Feb. 26, 2007—Oregon Environmental, Faith, Consumer and Clean Energy Organizations Express Support of Five-State Memorandum of Understanding on Global Warming

PORTLAND, Ore.—Feb. 26, 2007—In response to the five-state Memorandum of Understanding between the governors of Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and New Mexico establishing a regional approach to global warming, several Oregon environmental, faith, consumer and clean energy organizations have come out in support of the agreement and hailed the collaborative efforts to address the critical economic and environmental issues surrounding carbon regulation.

Oregon has already taken significant steps toward developing a comprehensive global warming policy, including acting upon the recommendations laid out in the Oregon Strategy for Greenhouse Gas Reductions released in 2005.  Since January 2006, two advisory groups created by Governor Kulongoski have met regularly to discuss policy options for reducing the state’s carbon footprint.  In December 2006, the Carbon Allocation Task Force forwarded to the Governor a practical design for a market-based approach to carbon reduction, commonly referred to as a “cap and trade” system.  The Climate Change Integration Group made further policy recommendations, which include codifying firm greenhouse gas reduction targets for the state and establishing an emissions performance standard.

“For too long environmental issues have been addressed on a piecemeal basis,” said Jason Eisdorfer of the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon, a ratepayer advocacy group.  “Carbon reduction must be taken with a broad-based policy approach.  Given the federal government’s failure to address climate change, we are gratified to see these five states coming together to achieve real greenhouse gas reductions.”

One example of a successful partnership is the recent adoption of clean car standards in Washington, Oregon and California, effectively creating a solid economic corridor for new cars sold in the three states. “California alone has one of the world’s largest economies,” noted Andrea Durbin, executive director of the Oregon Environmental Council.  “Together with the other four states we can have a similar impact on a regional and even global scale.”

Oregon’s role in the MOU can mean potentially large benefits for the state.  By helping to create a regional carbon trading system, large companies and industry in the state will run less of a risk of being penalized later on with the higher costs of using energy associated with carbon based resources.

“Increasingly people of faith recognize that these environmental and economic issues are also moral issues,” said Gary Langenwalter, chair of the Oregon Interfaith Global Warming Campaign, coordinated by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO).  “Of special concern to communities of faith is how global warming impacts the poor and vulnerable and the potential for global warming solutions to create sustainable jobs in rural areas,” said Jenny Holmes, campaign coordinator and EMO environmental ministries director.

Oregon should take the steps necessary to support the five-state agreement by setting firm greenhouse reduction targets, forming an institutional advisory body to coordinate new mitigation policies, mandating the reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and limiting carbon emissions from new power generating sources.  The organizations declared their commitment to working with advocacy groups from the other Western states to ensure the development of an effective and consistent climate change policy.

For More Information:
Oregon Environmental Council
Jeremy Graybill, Communications Director
503-222-1963 ext. 111
jeremyg@oeconline.org