Survey: Most Oregonians desire to protect environment, less focused on economic development

Crater Lake Photo by Alan Journet Michael Kohn The Bulletin May 31st 2023 Rampant inflation over the past year may be hitting pocketbooks hard, but most Oregonians still support rules and regulations that protect the environment over those…

Oregon lawmakers seek more funds for well repair amid declining aquifer levels

Photo-by-Kristijan-Nikacevic Michael Kohn, The Bulletin, September 15th A state program that helps pay for the cost of repairing wells could receive additional funding next year. That’s good news for the scores of homeowners who have…

How ‘carbon farming’ could help Oregon reach its climate goals

Photo from Creative Commons courtesy of Ali Hadbe Cassandra Profita, OPB  September 18, 2023 Rancher Jeanne Carver threw her leg over a fence lining her property in Central Oregon. “Let me go first,” she said. “It’s snake season.” Watching…

Errors In a Federal Carbon Capture Analysis Are a Warning for Clean Energy Spending, Former Official Says

Boardman coal-fired power plant, Photo by Alan Journet A coal plant seeking hundreds of millions in public funding submitted an analysis riddled with mistakes, according to a former Energy Department official. But the government published…

Southern Oregon climate group plans to hire first paid executive director

Tony Boom RV-Times, September 16th 2023 After 11 years as a volunteer-run operation, Southern Oregon Climate Action Now is looking to hire its first employee. The group has raised more than half of a $90,000 funding campaign…

Urge Governor Newsom to sign into law two globally-important bills…..

that will force big companies to fully disclose their climate emissions and climate-related financial risks. Bill McKibben initiated the 'divest from fossil fuels' campaign over a decade ago.  Now, Third Act is trying to move the campaign…

‘This campaign is for our futures’: Ashland students see small success with natural gas ordinance

‘This campaign is for our futures’: Ashland students see small success with natural gas ordinance Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news September 15, 2023 “This campaign is for our futures. We want a future where our communities and the places…

SOCAN: Group reaches for a new level of climate action

Photo by Dasja Dolan Organization, which promotes awareness of global warming science, launches a fund drive to hire an executive director to boost its strength By Alan Journet Ashland.News September 14th 2023 Eleven years ago, among the…

SOCAN: Reaching a new level of Climate Action

Local Group Reaching for a New Level of Climate Action Alan Journet, SOCAN Press Release, September 11,2023     Press Release: For immediate release         Eleven years ago, among the…

Carbon Catch

Most seafood is more climate-friendly than its terrestrial counterparts. But the latest controversies run deeper than simply wild-caught vs farmed. Mark Harris, Anthropocene Magazine: September 11, 2023 Seafood production has quadrupled over…

CPP Defense

  Alan R.P. Journet Ph.D. Cofacilitator Southern Oregon Climate Action Now alan@socan.eco 541-500-2331 August 31st 2023     Reference Proposed adjustments to the DEQ (EQC approved) Climate Protection Program Nicole…

Oregon’s Absurd Legislative Quorum

Are You Tired of Oregon Legislative Walkouts? Do You Want to Learn about the Pros and Cons of Meaningful Options to Change Oregon’s Antiquated Quorum Rule? Please join us for a presentation by a panel of experts on the possibilities and…

CLIMATE WIN! OREGON LAWMAKERS TAKE POWERFUL ACTION PASSING THE ‘CLIMATE RESILIENCE PACKAGE’

Nora Apter OEC Online June 29 2023 Oregon’s 2023 Legislative Session ended with a momentous victory in the fight against climate change with the passage of the bipartisan Climate Resilience Package (HB 3409 & HB 3630). With over $90 million…

Habitat-Conservation-Plan

SOCAN's response to the Board of Forestry regarding  efforts by the timber industry to undermine the Habitat Conservation Plan developed by the Oregon Department of Forestry following the Private Forest Accord   Alan R.P. Journet…

Campaign Finance Reform in Oregon

For many in the climate activist arena, it has long been a toss up as to whether our primary concern should be climate action or campaign finance reform since it is always difficult to achieve legislative success when so many legislators owe…

Defend The Oregon Climate Protection Program

SOCAN encourages YOU to submit comments on the adjusted rules. | Deadline extended to October 13 | Submit comments by emailing: Climate.2023@deq.oregon.gov   State agencies responded to Governor Brown's 2020 Executive Order 20-04 by…

Scientists Find Success With New Direct Ocean Carbon Capture Technology

In a research paper, the scientists say capturing carbon dioxide directly from the oceans could have advantages over direct air capture. Ananya Chetia Inside Climate News September 2, 2023 As human activity and climate change increase the…

Top science publisher withdraws flawed climate study

Dry rain over Utah: Photo Alan Journet Sometimes flawed reports sneak through the peer-review process.  Fortunately, the self-correcting scientific process of post-publication review can correct these errors. One way for biased inaccurate…

‘It’s time to do something’: Push is on to replace open-ditch irrigation canals with piping

'It's time to do something': Push is on to replace open-ditch irrigation canals with piping Shaun Hall, Rogue Valley Times, August 14 2023 A big push is underway in Jackson County and Oregon to replace open-ditch irrigation canals with…

NASA Clocks July 2023 as Hottest Month on Record Ever Since 1880

NASA Clocks July 2023 as Hottest Month on Record Ever Since 1880   Human-driven climate change pushed global temperatures to never-before-seen heights in July, according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration…

OCT-2023: Sweeping Constitutional Win for Held v. State of Montana Youth Plaintiffs

BREAKING NEWS: HISTORIC WIN FOR YOUTH! Sweeping Constitutional Win for Held v. State of Montana Youth Plaintiffs Helena, MT—In an historic first, Judge Kathy Seeley in the First Judicial District Court of Montana ruled wholly in favor of…

EPA Overrules Texas

Photo by Raychel Sanner courtesy Free Creative Commons Zero Images EPA Overrules Texas Plan to Reduce Haze From Air Pollution at National Parks Critics called the state’s plan, which rejected a request to cut sulfur emissions at coal plants,…

Avista agrees to lower rate hike, add restrictions on using ratepayer money for political activities

Avista agrees to lower rate hike, add restrictions on using ratepayer money for political activities Oregon’s second largest natural gas utility has agreed to some restrictions on using ratepayer money for political activities and expansion ALEX…

State rolls out rental unit heat pump rebate program inspired by ‘heat dome’ event

Shaun Hall, Rogue Valley Times, August 1 2023 Stay cool, buddy. Two years after an extreme heat event known as a “heat dome” struck the Pacific Northwest, the state of Oregon is rolling out a rebate program prompted in…