Bad bill to repeal Climate Friendly & Equitable Communities languishes in House committee
Since the introduction of House Bill 2659 earlier this session, 1000 Friends has been working in coalition with other groups to stop this bad bill – an attempt to effectively repeal the Climate Friendly & Equitable Communities program. Now we're seeing signs of lack of enthusiasm for it. Read more about its status.
Housing Update: HB 2001 passes, plus other housing bills on the move
Midway through 2023’s legislative session, we’re bringing you a short housing roundup, including a win we’re celebrating and the other housing bills we’re still supporting. The seven housing bills we are still working on in the legislature are all aimed at making it easier to build more affordable and diverse housing that’s located close to the things people need to get to, such as schools, stores, parks, and more.
Looking back at the Oregon Climate Action Plan
Meaningful climate action is necessary to defend the health and future of Oregon. In 2020, Governor Kate Brown signed executive order 20-04 establishing the Oregon Climate Action Plan (OCAP), a bold set of actions by state agencies to address our changing climate. In this Oregon Stories, we look back at OCAP and its successes, as well as highlight the future of the land use planning system and how we can use it to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Grassroots efforts saved 163 acres of Linn County farmland
Advocacy from the Linn County community helped preserve a tract of prime farmland, saving it from becoming industrial land as part of a land swap proposed by the City of Millersburg. Local public efforts ensured that this land remained outside the UGB as farmland, instead of forever losing acres of rich soil that feed our state.
UPDATED | Senate Bill 4: We can welcome semiconductors AND protect lands
A win-win is possible for semiconductor expansion applications and Oregon’s farms, forests, and watersheds. But the window of opportunity closes in two months—our state must act now!
Since the introduction of Senate Bill 4 (SB 4)—which focuses, in part, on ways to support the expansion of the semiconductor industry’s footprint in Oregon—1000 Friends, local land use groups, and hundreds of Oregonians have urged the State’s Joint Committee on Semiconductors to act fast and strategically to meet the May 2023 application deadline.