The Climate Reality Project (CRP), Portland Chapter is a local, volunteer-led chapter of CRP, an international nonprofit of 5 million members led by climate leader and former US Vice President Al Gore, whose mission is to catalyze global solutions to the climate crisis.CRP Portland Chapter supports climate action along 5 pillars: a Just Transition to clean energy, zero carbon transportation, Climate Justice and public health, building green communities, and protecting democracy.
2026 Legislative Priorities
Climate Justice
We support the Climate Resilience Superfund (SB 1541) bill which would create a Climate Superfund by collecting money from fossil fuel companies based on their past greenhouse gas emissions. 30% of the funds would go directly to the State Fire Marshall for wildfire mitigation activities with the rest used for other climate resilience and climate justice programs.
Climate Budget
We support delinking the Oregon tax code from the federal tax code to reduce shortfalls in the state budget. We urge the maintenance of current funding levels and staff for climate and natural resource agencies and programs. Oregon’s energy, environmental, and natural resource agencies together account for just 2% of the state budget. “Across the board” cuts applied to these agencies would result in cuts to critical programs that save lives through protecting public health and our natural resources, program losses we can’t afford.
Transportation
We join the Move Oregon Forward campaign in supporting legislation that prioritizes transportation choices, public health, and mitigating the climate crisis. We support Measure What We Drive (SB 1542) and Guardrails for Good Governance bills (SB 1543) for effective use of STIP (Statewide Transportation Improvement Program) funds.
We advocate for public transit and active transportation solutions to decrease vehicle miles traveled and to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions. We strongly support motor vehicle electrification.
Clean Energy
We support increasing the use of Distributed Power Plants (DPP or VPP) (SB 1582) in electric utility planning proposals– an Oregon Energy Strategy step which could free up 10-20% more capacity during peak demand. This would improve energy affordability, increase grid resilience, and mitigate pollution. We also support balcony solar (HB 4080) and streamlining of rooftop and community solar permitting.
Healthy Homes & Communities
We support development of a state-wide Disaster Reserve Plan (HB 4032) for the fuels stored at the CEI hub and robust CEI hub risk bonding– HB 4100 is currently inadequate since it lacks safeguards including prohibiting self-insurance. We also support an Inclusive Utility Investment program (SB 1588), a program where utilities cover home efficiency upgrades like heat pumps and customers save money while they repay the upgrade.