| Remarks by Governor Kulongoski |
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| December 22, 2005 |
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Environmental Quality Commission
Portland, Oregon
~as prepared for delivery~
Good morning and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today.
I asked to join you this morning for two reasons. First, to convey my appreciation for your service on this important board, and to thank you for your leadership in making Oregon a great place to live, work, play and learn.
Oregon’s volunteer citizen boards and commissions are the backbone of our system of governance. You have many competing demands in your life, including work and family, and I know that your time is valuable.
So thank you for committing so much of it to the important work of this commission and for the countless contributions you have made – and continue to make – to preserve Oregon’s high quality of life for future generations to enjoy.
I would be remiss if I didn’t single out the work of Chairman Reeve, who has been an outstanding leader for this commission and soon will be passing on the torch.
Your ability to bring a diverse group of voices to the table to develop a common solution has made this commission one of the most effective governing bodies in our state.
You have always stepped up to the challenge put before you – including accepting the role of chair of my Vehicle Emissions Workgroup – and Oregon is a better place because of your service.
Thank you for your leadership. You have left a lasting legacy and will be sorely missed…that is until I persuade you to serve our state in another capacity!
The second reason I am here today is to share with you my vision around two key environmental priorities: global warming and air quality.
These two issues are important because of their impact on the health of our citizens and the health of our economy. Oregon’s quality of life and our diverse natural resource base are among our greatest assets. And when I work on recruiting economic opportunities for our state, I look for companies that complement – not compete – with maintaining these values.
The often overlooked relationship is between our environment and our economy. Interest groups on each side make the argument that it’s either/or – not both. But it’s quite the contrary and in fact a healthy environment helps us strengthen our economy.
Our regional scientists and economists have continued to warn us that climate change poses perhaps the most significant threat to Oregon’s economy, environment and our quality of life over the coming years and decades.
Most recently a group of Pacific Northwest economists affirmed this fact through a statement based on scientific findings that the effects of global warming will have adverse effects on our economy in at least eight key sectors if we don’t make this issue a priority today.
Those sectors include: Drinking Water; Agriculture; Forestry; Snow-Based Recreation; Coastal Tourism, Recreation and Infrastructure; Power Generation; Salmon Recovery; and perhaps the most important – Public Health.
This issue has been a priority of my administration. Two years ago I created an Advisory Group on Global Warming because the threat of global warming is real – not idle speculation.
I appointed a diverse group of citizens from business, agricultural, ranching, academic, energy and environmental backgrounds to study the impacts of global warming to our state – and to identify ways that Oregon could most effectively curb these impacts for the future.
My Advisory Group’s recommendations included the adoption of new statewide greenhouse gas reduction goals – which I announced last spring, setting an aggressive goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to levels:
- 10 percent below our 1990 levels by 2020; and
- 75 percent below our 1990 levels by 2050.
As you know, carbon dioxide accounts for the lion’s share of our greenhouse gases – and transportation alone accounts for nearly 40 percent of total carbon emissions in Oregon.
Looking at the largest sources of carbon emissions, and the most effective ways to reduce those emissions, my Advisory Group recommended that we adopt stricter vehicle emissions standards – and I hope that you share my commitment to moving forward on this critical part of our strategy to curb global warming and improve air quality.
It is projected that if we adopt stricter emissions standards for cars and small trucks beginning with model year 2009, we can reduce carbon emissions by 13-18 percent over the next 15 years and up to 30 percent over the next 25 years. Whereas if we do nothing, our trend of increasing emissions will continue at approximately 1.6 percent per year.
Beyond the reduction in carbon emissions, stricter standards will help provide the benefits of better fuel efficiency and longer lasting emission systems in our cars – in addition to cleaner air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. And contrary to what opponents say, consumer choice will be expanded not diminished.
Furthermore, adopting new standards will also help us create new economic opportunities.
Oregon already has one of the highest per capita uses of hybrids in the country and a small niche of electric car manufacturers. New standards would increase demand for these advanced technology cars, which in turn would attract and support emerging new industries in the fields of technology and innovation.
Your immediate attention to this issue is important to the long-term health of our environment and our citizens – and it will benefit our economy. So thank you for making it a priority item for this commission.
One of the biggest challenges we face in addressing these issues is in educating our citizens and decision-makers about how global warming impacts their lives and why it is important that we do our part to curb those effects for future generations. I will continue to work with the Legislature to increase understanding of the need for Oregon to act now, and act decisively, to combat global warming.
This last session proved that our work is cut out for us in engaging the legislature in a real solutions-oriented debate about the cause and effects of global warming. I am committed to continuing that dialogue during the interim and in the 2007 session – just as I am committed to doing what we can through administrative action within existing statutory authorities – so that we begin make meaningful reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and continue to improve Oregon’s air quality.
Which brings me to my other priority topic: air quality and two existing programs within DEQ that I believe should be expanded in order to maximize efforts in this area.
The first is the Air Toxics Program – which is a model nationally for reducing air toxics emissions from industry and vehicles and the many small sources of emissions that collectively cause more health risks than industry.
Many of these sources contribute to fine particle pollution, haze and greenhouse gas emissions – so reducing air toxics improves not only protects human health, but it also contributes to curbing global warming and providing clearer air.
The second program I’d like to highlight is the Oregon Clean Diesel Initiative, which targets the reduction of emissions from Oregon’s most significant air toxic – diesel fuel combustion products. Diesel engines are an important workhorse of our economy, but they also emit dangerous fine particles that contain toxic pollutants and contribute to global warming.
There are techniques and technologies that reduce diesel use, including an initiative I launched last year to install anti-idling technologies at Oregon truckstops – which will cut down on diesel emissions from the common practice of overnight idling.
Promoting biodiesel is also another tool that has enormous economic benefits in addition to the environmental benefits – and expanding this industry remains a priority of mine as we look to innovative ways to grow our economy in partnership with protecting our environment.
So my message to you today is simple: Be bold. Be innovative. And keep your eye on the big picture.
Your work is critical and Oregon needs an active and strong Environmental Quality Commission to assist me in guiding the work of the Department. Your leadership is essential to moving Oregon forward toward a more sustainable future, which is why I am asking you to focus on several areas in the coming months and years.
First – I want you to create a strategic plan for how the Department of Environmental Quality can develop and expand existing programs to combat global warming and improve air quality.
Second – In developing this vision, I want you to revisit the report by my Advisory Group on Global Warming, study its recommendations, and identify actions that can be implemented to complement the actions you are taking today in the areas of: waste management; landfill methane capture; targeted carbon reduction; and renewable energy.
Third – I want you to build on the Air Toxics Program and Clean Diesel Initiatives while also exploring the effectiveness of voluntary incentive-based programs that either: target the emissions of particular air pollutants, encourage the use of renewable energy, or even target specific regions of the state – such as the Columbia Gorge.
I know you agree that Oregon’s airshed and climate do not belong to any one generation. They belong to every generation – past, present and future.
The challenge before us is to balance the economic, environmental and social values that are dividends we earn from living in a place with some of the world’s most magnificent natural resources. This is our collective job – and I have no doubt that you and I are both up to the challenge.
You have my sincere appreciation for the work you do, and you will have my full support as you move ahead in developing policies to improve air quality and combat global warming.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to appear before you. And thank you for all of your hard work on behalf of the citizens of Oregon.
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