For Immediate Release: November 12, 2009
Contact: Nicole Forbes, Field Organizer, Environment Oregon 206-313-1820 or 503-231-1986 x312, nicole@environmentoregon.org
Jocelyn Orr, Campaign Director, Environment Oregon, 208-477-8639, jorr@fundstaff.org
New Report: Pollution Up 41% in Oregon since 1990
Portland, OR— Oregon’s global warming pollution increased by 41 percent since 1990, according to a new analysis of government data released today by Environment Oregon.
“More pollution than ever before isn’t a record we want to set,” said Environment Oregon Campaign Director Jocelyn Orr. “It’s time to take back control of our energy future. By harnessing the power of the wind and the sun, we can cut pollution and transition to clean energy sources that don’t harm the environment, never run out, and create new, local jobs,” she continued.
For decades, America’s use of fossil fuels – and the global warming pollution that results – has been on the rise nationally and in states across the country. For Oregon, global warming means a lot of things, but the impact that is among the most concerning is more frequent and severe heat waves, which will increase the number of people who suffer from heat stress and stroke. The science shows that the United States must cut its global warming pollution by 35 percent by 2020 to be able to stop the worst effects of global warming.
Too Much Pollution uses the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Energy on fossil fuel consumption by state to look at trends in carbon dioxide emissions. The key findings include the following:
• Oregon’s carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel consumption increased by 41 percent between 1990 and 2007.
• The largest increase in emissions in Oregon came from electricity generation, as the state became more reliant on coal- and natural gas-fired power plants. Specifically, the state’s carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation increased more than 4 fold from 1990 to 2007. However, Oregon reduced its per capita emissions from gasoline use by 14 percent from 1990 to 2007, which slowed the increase in emissions from the transportation sector, as a result of strong and consistent public policies to promote public transit and other alternatives to driving as well as patterns of development that reduce dependence on cars.
• Nationally, emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel consumption increased by 19 percent between 1990 and 2007. Power plants and vehicles, the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, were responsible for the lion’s share of the increase.
In contrast to the trend in Oregon, more than one-third of the states succeeded in cutting pollution from 2004 to 2007 – before the onset of the economic recession. The initial success of these states shows that moving to clean energy can have a significant and immediate impact on overall emissions – and that emission reductions and robust economic growth can occur side by side. For instance, four Northeast states – Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and New York – cut their pollution levels by 5 percent since 1997, while increasing their gross state product by 65 percent.
“We can drive the economy without driving up pollution. By moving to clean energy, we can cut pollution, help jump-start the economy, and create millions of new clean energy jobs across the country,” said Nicole Forbes, Field Organizer with Environment Oregon.
The report recommends that the federal government build on the initial progress made by some states by passing strong clean energy legislation and adopting common sense EPA rules to cut pollution from aging coal plants and big smokestack industries. The Senate is in the process of considering the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733), sponsored by Senators John Kerry and Barbara Boxer. In addition, EPA has proposed a rule to require coal plants and other large smokestack industries to use available technology to cut their global warming pollution when new facilities are constructed or existing facilities are significantly modified.
Unfortunately, Dirty Coal, Big Oil, and other polluters are fighting the transition to clean energy. The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, a coal industry lobby group, spent at least $45 million dollars last year alone – more than $120,000 a day – on lobbyists and advertising on energy. Earlier this year, they hired lobbyists who forged phony constituent letters to Congress opposing action on clean energy. “The coal industry has proven themselves willing to do or say virtually anything to block progress,” said Jocelyln Orr.
“We urge Senators Merkley and Wyden to vote for this critical bill to cut pollution and create clean energy jobs. We urge EPA to finalize its rule to cut global warming pollution from coal plants,” said Nicole Forbes.
