We have several opportunities this week for you to take action for climate justice, from fighting a biomass plant in Washington, to supporting the Portland Clean Energy Fund, to joining us for the City Council Candidate Meet & Greet (Wed, March 20). Read on to learn more!
Support the Portland Clean Energy Fund
The Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) was designed by and for BIPOC communities and others on the frontlines of the climate crisis to create a critical funding stream for climate and environmental justice initiatives.
PCEF is projected to bring in over $150 million more than expected over the next 5 years through its tax on big businesses. Some City Commissioners are looking for ways to divert that funding to government work that is not related to climate or environmental justice, which would go against the original intent of the fund.
The PCEF Committee — a community-led group tasked with oversight of how PCEF money is allocated — is bringing forward a proposal this Thursday (March 21) for how to allocate the extra $150 million from PCEF. They are proposing that government agencies and community groups work together to identity significant projects toward which PCEF money can go. We agree that partnerships between government entities and community groups can be beneficial, as long as they stay focused on community benefits and make significant progress on climate goals.
Sign this petition to voice your support for the PCEF Committee’s proposal to keep PCEF funds focused on the original intentions of this essential program — to support climate and environmental justice work in the community.
If you’re able, you can join the PCEF Committee meeting on Thursday (March 21) online from 6-8pm to show your support for the PCEF Committee’s proposal.
Say no to the Drax biomass plant
The Drax Group, a multinational energy company, is currently proposing building a woody biomass pellet production plant and export facility in Longview, Washington. If built, the biomass plant would pose serious air quality and health risks for local communities, lead to destruction of Pacific Northwest forests, and exacerbate the climate crisis.
The people of the Pacific Northwest are saying NO to Drax building their new biomass plant in Longview. We are coming together to protect the health and safety of our communities, our local forests, and the climate. Use this form to send a public comment to the WA Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA), telling them to reject Drax’s application for a clean air permit. The deadline for submitting a public comment is March 29, 2024.
You can also join us in-person at the Southwest Clean Air Agency hearing, info below:
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Cowlitz PUD auditorium, 961 12th Ave, Longview, WA
General presentation at 5:30pm
Public comments begin at 6:00pm
Why we are saying NO to Drax’s biomass plan:
- Biomass is a false climate solution. Using wood for industrial-scale energy production creates two to three times more greenhouse gas emissions than using fossil fuels, per kilowatt hour of heat or electricity produced.
- Drax is a known violator of air quality permits. Drax’s Morehouse biomass plant in Mississippi emitted three times the toxic substances than it was permitted to, and Drax received the largest air quality violation fine in the state’s history.
- In 2021, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) released a “Resolution in Opposition to Wood Pellets Manufacturing and Use of Wood-Bioenergy” saying that companies producing forest-based bioenergy are violating human rights. The report stated that “toxic pollution [is] disproportionately inflicted on low income and/or Black, Indigenous and Communities of Color in the manufacturing and transporting processes,” and specifically mentioned Drax as a violator of human rights.
The Drax plant would also impact the forests of the region, pose a danger to local economies, and threaten local air quality and community health. Read more about these and many other reasons why we are opposing the Drax plant here
March 23: Join us for a free film screening of “Burned: Are Trees the New Coal”
We’ll be co-hosting a showing of the movie “Burned: Are Trees the New Coal” at the Kelso Theater Pub in Kelso, WA this Saturday, March 23rd, from 2-4pm. We hope you join us! Tickets are free.
350PDX March Action Night – City Council Candidates Meet & Greet!
Wed, March 20, 6:00-8:00PM — 350PDX Office (3639 N Mississippi Ave) – learn more and sign up here
With the upcoming Portland City Council elections this November, we are inviting City Council candidates from all four districts to our March Action Night. Join the City Council Candidate Meet & Greet for a chance to get to know candidates from your district. Consider what climate justice issues you’re noticing in your community, or around the region, and bring these up with candidates. What do you most want to see the city council do in the next several years? This is your chance to ask questions, share your concerns and ideas, and have informal conversation with candidates fairly early in this important election year.
Please invite friends to attend this with you! We want to show candidates the strength of the climate justice vote. We also want to start building up momentum and excitement for the potential we have ahead of us this year, to make a positive change in our city leadership in the transition to a new form of voting and new city council districts.
Candidates who have agreed to attend so far (or a few of them will send a campaign surrogate): Candace Avalos, Cayle Tern, Jamie Dunphy, Steph Routh, Timur Ender, Sonja McKenzie, David Linn, Christopher Olson, Debbie Kitchin, Jennifer Park, Laura Streib, Marc Koller, Mariah Hudson, Marnie Glickman, Nat West, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Angelita Morillo, Chris Flanary, Daniel DeMelo, Rex Burkholder, Tiffany Koyama Lane, Andra Vltavín, Bob Weinstein, Mitch Green, Moses Ross, Olivia Clark, Sarah Silkie, Soren Underal, David Burnell, Chad Lykins, Robin Ye, Jonathan Tasini
Thank you for taking action!
350PDX Staff & Community
