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Global Warming

Climate Change Policy: More to do

The national Waxman-Markey bill, or American Clean Energy and Security (ACES), passed the federal House and has moved to the Senate. National PSR decided in the last week before passage that there was too much compromise to actively support the bill; too many allowances giveaways and too much emphasis on offsets with exclusion of future EPA regulation of carbon. However, our staff was instrumental in creating a clean-energy fund rather than complete giveaways to the coal or nuclear industries that will have more stringent controls for support for new energy development.
Stay tuned to our alerts to find out how to help make the Senate version much stronger.

In Oregon:
PSR’s major effort was spent helping pass HB 2186, the low-carbon fuel standard. The goal is a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, but more importantly, it wouldn’t be restricted to fuels but would include other vehicles such as electric cars. A task force will also be established to encourage metropolitan governments to address greenhouse gas reductions through transportation planning and land use.

SB 79–Leads the green building industry to increase efficiency in new buildings by up to 25% in commercial building by 2012 and up to 15% in residential building. A task force will work to create an Energy Performance Score for new and existing buildings to bring to the next legislature.

HB 2626—Directs the State Department of Energy to administer a loan program that encourages investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy conservation. In addition, various agencies and local governments will facilitate those who wish to make cost-effective improvements.

SB 101–Creates a ban on supplying power to Oregon from new dirty coal power plants either in the state or in longterm contracts out of state.

HB 2078—Creates new incentives for electric vehicles rather than hybrids.

Good and Bad
HB 2472—Includes Business Energy Tax Credits for electric vehicle manufacturing and charging stations but reduces tax credits available for developing wind projects.

HB 3039–Establishes a feed-in tariff program for solar energy as well as requiring the largest electric companies to build large scale solar. Unfortunately, the Renewable Energy Standard will get diluted as solar energy will be counted twice towards meeting the goal of 25% by 2025.

Retro-motion
HB 2940–The definition of renewable energy was altered in this bill to include old biomass and municipal incinerators. Oregon PSR is hopeful that the governor will veto this bill.
HB 2001—is the “new road” heavy transportation bill. Several projects will actually increase sprawl and greenhouse gas. Several good new concepts were included such as requiring land use and transportation action that reduces carbon by the Portland Metro area, least-cost planning criteria, and incorporation of environmental performance standards into construction of state highway construction projects.
Unfinished Business

SB 80—The governor was hoping for legislation that would set Oregon on the path for a carbon cap with a mechanism to enforce or enhance market forces primarily geared for cap and trade. SB80 went nowhere but was discussed all session. Utility companies and other industry leaders vehemently opposed this bill along with a newly crafted plan to develop new reduction goals and mechanisms to achieve them.

DeFazio summarizes why he did not vote for Waxman-Markey

June 19, 2009 Our Congressman Peter DeFazio from Oregon’s 4th congressional district spoke at the Portland City Club on the Waxman-Markey bill-Oregon PSR and National PSR do not support the Waxman Markey bill for many same reasons that Congressman DeFazio shared- read more here.

PSR believes it is essential for human health to reduce carbon emissions by 25% below 2001 levels by 2020 and by 85% below 2001 levels by 2050.

“In the coming months, as climate and energy legislation makes its way to the President’s desk, we must take every opportunity to secure more stringent limits on greenhouse gas emissions and greater investment in clean, renewable energy and efficiency,” said Dr. Peter Wilk, Executive Director of PSR. “To preserve the public’s health, we must eliminate incentives for dirty coal-fired power plants and new, expensive, unsafe nuclear reactors.”

The health impacts of global warming will be pervasive, affecting every American. Children, the elderly, people living in poverty, and those with underlying illnesses will be particularly vulnerable to these health effects. Already we are seeing the consequences of global warming in the form of heat waves, poor air quality, flooding, hurricanes, and increases in vector- and water-borne diseases.

“It is especially important that the Environmental Protection Agency be given a more decisive regulatory and enforcement role to assure that substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions actually occur as a result of this legislation,” noted Dr. Evan Kanter, President of PSR.

PSR calls on Congress and the President to act aggressively to prevent catastrophic climate change. This will require instituting stringent carbon dioxide controls for large polluters and removing counterproductive taxpayer subsidies. Call your representatives to fight for our public health!

Public Health Effects of Global Warming in Oregon

Global warming, or climate change, will affect the public's health both via extreme weather events such as storms and heat waves and via slower changes already in process. There is wide scientific consensus that global warming is happening due to human action. Models predict that the average temperature in Oregon will increase at least 2.8°F by 2100 even if we reduce emissions to 80% of 1990 levels by 2050 or the temperature will rise up to 11°F if we do nothing.

Temperature-related:

· Heat waves will intensify in both duration and magnitude

This increase in heat waves combined with an aging population is a set-up for public health emergencies. (Some estimate 150% increase in deaths in Portland)

· Drought and forest insect infestation will increase the number of fires threatening homes and causing air pollution.

Infectious Diseases: We can expect an increase in the burden of infectious disease via creating a more hospitable environment for insect and rodent borne disease.

· Malaria: In Oregon, this is low-risk now due to monitoring and killing the mosquito carrier. With global warming, more resources will be needed to keep this mosquito population under control to protect public health.

· Food and water borne diseases rise with temperature spikes.

· West Nile virus was introduced in New York in 1999; it survived and spread west in part due to warmer winters and caused the first deaths in Oregon in 2006. We can expect similar outbreaks to occur as global warming continues.

· Tick-borne illnesses are increasing. 2007 saw the highest number of cases of Lyme disease reported in Oregon in 20 years.

Air-quality:

· Ozone: ground level amounts of ozone (smog) will increase with increasing temperatures due to global warming

o Ozone can trigger asthma attacks among people who already have it

o Higher ozone increases the number of children developing asthma

o Ozone-related deaths from asthma, heart attacks and lung disease due to climate change is expected to increase by 4.5% over the next 50 yrs

o Deaths from asthma will increase by 20% in the next ten years

· Pollen: increasing carbon dioxide levels increases ragweed pollen production significantly providing yet another trigger for asthma attacks

Food Insecurity:

· While there is no clear, direct evidence on food insecurity for Oregon, it is highly plausible that changes in water availability increased flooding and increased heat waves (drought) will impact eastern Oregon and the Willamette valley's farming capacity. 60% of crops in Oregon are irrigated.

· Water supplies will be in greater flux with increased rainfall and higher temperatures resulting in more early snow runoff and spring flooding with less snowpack for clean drinking water and irrigation in summer.

Vulnerable populations: People living in the mountains and near the coast will be particularly affected by increasing rainfall and subsequent mudslides as well as rising sea level and salt-water contamination of drinking water creating an increased risk for water-borne diseases. 33% of Oregon's coast is already at risk of erosion.

Policy changes will need to be enacted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the worst effects on the public's health. While there are many excellent bills introduced in the Oregon Legislature one of the most important is Senate Bill 80.

Senate Bill 80: The recently amended SB 80 is Oregon's commitment to achieving our statutory global warming pollution reduction goals of no less than 10% below 1990 levels by 2020; and no less than 75% below 1990 levels by 2050. A cap or absolute limit is the surest way to reach crucial emissions reduction. Support for this component is essential. Amendments to SB 80 should establish a deliberative, public process for a comprehensive approach that will meet Oregon's reduction goals to take effect in 2012.

Senate Bill 603 (SB 603): Dirty coal power plants would be prohibited from serving as a new source of electricity for Oregonians.

Senate Bill 79: Under this proposal, every building would receive a voluntary energy performance certificate to report how efficiently it uses energy. The bill would also establish the goal of zero net emissions from new buildings by 2030.

House Bill 2186 (HB 2186): This bill authorizes the Environmental Quality Commission to develop reduction strategies including a low carbon fuel standard and restrictions on the unnecessary idling of trucks and commercial vehicles.

House Bill 2180 (HB 2180): HB 2180 provides the Oregon Department of Energy with the flexibility to adjust business and personal tax credit incentives.

Confalonieri, U., et.al, 2007: Human health. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.L. Parry, et.al, Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 391-431.

Field, C.B., et.al., 2007: North America. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, M.L. Parry, et.al., Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 617-652.

Healthy Climate Partnership: http://www.hcporegon.org/legislation

Lyme disease data OR Department of Human Services: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/acd/arpt/arpt07/lyme.pdf

McMichael AJ, et.al. Climate change and human health: present and future risks. Lancet. 2006 Mar 11;367(9513):859-69.

Report to the Legislature: Oregon Global Warming Commission. January 2009. Available at: http://oregon.gov/ENERGY/GBLWRM/GWC/docs/09CommissionReport.pdf

Shea KM; American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Environmental Health. Global climate change and children's health. Pediatrics. 2007 Nov;120(5):e1359-67.

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International Summit Regarding Climate Change