Join us at a public hearing to cap and price carbon pollution is scheduled at the state legislature, on Wednesday March 1 from 3:00 to 4:45, in Hearing Room F.

The March 1st hearing will provide opportunity for public testimony. For the March 1 hearing, we need to fill the hearing room and overflow rooms with supporters of action on climate. A rally on the Capitol steps prior to the hearing will also be held at 1pm – please attend that if at all possible as well.

If you want to car pool, please go to one of the following areas and be there by 11:30 (contact Rand to connect with your carpool lead).

• NE – 350PDX office/Central Lutheran Church, NE 21st and Hancock; contact – Rand Schenck
• SE – Stumptown Coffee, 4525 SE Division; contact Mark McLeod
• SW – Red Robin, Washington Square 2 Parking lot; contact Eileen Fromer
• NW – Fred Meyer, Burnside and NW 21st; contact Michael Mitton
• Hillsboro- 175 NE 7th Ave; contact Debbie Garmin

Written testimony will also be important for the hearing on March 1 – more information on submitting this electronically will be forthcoming as well. The most important advice for writing testimony is to be yourself, tell your story of why you are concerned about climate change and climate justice, and why Oregon needs:

• an economy-wide, science based, declining cap on climate pollution (greenhouse gas emissions);
• a funding mechanism to administer the program and help bolster clean energy jobs and
• a commitment for a just transition for communities of color, rural areas and others particularly at-risk from the effects of climate change.

Improvements to ask for:

1. Greenhouse gas reduction goals to be developed by the Environmental Quality Commission should be based on the best available
   science (this seems obvious, but many legislators resist including such language) and
2. Use of offsets should be eliminated. The bill currently allows for up to 50% of required reductions of GHGs to be offsets from forestry, agriculture or other non-covered sectors. Arguably the best number would be zero offsets, but feel free to advocate for any number less than 50%. Oregon needs real reductions in the burning of fossil fuels, without relying on the often highly questionable offsets from forestry or ag to permit continued use of fossil fuels.

Additional suggestions from Renew Oregon regarding talking points and tips for writing letters-to-the-editor that are also applicable to testimony, are available here https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0DlqduuD1zrU3FvTmFCdEV6eEk .

For more information or to connect with a carpool contact Rand Schenck, 503-347-5526, randschenck@msn.com