First, let’s be clear: Oregon Environmental Council supports the right of all Oregonians to live fulfilling lives and feel safe to participate in their communities. We support rights for immigrants in our state.
We believe that immigrants in Oregon bring the social, cultural and economic diversity necessary for Oregon to thrive and build lasting environmental solutions. That’s why we reject the latest anti-immigrant initiative— Initiative Petition 22—and encourage our members and partners to do the same.
The initiative is the first step in pursuing a ballot measure (IP 22) that would repeal a 30-year old law in our state. Today, state and local law enforcement dollars are not to be used to enforce federal immigration law. If the law is repealed, neighborhood police and community safety dollars could be re-directed to federal immigration enforcement.
Oregon Environmental Council is built on the premise that, when we bring Oregonians together, we can solve environmental problems. When Oregonians fear law enforcement and find it risky to participate in our communities, we lose strength.
Here’s another reason that rejecting IP 22 is the responsibility of the environmental community:
The initiative has earned the thousand signatures necessary to move to the next step of the ballot approval process due to the efforts of Oregonians for Immigration Reform, an organization with deep social and financial ties to white nationalist groups. The group is part of a national trend that tries to pin environmental problems on immigration.
By fanning the flames of fear around water scarcity and climate change, the anti-immigrant movement attempts to advance a wide range of laws and measures restricting the rights of immigrants—yet the movement does not support proven environmental solutions and protections.
Oregon Environmental Council, as part of One Oregon, pledges to defend Oregon’s values and keep Oregon a welcoming state.
On September 29, 2023, OEC gathered with a growing coalition of community-based organizations, lawmakers, and business groups following oral arguments heard by the Oregon Court of Appeals to rally behind the Oregon Climate Protection Program (CPP), which is under attack from the fossil fuel industry.OREGON’S CLIMATE PROTECTION PROGRAM
Oregon’s Climate Protection Program (CPP) is a cornerstone in our st
For Immediate Release
September 7, 2022
Salem, OR – A coalition of environmental justice, climate, and business organizations today filed a legal intervention
In some ways it’s hard to believe, but in another sense it’s totally expected: big oil will stop at nothing to protect their self-interests, and that’s why they’re attacking our right to choose clean fuels and reduce pollution in Oregon. In a cynical political move, the oil industry just proposed three initiatives to repeal the state’s hard-won Clean Fuels Program. We can’t let this happen. The Oregon Clean Fuels Program is the
When you think about water in Oregon, you might think about the Rogue River, Pacific Coast or Malheur Lake. However, some of the most important bodies of water in our state isn’t visible to the naked eye: they’re under our feet.
Known as “forever chemicals,” harmful PFAS chemicals can be found in the air, water, and soil of virtually every ecosystem on Earth. Distribution of PFAS varies widely – from high concentrations in states like Michigan and Maine to very low levels here in Oregon. Our state’s water utilities and water quality agencies are already studying the sources and level of PFAS in our local water systems. But there is still much to learn about how these chemicals move thr
Right now, Oregon has a historic opportunity to lead in the manufacturing of in-demand clean energy technologies. By leveraging federal funds under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Clean Technology Leadership bill (HB 4112) will boost Oregon’s competitiveness to help land billions of dollars in investments in this strategic sector.Oregon’s opportunity to lead
As a state with a green reputation, the way Oregon interacts with and manages waste materials must continue to evolve in ways that preserve ecosystems, protect human health and waterways, and reduce climate pollution. For decades, Oregon has been a leader in sustainability – with our historic passing of the nation’s first bottle
Where it started: Curbside Recycling in OregonOur Bottle Bill was one of OEC’s first big policy wins. Enacted in 1971, the Bottle Bill put into place an incentive for people to return glass and aluminum which began to change the way that Oregonians thought about the downstream impacts of the p
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Oregon’s Land Use Bills—Senate Bill 100 and 101— landmark laws that transformed the state’s landscape and protected its treasured farmland and natural spaces. This milestone offers us an opportunity to reflect on the environmental stewardship that has shaped the state’s identity. This anniversary also serves as a call to action for the shared responsibility of safeguarding Oregon’s environment for future generations.
Building the
First, let’s be clear: Oregon Environmental Council supports the right of all Oregonians to live fulfilling lives and feel safe to participate in their communities. We support rights for immigrants in our state.
