In late November, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek issued an Executive Order calling for the state to reduce carbon pollution and accelerate its transition to clean energy. The Executive Order calls on state agencies to advance implementation of the Oregon Energy Strategy, get clean energy projects built, cultivate a clean energy economy, and ensure transparency and accountability in implementation. The Governor directs the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and other state agencies to foster the transition to a clean energy economy through energy efficiency, clean electricity, electrification, low-carbon fuels, and resilience.
DEQ is specifically told to update the Oregon Clean Fuels Program to strengthen low-carbon fuel standards. The Clean Fuels Program, started in 2016, is one of Oregon’s most successful climate mitigation strategies that has incentivized fuel producers to supply cleaner fuels. Using a market-based approach, the program drives the transportation sector to reduce emissions over time by targeting the carbon intensity of the fuels.
In addition to efforts to reduce carbon pollution, the Governor’s order directs agencies to get clean energy projects built by reducing barriers to and accelerating clean energy deployment, streamlining clean energy siting, facilitating development of clean energy infrastructure, developing a framework for clean energy siting, and deploying energy storage. Also, state agencies are asked to help build a resilient clean energy economy through public-private partnerships and emerging clean energy technologies. The final portion of the Executive Order discusses how agencies will coordinate, report progress, and be held accountable.
