Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility

If you've been keeping up on the news about North Korea, you probably feel stuck in a never-ending cycle of escalating nuclear-armed standoff. After more than a year of alarming threats and counter-threats, we have an opportunity to change course and make progress towards peace.

Senator Ed Markey has introduced legislation to restrict funding for a first-strike against North Korea, which Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley is co-sponsoring. Senator Ron Wyden has not yet indicated support for this legislation. In advance of the upcoming Olympic Games, we need you to ask Senator Wyden to support diplomacy and prevent war with North Korea.

Fracked gas is a major public health hazard. Many communities near fracking wells and gas infrastructure experience contamination of their air and water. Particulate matter, formaldehyde, and other volatile organic compounds threaten their health. Most “natural” gas is methane, an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Calling it “natural” gas doesn’t make it safe. Methane leaks along pipelines are considerable - and they threaten the stability of our climate.

Oregon PSR is working on four priorities for the short February session at the Oregon State Legislature in Salem this year. Our top priority is advancing a strong cap-and-invest “Clean Energy Jobs” bill. We are also supporting a deadline for retiring dirty diesel engines, and funding for Cleaner Air Oregon, and a gun safety bill to close the boyfriend/stalker loophole. Questions? Read on and/or contact Damon.

A new report released in January indicates that the Jordan Cove Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export terminal and Pacific Connector Pipeline proposed by Veresen, Inc. would emit between 36.8 and 52 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. This is more than 15 times the 2016 emissions of the Oregon's Boardman coal plant, scheduled to close in 2020. The report looks carefully at fugitive methane leakage from fracked gas infrastructure for the project, which would stretch over 230 miles from Malin to Coos Bay (see above).

Originally licensed to operate for 40 years by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1983, the Columbia Generating Station continues to generate spent nuclear fuel at Hanford on the banks of the Columbia River where the best modern day spawning waters for Chinook salmon flow. 35 years later, ratepayers are still paying for power generated by what Vandana Shiva calls a very unsafe way to boil water. Owned and operated by Energy Northwest and sold to consumer-owned utilities in Oregon and Washington, The Columbia Generating Station is the single most expensive generator in the Bonneville Power Administration's power portfolio (see above slide from Bonneville's 2018-2023 strategic plan).

Washington Governor Jay Inslee today rejected the largest oil shipping terminal proposed in North America as not in the best interests of the state and its people. The Tesoro Savage project (also known as Vancouver Energy) sought to ship over 131 million barrels of oil per year down the Columbia River.

Entries are being accepted now through March 5th for Oregon PSR's 2018 Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship. In its tenth consecutive year, the Greenfield Peace Writing Scholarship is an opportunity to hear from young Oregonians on some of the most pressing issues of our time.

Mayor Charlie Hales in December 2016 after Portland's historic vote to block new and expanded fossil fuel infrastructure.

Portland's Fossil Fuel Infrastructure Restrictions Do Not Violate The U.S. Constitution

Oregon Court of Appeals Reverses Lower Court's Decision

Today, the Oregon Court of Appeals reversed, in large part, a Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) decision that invalidated Portland’s landmark Fossil Fuel Terminal Zoning Amendments, passed unanimously in December 2016. The Court ruled that Portland did not violate the Dormant Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Court’s decision opens the door for local governments to continue to take meaningful action to combat climate change.

Click here for coverage in the Portland Mercury quoting Regna Merritt

Click here for coverage in ThinkProgress.org quoting Regna Merritt

Cowlitz County officials have just released a draft Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for the Millennium project, the largest and most dangerous coal export proposal remaining in the US. It's time for them to hear from you! 

The good news? While it states no conclusions, the draft HIA clearly reaffirms many terrible adverse health and safety impacts of the proposed Millennium Bulk Terminals project in Longview and Cowlitz County.

Cowlitz County officials released a draft Health Impact Assessment (HIA) on Thursday that reaffirms many of the serious adverse public health impacts of the proposed Millennium Bulk Terminals project in Longview, Washington. The significance of the draft HIA is limited due to the severely constrained geographic scope of the study area, and the fact that most major permits for Millennium’s proposed project have already been denied.

Click here to read more at PowerPastCoal.org.