Dear John,

Good news: Oregon finally passed the Climate Protection Program! This is a huge step forward for Oregon–the Climate Protection Program will require industrial polluters to cut their greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2035. Send a thank you email to Governor Brown and the DEQ’s Environmental Quality Commission using our online form!

The Climate Protection Program is part of the Oregon Climate Action Plan–Governor Brown’s executive order for climate action issued back in 2020. After a year and a half long rulemaking process, over 7,600 comments from the public, and tons of advocacy from climate activists like you, it finally passed at the end of December. Thank Governor Brown and the DEQ for listening to advocates and passing a strong Climate Protection Program! 

While national climate action has hit some bumps in the road, causing a bit of a stall, Oregon is getting things done at the state level. The Climate Protection Program will require oil companies, natural gas utilities, and large industrial facilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2035 and by 90% by 2050. As only the third state in the country to require reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, Oregon is continuing to lead on climate. We still need significant climate action at the national level and we will keep fighting for the Build Back Better Act. Oregon's leadership helps show we can and must keep the momentum going for climate action.

The Climate Protection Program will also help us transition to a clean energy economy, creating new jobs in clean energy and transportation, and investing in healthier, more resilient communities, especially those most impacted by climate pollution, like low-income communities and communities of color.

This is the kind of bold climate action that Oregon needs. Please send an email to Governor Brown and the DEQ, and thank them for passing the groundbreaking Climate Protection Program! 

Thank you,

Julia DeGraw
Coalition Director, OLCV