For years, we’ve been demanding climate action in Oregon—we’ve marched through the streets, and rallied on the Capitol steps; we’ve written letters, and signed petitions, and met with our legislators face to face. We’ve spoken as loudly and clearly as we could to let Oregon’s leaders know that we need climate action now.

Today, our voices were heard: Governor Kate Brown has just announced an executive order for a bold, statewide climate action plan that will make Oregon a leader in clean energy.

This is a huge win for Oregon!

Governor Brown’s groundbreaking new plan will help Oregon’s businesses, buildings, and transportation systems transition to clean energy over time, saving money and creating new jobs.

Here’s what the new plan will do for Oregon:

• Clean Fuels: Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program will be extended, and will now require a 25% reduction in pollution from fuels by the year 2035. This will help improve Oregon’s air quality, create new jobs, and make cleaner fuel options more accessible.
• Clean Buildings: By 2030, all new buildings will produce as much clean energy as they use. This will lead to huge savings on energy bills for homes, schools, and small businesses, while helping us transition away from fossil fuels.
• Clean Economy: Large polluters will be held accountable. Stronger laws will require corporate polluters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 45% below 1990 levels by 2035, and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. New enforcement policies will ensure that corporations hit these targets without loopholes or shortcuts, putting Oregon on track to reduce our carbon emissions and invest in a clean energy future.

This is exactly what Oregon needs, and exactly what Oregonians have been asking for. Help us thank Governor Brown for taking bold climate action! Share our posts on Twitter and/or Facebook and let her know how much we appreciate this historic action.

Oregon’s Republican lawmakers may have shut down the legislature to prevent our climate bill from passing (despite statewide support from the majority of Oregonians), but they haven’t won. Oregon will still have bold climate action in 2020, because Governor Brown is standing strong and standing up for Oregonians. We hope you’ll join us in thanking Governor Brown for making this happen, even after big polluters and Republican legislators tried so hard to prevent climate action in Oregon.

And Governor Brown isn’t the only one we want to thank—we also want to thank you! All of your hard work as activists, OLCV members, and engaged Oregonians has led to this moment. Years of hard work. Years of fighting for a better future. Years fighting to protect the Oregon that we love for the next generation.

We said that 2020 would be the year of climate action, and, thanks to your advocacy, that’s exactly what it’s turned out to be. Thank you for showing up, for making your voices heard, and for helping make this historic moment a reality. We couldn’t have done it without you!