Cascadia Wildlands is proud to endorse the Eugene Clean Energy Fund (ECEF), Measure 20-388. While Eugene has long been a thought leader on local climate action, we are off track for meeting our Climate Recovery Ordinance and Climate Action Plan goals. And like so many communities, while we have lots of good strategies for addressing the climate crisis, those ideas are underfunded or entirely unfunded. The solution? Make billionaires pay. Measure 20-388 proposes charging a 2% large retailer license fee on gross profits from retail sales within the City for corporations grossing $1 billion or more nationally, unless specifically exempted. The fund created with the fee will then be reinvested in our community to address and arrest the climate crisis.
There’s an old saying in climate change policy circles: “Prevent everything to which you can’t adapt and adapt to everything you can’t prevent.”
That’s why the Eugene Clean Energy Fund initiative is so exciting. The funds generated by the measure would be spent not only to prevent greenhouse gas emissions but also to help the people of Eugene adapt to the effects of the climate crisis: extreme heat, growing energy costs, wildfire smoke, increasing rents, housing shortages, and others. These are examples of the social costs of climate pollution that ECEF would help to address. The Portland Clean Energy Fund, which is the model on which ECEF is based, has invested over $1.7 billion dollars into clean energy and community benefits since it passed eight years ago.
By helping citizens better insulate their homes, revamp their heating cooling systems, install air conditioners, lower power bills, install solar panels, and train for jobs in green energy, the Portland Clean Energy Fund improves the quality of life for community members who are bearing the brunt of the impacts of climate change and provides life saving investments into resilience in the face of climate disaster.
The 2021 heat dome that killed 102 Oregonians is just one in a series of deadly weather emergencies to which our community is increasingly having to adapt. This measure would help every Eugene resident – including elderly and other vulnerable community members– protect themselves from the heat by funding insulation, air conditioning and other residential improvements.
Not only will ECEF, Measure 20-388, help Eugene to invest in clean energy and reduce emissions, it will also help our community adapt to the ongoing emergency it has caused, and ensure polluting billion dollar corporations foot the bill. Why shouldn’t they have to adapt as well?
Since 2010, the City of Eugene has reduced fossil fuel emissions in its own operations by 24%. The goal is to reach a 50% reduction by 2030. That leaves less than four years to reduce emissions by an additional 26%. Community fossil fuel emissions have decreased by just 11% since 2010, leaving a 39% gap to close in order to achieve the 50% reduction goal by 2030. Similarly, community greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by only 10%, with another 90% needed to achieve the goal of a 100% reduction by 2050. ECEF will provide the funds necessary to pay for projects that will enable us to meet these goals. Learn more about the initiative, including debunking of opposition talking points by watching the recent City Club of Eugene debate and look at the campaign website here: https://www.eugenecleanenergyfund.org/
Join Cascadia Wildlands and over 130 other community organizations, businesses, unions and elected officials and Vote YES on Measure 20-388 to protect our climate and make billion dollar corporations pay their fair share.
