HB4058 air-conditioning

Alan R.P. Journet Ph.D
Cofacilitator,
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
7113 Griffin Lane
Jacksonville OR 97530-9342
alan@socan.eco
541-301-4107
February 1^st 2022

Chair Marsh and members of the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources:

I write as co-facilitator of Southern Oregon Climate Action Now on behalf of the over 1600 rural Southern Oregonians who are SOCAN. Our mission is to promote awareness and understanding of the science of global warming and its climate change consequences and motivate individual and collective action to address the resulting climate crisis.

As we are promoting programs that address the climate crisis, we must be sensitive to the need to address social justice issues. One critical area that falls under this category is recognizing that not everyone is equally able to adapt to the warming climate, or to the cold spells that accompany it. It is unfortunate that we are unable to solve this climate crisis as rapidly as we would like. The consequence is that warming and polar vortices will continue, and would even continue if we halted all emissions today. This imposes on us a responsibility to provide a means whereby those who are less able to keep themselves cool during heat waves or warm during cold spells are provided a means to achieve that requirement.

While it might seem paradoxical to incorporate in a climate program the provision of air conditioners that use electricity and thus contribute to the problem, it is certainly possible, as HB4058 includes, to provide means of cooling and heating that are much more energy efficient than the convention home or window unit. Thus heating/cooling by means of the heat pump technology is much more efficient than the ancient power-guzzling air conditioner. Furthermore, as the state moves ever closer to 100% clean electricity generation, thanks to passage of HB2021 last year, the downside of providing a means for folks to gain the capacity for cooling will be reduced.

For these reasons, SOCAN supports HB4058 and urges its passage.

Respectfully submitted

Alan Journet Ph.D.’
Cofacilitator
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now