OCN Agenda, SalemWatch, Lobbying, more

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As loyal SalemWatch subscribers will know, the OCN Common Agenda is a set of seven priorities (six proactive, one defensive) that Oregon's conservation community has presented to the legislature for the 2005 session. (For the full background on the Common Agenda proposals, follow this link.) This section of SalemWatch will track the progress of these six priorities each week. Comprehensive bill tracking, is available on the OCN website here.


Biodiesel Solutions for Oregon's Farmers and Children. The Oregon Environmental Council is working with legislative counsel on draft legislation, and working to find additional sponsors for their bill. They are continuing to talk with their key sponsors, Rep. Jackie Dingfelder (D-Portland) and Rep. Jeff Kropf (R-Lebanon), to move their concept forward.


Close the Toxic Pollution Loophole to Restore Safe and Healthy Rivers. The coalition is meeting with affected entities (cities like Portland, Eugene, Salem, and others), the Association of Clean Water Agencies, and key bill sponsors (currently Senator Peter Courtney) to continue refining and moving their package of legislation forward


Creating Marine Nurseries to Put Fisherman Back to Work. In the past several weeks, the coalition has had meetings with the governor’s staff to discuss the concepts of their envisioned legislation. In addition, the coalition had two successful showings of their movie “Common Ground” in Newport and Portland. The film, which documents the successes of marine reserves around the world, drew over 350 people to each location. The Portland premiere was attended by Congressman Earl Blumenaur, representatives from Senator Wyden’s and Congressman Wu’s offices, as well as State Senator Floyd Prozanski, State Representative Jackie Dingfelder, and Lance Clark, one of Governor Kulongoski’s Natural Resource Policy Advisors.


Protecting Land Use Planning for Oregon's Future. A subcommittee of the Oregon Conservation Network Common Agenda Project is closely tracking all activities relating to this issue. This last week, the Senate held two hearings dealing with the effects of Measure 37. Neither hearing resulted in any substantive proposals for legislation or action on the part of the legislature. The OCN believes legislation will be required to solve the problems that Measure 37 has created.


Supporting Oregon's Economy by Restoring Conservation Investments. The Campaign for Conservation Investment is working to build broad bi-partisan support for funding conservation investments through Measure 66 funding. The campaign will be working with the governor's office, agency officials, and legislative leaders to enact the governor's proposals for the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.


Taking Back Our Right to Know: Implementing Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting Law. The Governor's proposed budget included funding for Oregon's Pesticide Use Reporting System. The Oregon Environmental Council, and coalition partners like the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, are working with members of the Joint Way's and Means Committee to make sure the funding is secure through the state's budgeting process.

PROTECTING THE OREGON DREAM


This section of SalemWatch tracks any legislation that the Oregon Conservation Network believes will weaken Oregon's environmental protections. Comprehensive bill tracking, is available on the OCN website here.


The second week of the legislative session was much like the first: many bills were introduced, leaving lobbyists and policy experts scrambling to identify any threats to Oregon's environment. The complete picture will continue to evolve over the coming weeks. The current list of bills we are tracking is below.


Current Bill Tracking


Water Quality: Contact: Lynne Campbell – Oregon Citizens for Safe Drinking Water, 503.675.7451
HB2025 - Requires the fluoridation of water supplies which serve populations of 10,000 or more. Appropriates money to fund fluoridation.
OPINION: Oregon Citizens for Safe Drinking Water strongly opposes this bill in coalition with several other OCN member groups.
STATUS: A public hearing for this bill was held in the Water Committee Hearing on Wednesday, January 17th. An additional hearing is set for Wednesday, January 26th – 1:00PM in HR357.


Land Use: Contact: 1000 Friends of Oregon, 503.497.1000
HB 2162 - Promotes industrial sprawl on farmland. A 2003 bill authorized industrial development in buildings of any size or type on certain lands outside Willamette Valley and outside of urban growth boundaries of cities, with a sunset date of 2006. HB 2162 would remove the sunset clause, putting the policy into place permanently.
OPINION: 1000 Friends of Oregon strongly opposes this bill.
STATUS: Land Use Committee Hearing and Work Session set for Monday, January 24th – 1:30PM in Hearing Room 50.


Learn more about which legislators are on the committees which will make decisions about environmental bills.


TAKE ACTION


Make your voice heard! Get trained to be an effective citizen lobbyist!

Oregon Conservation Network presents:

How to Make Your Voice Heard!
Empowering Citizens to Effectively Lobby their Elected Officials

Tired of feeling like your issues are not being represented? Then learn how to play a leadership role and effectively impact your elected officials!


Hands-On and Interactive Training:
In addition to lectures, you will gain hands-on practice and expert feedback in several areas including:

• How to effectively impact your legislator
• How to write a letter to the editor that gets printed
• And More!

We've already had two successful trainings in Salem and Eugene. Register now for the remaining training nearest you!


Roseburg: Tuesday, January 26th 6:30-9pm - Umpqua Community College, Campus Center, Timber Rm


Portland: Wednesday, January 26th 6:30-9pm at Portland State University (Smith Memorial Center, Rm 294)


Ashland: Saturday, January 29, 1:30-4:30 p.m. as part of the Headwaters Conference - (Ashland Springs Hotel, Elfin Wood Mtg Rm)


These trainings are FREE, but space is limited. Please call or email Jennifer DeMuth to register for this unique training opportunity: 503-227-8073 or email: [e-mail]

Register now for the OCN Environmental Lobby Day - February 28, 2005 - Salem, Oregon

Do you ever wonder how our elected officials end up making the decisions that they do? Do you wish you could make a big impact in our state government? If you've never had a meeting with a legislator before, Lobby Day is great way to get an introduction to the workings of the capitol, and make your voice heard!


Mark your calendar and join over 300 fellow Oregonians from across the state as we gather in Salem to send a powerful message to legislators that they will be held accountable for the votes they cast that impact our environment.


The Oregon Conservation Network will provide detailed training in the morning about how to make your meetings with your legislators successful, as well as in-depth briefings about this year's important conservation issues. You'll spend the afternoon meeting your with your elected officials. You'll leave lobby day with a whole new set of skills to make your voice heard, and you'll get to meet lots of folks who care about protecting a healthy environment for our beautiful state.


Lobby Day events will run from 9:00am - 4:30pm, so start planning now to make sure you can make it. For more info, or to register, email Gretchen Folgelstrom ([e-mail]), call 503.227.8073, or visit the OCN website to see our flier for Lobby Day 2005.


Jed Jorgensen
Oregon Conservation Network Coordinator
Oregon League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
320 SW Stark, Suite 415 - Portland, OR 97204
phone [phone] - fax [phone]
[e-mail]