Intel to Stick Up for the Climate?

Intel Corporation is the largest private employer in Oregon, with one of their largest campuses in the state located right in Hillsboro - the county seat of Washington County. In the last few years, Intel has also said a lot about their commitment to Oregon's environment, and to combating global warming. But this month, we will have a chance to see just how far Oregon Intel is willing to go to uphold its green promises.

On March 31st, college students from all over Oregon will be converging on the state capitol in Salem to push for bold state-level policy on global warming. And we've challenged representatives from Oregon Intel to support us as a means of demonstrating their environmental commitment. Specifically, a March 31st will also be the day of a committee hearing on SB 80 - the bill that would set a firm cap on Oregon's total greenhouse emissions - and we want Intel to testify in favor of it. If the company is really serious about securing a green future for our state, then what could be more natural than pushing for a cap on greenhouse emissions? The response we've received so far from Intel has been fairly positive, but the company has yet to commit for certain that they will join us in lobbying for SB 80. Will you help make sure they say yes by sending an email here to Intel's head lobbyist?

The support of a big employer like Intel could make all the difference to a bill like SB 80. Please take a minute to send an email to the company and ask them to do the right thing!

-Nick

Will Senator Starr Protect the Public from LNG?

I've already made the point on this blog that Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) represents one of the biggest threats to sustainable living in Washington County. So it's great news that one of our county representatives in the Oregon State Legislature - Rep Chuck Riley, is one of the chief sponsors of the LNG Public Protection Act (HB 2015). The Act, if passed into law, would not ban LNG in Oregon; however, it would give state agencies much more authority to say no to LNG if they determine that LNG development is not needed in Oregon, or that it is not consistent with the state's goals for reducing global warming pollutants. For a complete summary of the LNG Public Protection Act, please see here.

Representative Riley is already working to protect his district from irresponsible fossil fuel development. Now, however, we need to get the rest of Washington County's legislative delegation on the same page. In particular, State Senator Bruce Starr, who represents the cities of Forest Grove, Cornelius, and Hillsboro in the state legislature, could be a swing vote on this issue. In 2007, Senator Starr supported passage of Oregon's Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard. This year, however, not much has been heard from him on the issue of LNG versus clean, renewable energy. In fact, the preliminary investigations of myself and other suggest that the LNG Public Protection Act is not yet a big issue in Starr's office. When I called up his office to urge Starr to support the Act, I had to explain to the legislative assistant who answered the phone what this bill would even mean for Oregon. This doesn't mean Senator Starr doesn't care about protecting his constituents - it simply means that we need to let him know how important the LNG Public Protection Act will be to the people of Washington County, and to Oregon's clean energy future.

If you live in Senator Starr's district, you can help educate him about the LNG Public Protection Act. Please call his office, and urge Senator Starr to clear the way for clean energy in Oregon by supporting the LNG Public Protection Act.

You can reach Senator Starr's office at 503-986-1715

Then, once you've called Senator Starr, please let me know in a reply to this blog post so I can keep track of the total number of calls to his office!

-Nick Engelfried

Why We're Never, Ever Alone

At times, it's easy to feel isolated in your efforts to create a greener and more sustainable future; especially in a place like Washington County, which has not exactly been a hub of environmental progressivism in the past. This past weekend, however, I was reminded that we are far from alone - indeed, those of us attempting to "sustain Washington County" are just one small part of a green wave that's sweeping across this country.

From Friday evening through this past Monday, I attended Powershift 2009: the largest-ever gathering to oppose global warming in US history. While the event - held in Washington, DC - was organized by young people, and while the vast majority of the more than 12,000 participants were youth, it was heartening to see activists of all ages unite to take on the most pressing problem of our time. Speakers from Congressman Ed Markey, to EPA Director Lisa Jackson, to civil rights leader Van Jones, to writer and activist Bill McKibben reminded us that 2009 is a critical year to pass policies at all levels of government which will signal to the international community that the United States is ready to take on a leadership role in combating the climate crisis. On Monday, we descended on Capitol Hill itself for a giant rally on the West Lawn, and to meet with our elected representatives in Congress and urge them to support bold climate policy.

From the national to the city level, we will push our elected leaders to be real leaders when it comes to environmental issues. Now it's time to build a movement here in Washington County that will harness the energy I saw at Powershift and transform our region into one with a brighter and greener future. More coming soon!

-Posted by Nick Engelfried