Oregon Environmental Council Explained

Oregon Environmental Council
Full Name:	Oregon Environmental Council Inc.
Type:	Nonprofit
Tax Id:	93-0578714
Status:	501(c)(3)
Headquarters:	Portland, Oregon
Leader Title:	Executive Director
Leader Name:	Jana Gastellum
Board Of Directors:	Bruce Abernethy; Debra Dunn; JJ Green; Michael Jung; Heidi Khokhar; Peter Koehler; Antonio Lara; David Lohman; Makely Lyon; Karen Moynahan; Doris Penwell; Elizabeth Silberg; Jean Wilson; Philip Wu
Website:	https://oeconline.org/

The Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) is an environmental advocacy group based in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1968.^[1]

History

The Oregon Environmental Council was founded in 1968 by a group of "ordinary citizens", including PTA and garden club members, outdoor enthusiasts, conservationists and other individuals who "had an interest in protecting the environmental legacy of Oregon".^[2]

Current work

Current program work of the OEC includes public policy, addressing global warming, preventing toxic exposure, improving the quality of Oregon's rivers, sustainable economic issues, and food and farms.^[1] Andrea Durbin has been the group's executive director since 2006.^[3]

Activities

Activities of the Oregon Environmental Council include:

• 1968 - Passed Mount Jefferson Wilderness Bill
• 1971 - Led citizen support that passed the Oregon Bottle Bill, the first bottle bill in the nation^[4]
• 1973 - Helped pass Oregon Senate Bills 100 and 101, Oregon's land use planning law^[5]
• 1975 - Secured National Recreation Area protection for Hells Canyon^{[6] [7]}
• 1977 - Secured nation's first ban on certain ozone-depleting chemicals^[2]
• 1987 - Created Oregon Superfund Program and the Governor's Watershed Enhancement Board (now known as Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board)^[2]
• 1991 - Secured the nation's first law requiring state agencies to minimize pesticide use
• 1999 - Passed a Pesticide Right to Know Law guaranteeing public access to data about all commercial pesticide use in Oregon ^[2]
• 2003 - Passed a first-of-its-kind tax incentive for insurance companies to offer Pay-as-You-Drive auto insurance^[8]
• 2006 - Won United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Children's Environmental Health Excellence Award for their Eco-Healthy Child Care and Tiny Footprints programs that help parents and caregivers reduce children's exposure to toxic chemicals^{[9] [10]}
• 2007 - Passed Climate Change Integration Act, setting greenhouse gas reduction goals for Oregon into statute and established statewide Global Warming Commission^{[2] [11]}
• 2007 - Launched the Carbon Neutral Challenge for Oregon wineries, with dozens of Oregon wineries participating to reduce their carbon footprints^[12]
• 2008 - Released landmark "Pollution in People" report, which tested the bodies of 10 Oregon men and women for chemicals, followed by the "Price of Pollution" report, the state's first-ever economic assessment of the true costs of environmentally triggered disease in Oregon^[13]

See also

• Land use in Oregon

Notes and References

1. Web site: Oregon Environmental Council . OEC's Strategic Plan . 2009-10-09.
2. News: Oregonian Editorial Board . A Landmark for Grassroots Activism . . September 8, 2008 . 2009-10-09.
3. News: Environmental council names new leader . . June 20, 2006 . 2009-10-09.
4. News: United Press International . United Press International . Bottle bill causing little upset in the state . . November 13, 1972 . 2009-10-09.
5. News: Land bill may drop disputed section . . February 15, 1973 . https://archive.today/20120711061749/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rmoRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4026,3469154&dq=oregon-environmental-council+sb+100 . dead . July 11, 2012 . 2009-10-09.
6. News: Preusch, Matthew . Pete Seeger singing in Hells Canyon: Part of Oregon conservation lore . . September 2, 2009 . 2009-10-09.
7. News: Forrester, Steve . This is the century of environmentalism . . October 21, 2008 . 2009-10-09.
8. News: Jacklet, Ben. . 'Pay as you drive' policies get boost . . January 10, 2003 . 2009-10-09.
9. Web site: . 2006 Children's Environmental Health Excellence Award Winners . 2009-10-09.
10. Web site: Eco-Healthy Child Care . Oregon Environmental Council . 2009-10-09.
11. News: Tucker, Libby . Q&A with Sallie Schullinger-Krause, global warming program director for Oregon Environmental Council . . May 4, 2007 . 2009-10-09.
12. News: Leeper, Kate . Keep close to home with eco-friendly wines from Oregon . . July 22, 2008 . 2009-10-09.
13. News: Ketler, Bill . Study: Pollutants show no prejudice . . . November 13, 2007 . 2009-10-09.