Pro-conservation bills in the 2011 session

The session so far? It's going about as we predicted: Great momentum on some key environmental bills, and countless threats to Oregon's landmark environmental protections to track.

Check out  a few key pro-conservation priority bills the Oregon Conservation Network is working on (below). OCN is the coalition of some 50 groups coordinated by OLCV that works to pass pro-environment laws in the Legislature. Then Pledge to take one Action between now and June to help protect the environment this Legislative Session!

Jobs and Prosperity

This package of bills addresses energy conservation needs across the spectrum of Oregon life, spurring a critical new job base for Oregonians while saving homeowners, businesses and taxpayers money. The components of House Bill 3535 together create an efficiency rating system for buildings, make it easier to create high-performance buildings, and require utilities to prioritize conservation over generation. House Bill 2960--the "Cool Schools" bill-- maximizes energy efficiency in Oregon’s K-12 public schools.

Check out the fact sheet about these bills from the Oregon Environmental Council.

Ban the Bag

Senate Bill 536 bans single-use plastic checkout bags at all retail checkout stands in Oregon. Plastic pollution has become a critical problem in our oceans, accounting for as much as 90 percent of the estimated 100 million tons of toxic trash that spirals 500 miles off the Oregon Coast. Plastic bags litter our natural areas, and interfere with the operation of municipal water and recycling facilities, costing taxpayers millions. More than 400 businesses have joined the bipartisan coalition that supports this bill. Read more about this bill.

Groups leading the charge on this unprecedented bill include Environment Oregon, Oregon Surfrider, Tualatin Riverkeepers and Willamette Riverkeeper.

Protecting our children from toxic Bisphenol A

Bisphenol A disrupts children's brain development and is linked to chronic health problems, like diabetes and breast cancer. The BPA-Free Baby Bill (Senate Bill 695, House Bill 3258) prohibits the sale or manufacture of food and beverage containers containing toxic BPA intended for children under three, such as baby bottles, sippy cups, and infant formula cans, as well as the sale of sports water bottles containing BPA. The bill also requires replacing BPA with less toxic chemicals and labeling cans made with BPA.

For more information about BPA visit the website of the Oregon Environmental Council.

Modernizing the Bottle Bill

Oregon’s iconic Bottle Bill is one of the state’s landmark environmental protections. House Bill 3145 merges the intent of the original bottle bill with modern-day realities by adding beverage containers, such as sports drinks and teas, that didn’t exist when the bill originally passed. A deposit on more containers increases the likelihood they are recycled instead of being sent to the landfill, or littering Oregon’s natural areas.