Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 2010)
14 Street roots < • j rriTí fi o Jan. 22. 2010 State lawmakers have environmental priorities to answer to A N D R EA SA LIN A S O R E G O N E N V IR O N M E N T A L C O U N C IL /^Congratulations, Oregon. In the words of Newsweek political correspondent Katie Connolly, we “behaved like responsible adults” in January. Faced with a $4 billion state budget , shortfall brought on by the recession,, the majority of Oregon 9 , voters agreed to PIsflUBOfeT . . increase taxes onhigh- earning households' and update the minimum tax on business. Oregon will face some belt-tightening; but it will be far from the devastation that could have gutted education and other essential public services, were it not for ballot measures 66 and 67. The ballot measures mean that when Oregon lawmakers convene a short session in February, they will spend less time budget-cutting and more time on legislation. They’ll take on a stack of about 130 bills in just four weeks. When they go at the end of February, any unfinished business goes back to th e drawing board in preparation for the next legislative Session in January 2011. The state’s environmental groups - more than 40 in all - agree on three top priorities that elected officials should address without delay. Ofte is to protect Oregon’s coast. A | moratorium on offshore oil and gas exploration ended this January, leaving coastal waters open to prospecting oil companies. There isn’t much oil or gas out. j I The People’s. Planet is written by a cooperativeof writers from the environmental activism community. Andrea Salinas is Legislative Director for Oregon Environmental Council, working to advance innovative, collaborativesolutions to Oregon’s environmental challenges fa r today and future generations. there, and drilling hasn’t been proposed since the late-1980s. The offshore drilling ban in House Bill 3613 sends a clear message to a country with an insatiable appetite for fuel: There are smarter ways to power up that don’t require compromising , Oregon’s extraordinary coast Another priority is for Oregon communities to grow in Ways that don’t worsen global warming. Oregon is gibwing quickly, so wehave to make smart choices today to keep from building cities that pollute wastefully far into the future. If passed, Senate Bill 1059 will direct planners jn cities like Salem and Bend to design transportation and housing solutions that meet climate-friendly goals. The state will , give these communities a toolkit with solutions flexible enough to meet each unique metro area’s needs. . The third priority is one championed by Oregon’s health experts, environmental advocates, parents and workers’ unions - and resisted by national chemistry industry lobbyists who have already paid a visit to Salem. Oregon’s parents and doctors want a ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in children’s food containers. BPA leaches into food and drink from hard, clear plastic foiind in many baby bottles and from the epoxy lining in metal cans. . . Just this year, the FDA expressed concern about BPA and its potential effect on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of infants. They recommended ways for parents to reduce exposure. But the federal agency is hamstrung by red, tape, and it isn’t easy to reverse course on a chemical that’s been in food packaging for half a century - even if new science reveals reason for concern. But where the federal government seems unable to act, states have stepped in to protect our most vulnerable citizens. Connecticut, Minnesota, Chicago and other regional governments'have restricted the hormone-mimicking chemical in baby bottles and food containers. Washington State is poised to follow suit. In Oregon, if Senate Bill 1032 is passed, parents can be sure that the bottles aiid baby food ■ containers1 they buy don’t pose a'risk: The bill would make manufacturers responsible for ensuring that only BPA-free baby food and baby drink containers are sold in. Oregon. . . In February* environmental advocates will also work to hold the ground we’ve gained in bringing green jobs to Oregon, ensure renewable energy and keep from • compromising our natural resources in the " quest for new fuel sources. In our January tax ballot measure vote, Oregonians proved that we are “responsible adults.” But we are also hikers, fishers, artists, philosophers and poets who make Oregon home because of its extraordinary landscape, climate and wildlife. Oregon’s environmental community will stay true to those values as we go to work in Salem during this jam-packed February special session. Meet Your Local Branch Manager: “Communities aren't ju s t streets a n d build ings. Communities are thriving places where cultures, commerce a n d souls grow stronger together/' . -M a ry Mary Edmeades Social impact Banking 503:445.2165 medmeades@aibinabank.com e At Albina Community Bank the most ordinary financial transaction can have an extraordinary impact on our local community, • You’re going to bank somewhere, why not let your banking make a difference in Ki i S» places where you live and work? LENDER •W W O W A f JRI JFfe Ä S M k W l i s l IM W w W l * w o w w A B B fP V B y ® llrB w * o w w f W Ä a W w l w IT a w b The new guides are in! The guide includes more than"350 listings in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties and is ' now available on. the Web. For more information go to www.rosecityFesource.org www.streetroots.wordpress. com The Rose City Resource is partially funded through partnerships with the City of Portland and 2 1 1 1nfo. Butto keep updating and publishing this all-in-one resource, Street Roots needs community support. Your support keeps the R osq . City Resource in the hands of the people who heed them. Keep up on the latest fro m Street Roots by jo in in g us on Facebook & Twitter!
