Saturday, June 20, 2015

A letter to my state legislators on Clean Fuels Standards


I'm writing to urge you to reject pressure to repeal Oregon's Clean Fuels law, particularly as part of some larger package involving transportation and land use.  Oregon is already feeling the impact of climate change with widespread drought and ocean warming, those impacts will only accelerate.  Clean Fuels is a small step towards a practical and inevitable response, shifting away from fossil fuels.  As compelling as Clean Fuels is, so are reasons to oppose the proposed repeal package.

The repeal package is at every level an abuse of process and an insult to democracy.  Where in the state constitution is there a "Gang of 8"?  Where does it say that Republican and Democratic interests must be given equal weight regardless of election results?  This isn't the first time we've seen a "Grand Bargain" that sacrificed process in the name of political expediency.  The result speaks for itself.

Please, look to the future.  Don't repeat mistakes of the past.

Thanks for your consideration,

No comments: