Oregon Environmental Council

The Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) is an environmental advocacy group based in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1968. According to the group's mission statement, they advance "innovative, collaborative solutions to Oregon's environmental challenges for today and future generations".^[1]

History

The Oregon Environmental Council was founded in 1968 by a group of "ordinary citizens", including PTA and garden club members, outdoor enthusiasts, conservationists and other individuals who "had an interest in protecting the environmental legacy of Oregon".^[2]

Current work

Current program work of the OEC includes public policy, addressing global warming, preventing toxic exposure, improving the quality of Oregon's rivers, sustainable economic issues, and food and farms.^[3] Andrea Durbin has been the group's executive director since 2006.^[4]

Key accomplishments

Key accomplishments of Oregon Environmental Council include:

• 1968 - Passed Mount Jefferson Wilderness Bill
• 1971 - Led citizen support that passed the Oregon Bottle Bill, the first bottle bill in the nation^[5]
• 1973 - Helped pass Oregon Senate Bills 100 and 101, Oregon's land use planning law^[6]
• 1975 - Secured National Recreation Area protection for Hells Canyon^[7][8]
• 1977 - Secured nation's first ban on certain ozone-depleting chemicals^[9]
• 1987 - Created Oregon Superfund Program and the Governor's Watershed Enhancement Board (now known as Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board)^[10]
• 1991 - Secured the nation's first law requiring state agencies to minimize pesticide use
• 1999 - Passed a Pesticide Right to Know Law guaranteeing public access to data about all commercial pesticide use in Oregon ^[11]
• 2003 - Passed a first-of-its-kind tax incentive for insurance companies to offer Pay-as-You-Drive auto insurance^[12]
• 2006 - Won United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Children's Environmental Health Excellence Award for their Eco-Healthy Child Care and Tiny Footprints programs that help parents and caregivers reduce children's exposure to toxic chemicals^[13][14]
• 2007 - Passed Climate Change Integration Act, setting greenhouse gas reduction goals for Oregon into statute and established statewide Global Warming Commission^[15][16]
• 2007 - Launched the Carbon Neutral Challenge for Oregon wineries, with dozens of Oregon wineries participating to reduce their carbon footprints^[17]
• 2008 - Released landmark "Pollution in People" report, which tested the bodies of 10 Oregon men and women for chemicals, followed by the "Price of Pollution" report, the state's first-ever economic assessment of the true costs of environmentally triggered disease in Oregon^[18]

See also

• Land use in Oregon

References

1. Oregon Environmental Council. "OEC's Strategic Plan". Retrieved 2009-10-09.
2. Oregonian Editorial Board (September 8, 2008). "A Landmark for Grassroots Activism". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
3. Oregon Environmental Council. "OEC's Strategic Plan". Retrieved 2009-10-09.
4. "Environmental council names new leader". Portland Business Journal. June 20, 2006. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
5. United Press International (November 13, 1972). "Bottle bill causing little upset in the state". The Register-Guard. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
6. "Land bill may drop disputed section". The Register-Guard. February 15, 1973. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
7. Preusch, Matthew (September 2, 2009). "Pete Seeger singing in Hells Canyon: Part of Oregon conservation lore". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
8. Forrester, Steve (October 21, 2008). "This is the century of environmentalism". Daily Astorian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
9. Oregonian Editorial Board (September 8, 2008). "A Landmark for Grassroots Activism". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
10. Oregonian Editorial Board (September 8, 2008). "A Landmark for Grassroots Activism". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
11. Oregonian Editorial Board (September 8, 2008). "A Landmark for Grassroots Activism". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
12. Jacklet, Ben. (January 10, 2003). "'Pay as you drive' policies get boost". The Portland Tribune. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
13. "2006 Children's Environmental Health Excellence Award Winners". United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
14. "Eco-Healthy Child Care". Oregon Environmental Council. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
15. Oregonian Editorial Board (September 8, 2008). "A Landmark for Grassroots Activism". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
16. Tucker, Libby (May 4, 2007). "Q&A with Sallie Schullinger-Krause, global warming program director for Oregon Environmental Council". Daily Journal of Commerce. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
17. Leeper, Kate (July 22, 2008). "Keep close to home with eco-friendly wines from Oregon". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
18. Ketler, Bill (November 13, 2007). "Study: Pollutants show no prejudice". Mail Tribune (Medford, Oregon). Retrieved 2009-10-09.

External links

• Oregon Environmental Council (official website)