the Forestry section for information about SB 762 and forestry actions. The Oregon Dept. of Forestry provides wildfires information during the season. Go here to get the most up to date information on 2021 wildfires. Here is the ODF wildfire blog. A new online TOOL, released by the Oregon Department of Forestry, allows residents to track current wildfire risk to their exact location anywhere in Oregon. The tool, part of the Oregon Explorer website, uses a variety of data to calculate how high risk is for any given location. Wildlife: Want to know which plants attract pollinators? Here’s an OSU Extension Service video. Volunteers Needed: You can see the names of League volunteers who covered one or more issues above. Volunteers are needed to participate in rulemaking to implement the bills passed in the 2021 session and to follow 2022 legislation in 2022, a short 5-week session starting Feb. 1st. If not actually serving on a rules advisory committee (RAC), you could simply monitor and report back on their work. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com. Training will be offered.

by Josie Koehne, Coordinator Since the close of session in June and our Sine Die report on September 14, there is little to report since the Legislature has not been in session, and the committees that were to convene on September 22-25 were canceled due to a case of Covid in the state Legislature, as well as an extension of the Special Redistricting Session, not yet concluded due to disagreements concerning the CD maps. However, the Department of Revenue (DOR) has put out a draft Revenue’s 2021-2027 Strategic Plan, and is seeking public input in a virtual open house as part of its Strategic Plan Update from September 23—October 6. The plan includes a description of its mission, vision and values. The DOR is “committed to bringing in the revenue that Oregon counts on, whether it's through tax programs we administer, supporting our partners’ revenue collection efforts, or collecting on debts owed the state of Oregon. Our mission, vision, and values define our purpose and guide our work. The plan has four priorities for 2021-2017: 1) ensuring dignity and inclusion for all, 2) making it simpler to work with us, 3) training and preparing our workforce for the future, and 4) enhancing data access and use. It describes where the 54 revenue streams come from (31 tax programs, 8 fee programs, and 15 administrative or pass-through programs) that the department administers, and where the revenue goes to provide services to Oregonians. To do the planning, DOR conducted numerous surveys and workshops and developed metrics to evaluate and measure success over time for each of its 13 goals. These are: Goal 1: Create and implement a Racial Equity Plan. Measure success according to guidance from the Governor and DAS for state agency racial equity plans. Goal 2: Create and use Racial Equity Impact Statements. Measure success according to guidance from the Governor and DAS for state agency racial impact statements. Goal 3: Upgrade to modern call center and phone systems. Measure success based on incoming call data, and customer service satisfaction ratings. Goal 4: Improve online services. Measure success based on incoming call data, customer surveys, and GenTax analytics. Goal 5: Improve website features and functionality. Measure success based on incoming call data, customer surveys, and Google Analytics. Goal 6: Improve the quality of correspondence. Measure success based on customer surveys and customer service satisfaction ratings. Goal 7: Accept all payments for all programs regardless of a customer’s access point. Measure success based on customer surveys and customer service satisfaction ratings. Goal 8: Enhance employee training. Measure success based on employee training data. Goal 9: Ensure new managers have the tools they need to succeed. Measure success based on employee training data. Goal 10: Facilitate knowledge transfer and cross-training. Measure success based on employee training. Goal 11: Improve data literacy. Measure success based on surveys of customers' perception of their ability to read, work with, analyze, and communicate with data. Goal 12: Develop data governance. Measure success based on surveys of customers' perception of whether data is usable, accessible, and protected. Goal 13: Create and execute a data strategy. Complete and adopt a data strategy and implement a data strategy lifecycle. The department seems to have gone through a rigorous self-evaluation process. We think the plan is excellent, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. “The State of Oregon is committed to establishing strong leadership to eradicate racial and other forms of disparities in all aspects of state government. We look to center equity in budgeting, planning, procurement, and policymaking. We work to strengthen public involvement through community engagement, access to information, and decision-making opportunities. We work to improve equitable access to our services, programs, and resources. We work to foster an inclusive workplace culture.”

by Norman Turrill, Coordinator Redistricting The special session of the Legislative Assembly concluded Monday, the deadline, with passage of the legislative and congressional maps proposed by the supermajority Democrats. The session dragged on without agreement for almost a week! The drama was all about the congressional redistricting bill, SB 881, which the Senate passed along party lines. The original version would have produced 4 safe Democratic districts, one Democratic leaning district, and one safe Republican district. The most egregious district would have been CD 3 stretching from the Willamette River in Portland to Bend in central Oregon. Four CDs would radiate from the Portland area, clearly a gerrymander. Republicans were clearly unhappy with the original bill, but a possible walkout was made moot when an undisclosed person in the Capitol tested positive for COVID-19, delaying a House session until Saturday morning. In the meantime, Democrats tried to lure Republicans with a -3 SB 881 amendment, which would have produced 3 safe Democratic districts, one Democratic leaning district, one swing district, and one safe Republican district. This plan’s most egregious feature was that three CDs crossed the Cascade Mountains, Oregon’s largest geographic barrier, and four CDs would still radiate from the Portland area. After a game of chicken where most Republicans did not show up and denied a Saturday session quorum, the -3 amendment ultimately passed the House Monday on party-line votes. The Senate had to repass SB 881 with a party-line vote before final adjournment. The legislative redistricting bill, SB 882, was by comparison relatively non-controversial; although, all Senate and House Republicans and two Democrats still voted against it. Various redistricting evaluation services rated the proposal as fairly well drawn. The People Not Politicians coalition decided Monday to go ahead with gathering the first 1000 signatures to qualify IP 34 for the ballot title process. Lawsuits have been threatened, so stay tuned! Campaign Finance Reform Because the legislature failed to adopt any campaign finance reform bill to implement the Measure 107 constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2020, a collaboration of organizations, including the LWVOR and organized by Honest Elections Oregon, have been meeting with stakeholders to draft an initiative petition for the 2022 ballot. Election Topics Two referendums to repeal HB 2681 about cleaning voter rolls and HB 3291 to repeal the election day postmark bill failed to collect enough signatures.

by Anne Nesse LWVOR would like to clear up some media mis-information about temporarily revising Oregon’s High School graduation requirements, with a more accurate OPB report. “So what has actually changed since signing SB 744 in the 2021 Legislative Session? The short answer is, not much.” “Senate Bill 744 orders a review of state graduation requirements and suspends a requirement that Oregon 2022, 2023, and 2024 students show proficiency in Essential Learning Skills in order to graduate. Oregon students still have to pass their high school classes and earn 24 credits to graduate. State tests are coming back this year after two years' absence, with state summative assessments scheduled for early 2022. But with the removal of the Essential Skills requirement, high school students no longer have to reach a certain score, or turn in a portfolio of work samples.” We are now on hold till our Department of Education works on better guidelines than just one test or set of materials, to determine our student’s abilities upon graduation. “Districts have already started sharing ODE’s notice form to alert parents.” Several legislators pointed out that the Covid Pandemic provided us with an “opportunity” to re-assess how we were actually evaluating student’s basic abilities.

Public Hearings Sept. 22, 23 and 24 Date: September 16, 2021 To: All League Members From: Rebecca Gladstone, LWVOR President Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator The League of Women Voters of Oregon supported SB 762, the omnibus wildfire bill. Now agencies are writing the rules to implement the bill. The Board of Forestry has opened a public comment period, from now through October 1, on whether the state should adopt the WUI definition that is most commonly used throughout the United States, especially in the West, and by the federal government - the “International Wildfire Urban Interface Code” definition: “that geographical area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with wildland or vegetative fuels”. As a reminder: on the final day of the 2021 session, the legislature passed Oregon’s first comprehensive, forward-looking wildfire preparedness and resiliency bill, Senate Bill 762. This bill is a critical step for Oregon to increase community preparedness, reduce future wildfire risk, and build resiliency to withstand the increasing severity and frequency of wildfires in Oregon. Now it is time to implement SB 762 – the bill requires several state agencies to take actions and make investments towards achieving that wildfire resiliency. The Oregon Board of Forestry is currently in the process of adopting a definition of “wildland urban interface” (WUI) – this is the foundational definition on which much of the state’s wildfire preparedness investments, regulations, and guidance will be based. The Board needs to hear from you – how have Oregon’s recent wildfires impacted your life, and what do you expect from the state to better prepare Oregon & all Oregonians for the future? Right now, the Board especially needs to hear that: Oregon should adopt the International WUI Code Definition: “that geographical area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with wildland or vegetative fuels”. Adopting a scientifically sound, comprehensive, and nationally recognized WUI definition based on best practices is essential to protect life, property, and firefighter safety in the wake of increasingly extreme and dangerous wildfire conditions. The International WUI Code definition is nationally recognized and used in professional applications at the local, state, and federal level. Nearly every western state, and many states across the nation, have already adopted all or part of the International WUI Code. The International WUI definition is recognized by the Council of Western State Foresters, federal agencies, fire managers, and other government and professional bodies. The 2020 wildfire season in Oregon burned over 1 million acres and destroyed more than 4000 homes. One-sixth of Oregonians were under evacuation orders! Oregon must improve our wildfire response systems, and the status quo of unfunded and inconsistent WUI approaches is no longer acceptable. IN 2021, over 850,000 acres and over 160 residences have already burned in Oregon, and the fire season is not yet over. Oregon needs a consistent and clear definition that is recognized by scientists, fire managers, and government bodies, not a one-off definition that risks unintended consequences and could allow interests to game the process. Having a nationally recognized WUI definition is important to ensure Oregon is eligible to secure federal funds for programs related to the WUI. Customized issues will be addressed in the extensive WUI criteria development process that will follow the adoption of the WUI definition, to account for unique local circumstances and features. Adopting this definition is simply the foundational starting point, which will be detailed and refined in additional public processes over the next 5 months. This rule is the first step in implementing SB 762. Another rulemaking committee is developing the set of specific maps identifying which properties are most at risk. Look for opportunities to comment on those maps in the coming months. For now, we support this foundational definition as work continues to refine the work specifically for a diverse Oregon. Send your experiences and comments to the Board of Forestry at: sb762.rulemaking@oregon.gov You can also speak at one of three public hearings by logging into the below zoom links and indicating you want to testify: Sept. 22, 2021, 2 p.m., Zoom meeting Sept. 23, 2021, 7 p.m., Zoom meeting Sept. 24, 2021, 9 a.m., Zoom meeting To learn more about this WUI rulemaking process, go to: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/board/Pages/rac.aspx