Candidate statement:
Climate change is no longer a distant warning; it’s here for all to see. Portlanders want to lead the nation in green tech and climate justice. As Mayor, I’ll focus on eliminating black carbon pollution from the city and region and converting our municipal fleet to electric. I support Green New Deal legislation, and I was chief petitioner for House Bill 3590. Fully implemented, the bill would remove 35,000 tons of toxic black carbon from Oregon skies annually, a substance disproportionately responsible for health and environmental damage, especially among POC communities. Working with dozens of Oregon stakeholders, national experts, and the European Union Biofuels Research Lab, the bill passed the Oregon State Legislature House Energy Committee with unanimous, bipartisan support.
Additionally, I have taken the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge, and my business, TITAN Freight Systems, is the first transportation carrier in Portland to remove all fossil fuels from our operation.
I have a proven record of fighting for climate justice. As a leader of a trucking company, my business was the first transportation company in the world to meet the rigorous B Corp environmental impact standards. I worked to build one of the cleanest, safest fleets in the nation, achieving the lowest carbon footprint of any carrier in Oregon and reducing our Portland fleet’s fossil fuel use to zero. This accomplishment earned me the National Innovator of the Year in 2021 and 2022, and I was a nominee for the National Clean Fleet of the Year from 2021 to 2023.
The City of Portland must prioritize and take action to address climate and environmental justice issues immediately. As Mayor, here’s what I’d prioritize:
Black carbon is a toxic greenhouse gas with up to 1,500 times the potency of carbon dioxide, and a major cause of health and environmental damage. Locally, it darkens our skies and prematurely melts snow and glaciers in our surrounding mountains. I’ve already made progress on the fight against black carbon, as chief petitioner of House Bill 3590, which passed out of committee with unanimous and bipartisan support, once fully implemented, will remove 35,000 tons of black carbon annually.
Between federal grants, state rebates and credits, and the plunging cost of high-capacity battery technology, there has never been a better time to convert Portland’s vehicle fleet to electric power. As one of the first freight carriers in the nation to convert to electric, I have the experience and success needed to do the same for our city.
Will you ensure the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) remains climate-focused in line with what voters intended?
Yes
