Dear John,

The 2021 legislative session starts today. Help us tell lawmakers: climate legislation is still unfinished business, and needs to be a priority this year!

We haven’t forgotten how both the 2019 and 2020 sessions ended—how Republican lawmakers shut down our democracy in a desperate attempt to keep climate legislation from passing. How Oregonians rallied together to demand that lawmakers act on climate and get back to work. How, in response, Governor Brown took a stand and signed her historic executive order—the Oregon Climate Action Plan. And then, how Oregonians spoke up at the ballot box, electing new climate leaders and kicking some of those climate deniers out of office. 

Now, as we head into the 2021 session, we’re working in a coalition led by environmental justice organizations like Verde in order to pass a new set of climate bills—the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity. This package of bills includes:

• 100% Clean Energy for All (LC 1984)
  Just like it sounds, 100% Clean Energy for All would transition Oregon to 100% clean energy—like wind, solar, and geothermal—within the next couple decades.
• Healthy Homes (HB 2842)  
  Healthy Homes would help low-income communities make repairs and updates on older homes, helping to improve indoor air quality, save money on heating/cooling, and make homes more energy efficient.
• The Oregon Energy Affordability Act (HB 2475) 
  The Oregon Energy Affordability Act would help make energy bills more affordable by providing protection from rate increases, especially for low-income households who spend a large portion of their income on energy needs. 

Together, these three bills would not only help reduce Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions, but create new jobs in clean energy, while prioritizing the communities most affected by climate change, including low-income communities and communities of color. Help us start the legislative session out strong: send your lawmakers an email asking them to support the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity!

This summer, we saw the effects of climate change firsthand. Weeks of smoky skies, toxic air, and lost homes and communities served as a stark reminder of what will become the new normal if we don’t take action. We need to steer Oregon away from fossil fuels and toward a clean energy future, and the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity will help get us on the right track. Send an email to your lawmakers today!

Thank you,

Julia DeGraw
Coalition Director, OLCV

P.S. - Want to learn more about the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity? Join us for a free online presentation hosted by the Electrify Coalition on Wednesday, January 27th from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM! Find out more and register here.

* Photo taken before the pandemic