Support Bills to Reduce Climate Pollution
Updated on 2/28/18:
With only 11 days left in this year’s legislative session, it’s time for a final grassroots push to pass the Clean Energy Jobs and the Home WRAP bills.
Both bills advanced earlier this month by moving out of their respective originating committees. But legislators are once again culling from all the bills that were introduced at the start of session. So we can’t let up on letting our elected leaders know we want these bills passed this year.
Please email or call your legislators today! Tell them you value a healthy climate and an efficient, clean energy economy, and that these bills will help Oregon achieve both!
Below are more details about each bill as well as contact info for our Central Oregon legislators.
Make Your Voice Heard in the Legislature
The Environmental Center is supporting two important bills this legislative session: Clean Energy Jobs and HOME WRAP. Both bills will help Oregon reduce its contribution to climate change and provide funds and incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation and solar and other renewable energy projects.
But legislators won’t act unless they hear from citizens across our great state. And since this is a 35 day short session, they need to hear from you now. Hearings on these bills have already begun.
Here are some highlights about the bills, links to learn more, and directions for contacting your legislator today.
Clean Energy Jobs Bill 
The Oregon Legislature is poised to take a huge step forward on reducing our state’s contribution to global warming.
As you may have heard, the legislature is considering The Clean Energy Jobs bill, a “cap-and-invest” bill designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon. The bill will:
- Cap: set a cap on the amount of climate pollution from the largest emitters that decreases over time.
- Price: The largest emitters will pay for every ton of climate pollution, giving them an incentive to invest in pollution reduction.
- Invest: The funds raised will be invested in transportation options, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across our state.
Learn more about the Clean Energy Jobs bill here, from our friends at Renew Oregon who are leading the campaign to pass the bill.
Email or call your legislators today! Time is of the essence in this short session.
Renew Oregon has a link here you can use to email your legislators about the Clean Energy Jobs bill.
HOME WRAP Bill
Incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation and solar should be a policy priority in Oregon. This is especially true for low-income families where every dollar counts, and in a time when housing affordability is an issue in many communities.
The HOME WRAP (Weatherization, Retrofit and Affordability Program) bill would create new incentives for Oregon homeowners. Up to $4,500 would be available to help reduce the costs of weatherization projects like insulation and new windows, high efficiency heating and cooling systems, and rooftop solar. Incentives would be available to families with total annual income of less than $200,000 and to nonprofit landlords of affordable housing units on behalf of their renters. And since HOME WRAP creates an incentive rather than a tax credit, it will benefit families who may not have a tax liability.
This bill will also support thousands of good paying jobs across our state in the home energy and solar business, jobs we have worked hard to create and that we will need to sustain if we hope to reduce climate pollution in the medium- and long-term.
Learn more about the HOME WRAP bill here.
Let’s get the HOME WRAP bill (HB 4121) passed. Email or call your legislators today! Tell them why you support HOME WRAP, HB 4121.
Here is contact information for local Central Oregon legislators:
Representative Knute Buehler
House District 54
Rep.KnuteBuehler@oregonlegislature.gov
503-986-1454
Representative Gene Whisnant
House District 53
Rep.GeneWhisnant@oregonlegislature.gov
503-986-1453
Representative Mike McLane
House District 55
Rep.mikemclane@oregonlegislature.gov
503-986-1400
Representative Daniel Bonham
House District 59
Rep.DanielBonham@oregonlegislature.gov
503-986-1459
Senator Tim Knopp
Senate District 27
sen.timknopp@oregonlegislature.gov
503-986-1727
Senator Dennis Linthicum
Senate District 28
Sen.DennisLinthicum@oregonlegislature.gov
503-986-1728
Not sure who represents you in the state legislature? Go here. Not finding your legislator here? Here is a full list: