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2023 Environmental Scorecard for the Oregon Legislature

Priorities for a Healthy Oregon

2023 SCORECARD:

The Oregon Conservation Network and our Legislative Priorities.

The Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) brings together over 40 environmental organizations to protect Oregon’s natural legacy and ensure a better future for our state. Together, we determine and support shared Priorities for a Healthy Oregon and identify and fight Major Threats to a Healthy Oregon. OCN is coordinated by the OLCV Education Fund and is powered by the hundreds of thousands of Oregonians who belong to its member organizations.

2023 Priorities for a Healthy Oregon:

1) Resilient, Efficient Buildings Package (SB 868, SB 869, SB 870, and SB 871). Includes bills to make the buildings we live, work, and learn in more energy efficient, and lower energy bills with the use of electric heating and cooling systems. This bill package was ultimately included in the large Climate Resilience Package (HB 3409).

2) Natural Climate Solutions Bill (SB 530). Creates a program to help our state sequester as much carbon as possible on our forested and agricultural lands. This bill was ultimately included in the large Climate Resilience Package (HB 3409).

3) Factory Farm Moratorium turned Regulation Bill (SB 85). The original bill would have halted new or expanded factory farms in Oregon until they are adequately regulated. After Big Ag’s lobbying significantly weakened the bill, it was demoted to a Bill of Support.

4) Toxic Free Package. Toxic Free Kids Modernization Act (HB 3043) updates a historic act, allowing more chemicals to be addressed to better protect our children from harmful toxic chemicals. Toxic Free Cosmetics (SB 546) requires that personal care product companies publish their product ingredients, and phases out the most toxic chemicals (like formaldehyde). Toxic Free Schools (SB 426) would have funded the creation of a pesticide tracking system on school grounds and required transitioning to less or non-toxic alternatives.

5) Zero Waste Package. Right to Repair (SB 542) would have reduced electronic waste and saved people hundreds of dollars a year by allowing them to repair their own electronics. Polystyrene Phase Out (SB 543) bans Polystyrene in food to-go containers, and bans the use of highly carcinogenic PFAS chemicals in food packaging. Reducing Plastic at the Source (SB 544) would have required 25% reduction of single-use plastic packaging in the next decade. Legalize Reusable Containers (SB 545) legalized reusable containers for use in the bulk section of the supermarket and for eating out.

6) Budget! We fought for a strong climate and environmental budget to ensure our progress is funded.

 
 

About OLCV

The Oregon League of Conservation Voters is a non-partisan organization with a simple mission: to pass laws that protect Oregon's environmental legacy, elect pro-environment candidates to office, and hold all of our elected officials accountable.

For more information about OLCV, visit our website at olcv.org.

About the Scorecard

For more than 40 years, OLCV has protected Oregon's natural legacy. An essential part of our work is holding our elected officials accountable. The OLCV Environmental Scorecard is not only one of our most important accountability tools, but also a tradition. The first scorecard was published in 1973.

By sharing how each member of the Legislature voted on the most critical conservation bills, we help Oregonians understand whether legislators listened to their constituents, or if they listened to special interest groups instead. It also serves as a summary of environmental bills and includes special recognition of the legislative champions.

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