Oregon Interfaith Climate Action and Advocacy

Faith groups in the Rogue Valley have been involved in advocacy through Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and several other organized groups:

Divest Oregon

Divest Oregon is "a statewide grassroots coalition of individuals and organizations representing unions with PERS members, racial and climate justice groups, youth leaders, and faith communities with the goal of calling the Oregon State Treasury to account for its funding of climate devastation rather than prudent investing in a sustainable future. Divest Oregon is a part of a national movement; a member of the Climate Safe Pensions Network and the Stop the Money Pipeline coalition. 350PDX was the founding member of Divest Oregon in mid 2021 and the campaign formally launched in September. They are an open-membership, non-partisan coalition that does not endorse candidates."

Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity Campaign

The goal of the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity Campaign is "to reduce energy bills, support home upgrades that help keep families healthy, and create good jobs in clean energy projects across Oregon." With that objective in mind they advocated to pass three bills in the Oregon Legislature in 2021:

• House Bill 2475 Affordable Energy - the goal of this bill is to decrease utility costs for families already struggling in the economic recession by establishing a Low-Income Utility Rate Class. Click here for a factsheet on this bill. Click here to view Representative Maxine Dexter’s floor letter on House Bill 2475, including organizations in support of the bill.

• House Bill 2842 Healthy Homes - the purpose of this bill was to support home upgrades to help improve the health of families across Oregon. Click here for a factsheet on this bill. Amidst a record heat wave, on July 25, 2021 the Oregon Senate passed bipartisan bill to Invest $10 million in new healthy homes repair fund.

• House Bill 2021B 100% Clean Energy for All - Designed to "create living-wage jobs in the renewable energy sector and invest in local energy projects that are good for communities and reduce pollution while achieving 100% clean energy as soon as possible. Click here for a factsheet on this bill.

Oregon Clean Energy Campaign's leadership consisted of rural and BIPOC-led environmental justice groups convened by the Oregon Just Transition Alliance and its members. Click here to see a list of supporters of HB 2842

Renew Oregon

Renew Oregon is "a clean energy advocacy coalition of businesses and workers, healthcare professionals and parents, farmers and ranchers, faith and community organizations, and individuals coming together to move our state away from polluting energy to a clean energy economy. We are working to create good-paying jobs for all Oregonians, protect air and water from pollution, and help families stay healthy." "We believe in a clean energy future for the state we love: An Oregon with good-paying jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities. A prosperous Oregon protected for future generations. We’re working to transition away from dirty, polluting energy to a clean, equitable economy."