Good News And Bad News From The States

By Jamie DeMarco

Oregon appeared on the verge of passing carbon pricing legislation that would have reduced their economy wide emissions 80% by 2050. However, some state senators walked out, denying the state senate quorum. The Oregon legislative session ended on Sunday, and the missing senators succeeded in keeping the bill from passing. 

CCL volunteer leaders in Oregon had worked for years to advance this bill and to engage CCL volunteers throughout Oregon to do so as well. During recent weeks, CCL members have gone to Salem to demonstrate in solidarity for our climate and our democracy. The volunteers in Oregon attended actions in other parts of Oregon and called their state senators. At the same time, we recognize that this is not our national, bipartisan, revenue neutral bill, and not all CCL volunteers in Oregon supported this legislation. 

On a happier note, in Maine a bill requiring the state to achieve 100% renewable electricity was passed unanimously out of their state senate, with all the Republicans and Democrats voting for the legislation. Maine will become the 7th state or territory to mandate carbon free electricity, following Hawaii, California, Washington DC, Washington State, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, and New York.

Jamie DeMarco is CCL's State-Level Carbon Pricing Coordinator.