From humble beginnings in the minds of local environmental leaders of color, through years of capacity building and community organizing to place it on the ballot, to today as it sits on the precipice of distributing a historic investment, the Portland Clean Energy Fund has always been at the leading edge of climate justice work.
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In 2022, BHCP hit a programmatic milestone of enrolling the 10,000th participant! Our enrolled participants’ land now totals over 2,453 acres, which together is about four times the size of Powell Butte Nature Park in East Portland. These pockets of habitat form important corridors to support wildlife, manage stormwater, and increase access to greenspaces within urban spaces.
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A recent study on the change in visibility of stars from 2011 to 2022 shows that sky brightness is increasing globally by nearly 10% per year, effectively doubling sky brightness every eight years. Light pollution not only robs us of our own view of the heavens, it also has serious ecological consequences, with demonstrated impacts on over 200 species of birds, fish, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and plants.
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We are two-thirds of the way through the 2023 legislative “long session” and are happy to report that many of the priority bills and budget requests we are advocating for are still alive. This is a miraculous accomplishment given where we are in the session.
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Just before the new year, Commissioner Carmen Rubio approved funding for several parks projects in Portland. Included in the list is Wilkes Creek Headwaters, a greenspace in outer East Portland. These undeveloped 20+ acres are within a residential neighborhood and contain the springs that feed the only free-flowing stream in the city that still enters the Columbia Slough.
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The 2023 Oregon legislative session kicked off its biannual “long session” with thousands of bills in play. As in years past we will be tracking bills to support and oppose for the next several months until the session ends in June. Bird Alliance of Oregon is prioritizing several important bills and budget requests that will advance protections for wildlife and habitats and help combat climate change.
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Many birds migrate away from the colder regions in winter, but our friends spending the season here have myriad creative adaptations for staying warm.
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Bird Alliance of Oregon has been engaged with efforts to protect and restore Ross Island for more than 40 years. Although it is no longer operational, a large industrial processing plant sits on Ross Island and its more than a decade behind on obligations to restore both the Ross Island Lagoon and uplands from the impacts of decades of mining by the company.
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Voters in the Metro Region resoundingly supported Ballot Measure 26-225 which renews Metro’s Parks and Nature Levy for another five years. This continues a long tradition of voters across the region strongly supporting protection and restoration of our natural environment and ensuring equitable access to nature for all of the region’s residents.
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We have known for decades that floodplain development puts our communities and environment in harm’s way. It’s time to stop talking about climate resilience and actually take steps to do something about it. And while other North American cities are stepping up their environmental programs, the City of Portland appears to be stepping aside…and holding open the door for irresponsible developers.
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