It’s Getting Hot In Here

The fight to make the Pacific Northwest the first region of the United States to completely sever its ties to the coal industry is moving forward in leaps and bounds.  A couple of weeks ago, I reported on Portland General Electric’s release of this year’s Integrated Resource Plan, in which PGE advocates tying the state to coal for at least another 30 years.  The idea of Oregon relying on the dirtiest fossil fuel in the world for three decades is so patently ridiculous that the plan’s release arguably represents little more than a really good chance for environmental groups to highlight PGE’s double-talk regarding clean energy and global warming.  Sure enough, just last Friday the Oregon Sierra Club, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Environment Oregon held a press conference at Waterfront Park in Portland, at which all three groups criticized PGE’s short-sightedness and lack of environmental responsibility.

A couple of days ago, a few of us from the Sierra Club headed down to Eugene, Oregon, for a Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC) hearing at which the Council took public testimony on their 6th Northwest Power Plan – a document that will help determine energy policy in the Northwest for the next 20 years.  In Eugene, we were joined by University of Oregon students and other concerned citizens for a rally across the street from the Eugene Public Library, where the hearing was to be held.  Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorenson spoke out against coal use in the Northwest, to much applause.  Our numbers were bolstered by a sizable group of local high school students who started a spontaneous chant in favor of a clean energy future for Oregon, and joined their elders in holding up a banner reading “Oregon Deserves Clean Energy Now.”

After the rally, about 40 people of all ages headed inside the public library to give public testimony on the Northwest Power Plan.  Though the NWPCC’s own findings have shown that a coal-free future for Oregon is a reachable goal, and the current draft of the Northwest Power Plan makes it clear that we can meet most new energy demand in the region with conservation and efficiency measures, this draft of the plan unfortunately would not phase out existing coal use in the Northwest, such as the PGE-owned Boardman Coal Plant.  Fortunately, many people at the hearing spoke up to criticize this problem with the current plan.  Others highlighted the need to protect Oregon forests from irresponsible biofuels policies, and for the removal of harmful dams that are endangering our region’s salmon runs.

For myself, one of the most encouraging things about the hearing was the number of people who specifically mentioned how nice it was to see a good turnout of young people – mainly University of Oregon students – at the event.  After the hearing, several people came up to me to say how glad they were to have students involved in this process.

Students from University of Oregon pointed out in their testimony that young people in the Eugene area are already doing their part; U of O activists are at the forefront of organizing for Power Shift West, which will be held on their campus the weekend of November 6th-8th.  MeanwhLinfield, in the Portland area, students from Pacific University, Mount Hood Community College, and Clark College are preparing to converge on the NWPCC hearing scheduled to take place in Portland on October 14th.  This campaign is just getting started, so stay tuned for more!