SB5506 Suggesting a climate focus for the 2023 Oregon Budget

Alan R.P. Journet Ph.D.
Cofacilitator
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
alan@socan.eco
541-500-2331
April 22^nd 2023

Reference SB5506

Co-Chairs Steiner and Sanchez and members of the Joint Committee On Ways and Means:

I write as cofacilitator of Southern Oregon Climate Action Now (SOCAN), an organization of over 2,000 rural Southern Oregonians who are concerned about the climate crisis and urge statewide action to address it. The mission of SOCAN is to promote awareness and understanding of the science of global warming and its climate chaos consequences and stimulate individual and collective action to address it. Since rural Oregonians occupy the frontlines in experiencing the impact of the drought, shrinking snowpack, wildfires and extreme weather that the climate crisis imposes, we are strongly committed to statewide action.

For nearly a decade, a statewide coalition of Oregonians who are climate conscious had collaborated with legislators who are also sensitive to the climate crisis to establish in Oregon a program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote carbon sequestration in our natural and working lands.  Because of the resistance of some legislators, establishing a comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions reduction program has proven impossible.  As a result, two years ago Governor Kate Brown signed Executive Order 20-04 charging agencies with relevant authority to develop programs that would reduce emissions and promote sequestration and do so within the framework of promoting climate justice.

Asa result, a number of valuable programs have been developed by the agencies to promote emissions reductions.  There are, however, two catches in this effort:

1. The first is that agency actions dependent for their authority on the Governor’s Executive Order are only effective as long as we have a Governor who is committed to this program, and,
2. In order to be successful, some of these programs need adequate funding.

Fortunately, in 2022 Oregon voters made it clear in their votes for both chambers and the Governorship that addressing the climate crisis is a priority.  Another timely plus is that, thanks entirely to the efforts of President Biden and a Democratically controlled House and Senate we now have available billions of dollars of federal funds which the state can access (i) if we have programs allowing agencies to apply for the funds AND (ii) if we have state dollars that can be provided as matching funds to secure those federal dollars.

The state is confronted with a critical moment of decision.  Are we willing to elevate our state’s contribution to addressing the climate crisis sufficiently that we will allocate state dollars to set it in motion. These funds can enable state agencies to access federal dollars. If we fail to allocate funds to this effort, the state will be justifiably accused of simply paying lip service to the commitment to address the climate crisis without any real conviction.

We understand that there exist many needs in the state demanding funding.  However, we argue that our state desperately needs a budget that will support agency efforts to protect our air and water and address the history of social injustice that has compromised the health of vulnerable and frontline communities. In order to fulfill the state’s responsibility to protect the trust of clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment for future generations, Oregon’s 2023 budget must recognize provide appropriate investments.

While we recognize the tight budget situation confronting the state, those of us living in rural Oregon and, therefore, on the frontlines of so many threats to our environment and our health, urge the legislature to recognize the plight that we and other vulnerable communities face by supporting climate funding in the state budget.

Our review of the legislative proposals introduced during the 2023 session indicates that the proposals in need to funding (not listed in rank order) support are:

SB868-871 – the Resilient Buildings package,

SB530 The Natural Climate Solutions Bill,

HB2990 The Community Resilience Hubs Bill,

HB2998 The Healthy Soils Bill,

SB522 Enhancement of the role and capacity of the Oregon Global Warming (Climate Action) Commission while establishing improved goals for greenhouse gas emissions reduction,

HB3196 Establishing rules for and supporting the Climate Investment fund of the Climate Protection Program,

HB3056 Extending the heat pump fund,

HB3133 Promoting multi-modal transit,

HB3229 Relating to fee increases for climate pollution emissions,

HB2571 Establishing a rebate for electric bicycles,

If Oregon is genuinely to contribute its share to solving the climate crisis and assume a national leadership position in confronting this existential problem, while simultaneously reflecting legislatively and budgetarily, the concerns if its residents, we must invest in efforts that achieve this goal. In terms of the ongoing viability of humanity and life on the planet as we know it, there can be no greater demand for our financial resources.

Respectfully Submitted

Alan Journet

Alan R.P. Journet Ph.D.
Cofacilitator
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
alan@socan.eco
541-500-2331
May 5^th 2023

Reference SB5506

Co-Chairs Steiner and Sanchez and members of the Joint Committee On Ways and Means:

I write as cofacilitator of Southern Oregon Climate Action Now an organization of over 2,000 Southern Oregonians and friends who are concerned about the climate crisis.  For over ten years we have been serving our mission of promoting awareness and understanding about the science of climate change and promoting individual and collective action to address this crisis within the framework of social justice.  As rural Oregonians we are on the frontlines in terms of experiencing the rising temperatures, reducing snowpack and water availability, drought, wildfires, extreme weather and flooding that climate change is imposing.   We are, therefore, very keen to see Oregon continue to actualize our commitment to undertaking our share towards addressing the crisis through both adaptation and mitigation – involving reducing emissions and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.

It is in this vein that I submit this follow-up testimony to my previous comments to express our concern that the 2023-2024 biennium budget should prioritize and adequately reflect the commitment our state has made to addressing the climate crisis.  The climate crisis constitutes one of the state’s major challenges; if we do not address it now, the situation will only deteriorate further.

During the current session many proposals have been introduced that constitute efforts to address the climate problem.  Many of these proposals can be seen to establish programs that will allow the state to apply for, and (we hope) obtain federal funds that will allow state agencies to take appropriate steps. Please note, therefore, when considering funding options, which of these constitute investments that will allow access to federal funding and therefore will return huge gains for the state in addressing this crisis.

In particular I urge the Joint Committee on Ways and Means to look favorably on the following proposals:

SB868-871 – the Resilient Buildings package,

SB530 The Natural Climate Solutions Bill,

HB2990 The Community Resilience Hubs Bill,

HB2998 The Healthy Soils Bill,

SB522 Enhancement of the role and capacity of the Oregon Global Warming (Climate Action) Commission while establishing improved goals for greenhouse gas emissions reduction,

HB3196 Establishing rules for and supporting the Climate Investment fund of the Climate Protection Program,

HB3056 Extending the heat pump fund,

HB3133 Promoting multi-modal transit,

HB3229 Relating to fee increases for climate pollution emissions,

HB2571 Establishing a rebate for electric bicycles.

If Oregon is to promote a sustainable lifestyle in all sectors of the economy, among all residents and demographic groups in all corners of the state, addressing the climate crisis should be one of the highest priorities.

Respectfully Submitted

Alan Journet