Restoring the Climate Protection Program

Oregon's Climate Protection Program (CPP) stands as a beacon of hope in our fight against climate change, compelling major climate polluters to make significant greenhouse gas emission reductions.

TAKE ACTION TODAY - BEFORE THE JUNE 25TH MEETING!

How did Oregon’s Climate Protection Program Start?
In 2020, Oregon took the lead in climate action by creating the Oregon Climate Action Plan. This plan led to the Climate Protection Program (CPP), which went into effect in January 2022 and set Oregon on a path to permanently limit greenhouse gas emissions. The CPP requires oil and gas companies to steadily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a significant 80% by 2050!

Why does the Climate Protection Program Need Your Support?
In 2023, oil and gas companies sued the state ofg Oregon and used a legal loophole to shut down the CPP. Now, the DEQ is working with diverse stakeholders to reinstate the program in 2024. Our goal is to strengthen the program and protect it against future attacks by polluters.

How do Oregonians Benefit from Climate Pollution Limits?
The CPP includes the Community Climate Investments (CCI) program, which directs funds from polluters to the communities most impacted by climate change. These funds are meant to help underserved and marginalized communities improve air quality by reducing industrial emissions, build clean energy infrastructure, prepare for climate emergencies, create jobs, and strengthen local economies.

Ways You Can Take Action…

1) Attend the DEQ Webinar!

Climate Protection Program (CPP) 2024 Rulemaking – June 25 Advisory Committee Meeting 3

Date and Time: Tuesday, June 25, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Expect to provide testimony starting at 3 p.m. on June 25th.

Join Zoom meeting (only click on the link when you are ready to join the webinar)
or join by phone at (253) 215-8782
Meeting ID: 892 9137 0318

On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold the third rulemaking advisory committee (RAC) meeting for the CPP 2024 Rulemaking.

The purpose of this rulemaking is to reestablish a climate mitigation program in place of the recently invalidated Climate Protection Program. In December 2023, the Oregon Court of Appeals determined that DEQ did not fully comply with notice requirements during the 2021 Climate Protection Program rulemaking process, thereby invalidating the program.

Meeting materials

Rulemaking advisory committee (RAC) meeting materials are posted on the CPP 2024 Rulemaking website, including meetings dates and webinar information. The agenda for the third RAC meeting is now available. Materials from the previous RAC meetings along with background materials developed for the CPP 2021 rulemaking are also available on the rulemaking website. | Agenda now available

2) Send in your comments before the June 25th meeting

Email your comments to cpp.2024@deq.oregon.gov before the June 25th meeting!

Sign up for our e-alerts to stay tuned for updates as this action alert moves forward.

Questions? Rulemaking contact @ DEQ: Nicole Singh, 503-869-2119

Sample talking points to include in your testimony:

Support the Community Climate Investment (CCI) Program

Plant, sustainability and support with hands of business people for teamwork, earth or environment from above. Collaboration, growth and investment with employees for future, partnership or community

Say NO to Offsets!

Smoke from heating station in winter season, view at sunset. Air pollution and emission fuel problem

Invest in EJ Communities

Happy african american family father and child son laughing while playing toys together at home

Support the Community Climate Investment (CCI) Program

The Community Climate Investment program was developed with extensive input from community members and environmental justice advocates. It enacts community-informed solutions to reduce energy costs, strengthen home safety, and ensure cleaner, healthier air for future generations.

The CCI program aims to alleviate the disproportionate environmental burdens on people of color and low-income families.

Maintaining the third-party structure for the implementation of the CCI program is critical. These non-profit entities have the on-the-ground experience and established trust with EJ communities that agencies do not.

Invest in Environmental Justice Communities

Environmental Justice (EJ) communities (see definition below) consist of people of color and low-income families who experience climate change first and worst. We face higher costs for utilities, worse air quality, and worse health outcomes. To equitably address climate change, the CCI program must listen to our needs and invest in us.

The intention of investing in EJ communities is to support a community-centered, clean energy future. Community-led solutions will make our air cleaner, our homes safer, and lead to a more sustainable future for generations to come. It also provides cleaner, healthier, and more affordable energy and transportation options that benefit Oregonians who have been historically ignored. The impact of reducing emissions will also bring benefits to EJ communities by mitigating environmental instability that is caused by climate disasters such as extreme heat and wildfire smoke.

Solving Oregon’s climate crisis is about more than reducing emissions. It’s about supporting job creation and economic growth in EJ communities so they can afford household necessities like utility bills.

Funding for clean technology will benefit Oregon’s workers and consumers by transitioning to a just, clean energy economy.

Reduce Climate Pollution From the Source (Oppose Offsets)

We oppose offsets because offsetting pollution involves buying and trading imaginary credits that allow corporations to pollute as long as they buy enough credits to make up for it. Some people see offsets as greenwashing because it’s hard to calculate exactly how much offsetting is required to make up for the polluting action.

Our communities are strongly in favor of reducing climate pollution from the source, rather than using a complicated credit system that allows corporations to keep polluting.

We must reject offsets and protect the CCI program from rollbacks. Offsets undermine public health initiatives and allow polluters to avoid making real emissions reductions.

It is absolutely critical that we defend this program against rollbacks and say NO OFFSETS! Don't sacrifice people’s health for corporate profits!

Let’s put people’s health before profit by rejecting offsets. Offsets do not meet the program’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollutants, and improve public welfare, especially for environmental justice communities most impacted by climate change and air pollution.

Pollution offsetting is greenwashing!

Highlight the Consequences of Inaction

If Oregon continues to do business as usual, our communities will continue to be disproportionately burdened by air pollution and the impacts of climate change.

Rising sea levels, heat domes, drought, crop failures, and more will continue to threaten people and natural resources.

Promote Community-Based Decision Making

It’s important to provide opportunities for impacted communities to be a part of the decision-making process. This can be through education, public comment periods and providing widely accessible information about when, where, and how to submit testimonies.

Hold Polluters Accountable

We must not allow a rollback of the Climate Protection Program (CPP) which will allow polluters to go about business as usual and continue to worsen the disproportionate impacts of air pollution and climate change on low-income communities.

Industrial polluters and fossil fuel companies must be held accountable! They can not be allowed to offset the costs of their pollution onto our communities.

Major polluters must make significant emissions reductions as soon as possible.

We can’t allow polluters to keep sacrificing our health for profit!

Job Creation and Economic Growth

The CPP creates investments in clean energy projects, technology innovation and new jobs that will help transition Oregon to a clean energy economy!

Economic Resilience

Building a clean energy infrastructure will ultimately strengthen our local economy for everyone. By reducing fossil fuel dependency statewide, our communities will be better equipped to bounce back in the event of an economic downturn or recession.

Health Benefits

Reducing industrial emissions will result in cleaner air, which directly improves public health and environmental health! Healthier people means lower healthcare costs and higher quality of life for everyone.

Long-Term Economic Benefits

Supporting the CPP now can prevent costly impacts from climate change in the future. Being proactive now will save money in the long-term by avoiding the high costs involved with extreme weather phenomena, climate-driven disasters, and rising healthcare costs linked to environmental factors (asthma, cancer, etc).

NEWS:

Oregon prepares to reboot an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions
By Monica Samayoa (OPB)

DEQ to start over with Climate Protection Program after Oregon Court of Appeals decision
By Monica Samayoa (OPB) - Jan. 22, 2024

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