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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 3477
Sponsored by Representative GAMBA; Senators FREDERICK, GOLDEN, PATTERSON, PHAM K, TAYLOR
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: This Act changes the state’s goals to reduce greenhouse gases and changes the term
“global warming” to “climate change” in some laws. (Flesch Readability Score: 65.2).
Modifies state greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.Replaces the term “global warming”
with “climate change” in provisions related to the Oregon Climate Action Commission.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to climate change; amending ORS 468A.200, 468A.205, 468A.210, 468A.215, 468A.225,
468A.235, 468A.245, 468A.250, 468A.255 and 468A.260; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. ORS 468A.205 is amended to read:
468A.205. (1) The Legislative Assembly declares that it is the policy of this state to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon [pursuant to] consistent with practices to limit global
warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and the following greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals:
[(a) By 2010, arrest the growth of Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions and begin to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.]
[(b) By 2020, achieve greenhouse gas levels that are 10 percent below 1990 levels.]
(a) By 2030, achieve greenhouse gas levels that are at least 45 percent below 1990 levels.
(b) By 2040, achieve greenhouse gas levels that are at least 70 percent below 1990 levels.
(c) By 2050, achieve greenhouse gas levels that are at least [75] 95 percent below 1990 levels.
(2) In addition to the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals described in subsection
(1) of this section, it is the policy goal of this state to achieve net zero emissions as soon as
practicable, but no later than 2050, and to maintain net negative emissions thereafter.
[(2)] (3) The Legislative Assembly declares that it is the policy of this state for state and local
governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations and individual residents to prepare for the effects
of [global warming] climate change and by doing so, prevent and reduce the social, economic and
environmental effects of [global warming] climate change.
[(3)] (4) [This section does not create] Nothing in this section creates any additional regulatory
authority for an agency of the executive department as defined in ORS 174.112.
SECTION 2. ORS 468A.200 is amended to read:
468A.200. The Legislative Assembly finds that:
(1) In December 2004, the Governor’s Advisory Group on Global Warming issued its report
calling for immediate and significant action to address global warming, to reduce Oregon’s exposure
to the risks of global warming and to begin to prepare for the effects of global warming. The advi-
sory group also identified 46 specific recommendations for measurable reductions in the state’s
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 1440 HB3477
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greenhouse gas emissions.
(2) In partnership with the Governor’s advisory group, 50 scientists signed the “Scientific Con-
sensus Statement on the Likely Impacts of Climate Change on the Pacific Northwest,” which exam-
ined the potential effects of climate change on temperature, precipitation, sea level, marine
ecosystems and terrestrial ecosystems. The scientists recommended additional, improved scientific
studies and modeling of the effects of climate change on the atmosphere, oceans and land, as well
as modeling of the effects of economic and management policies.
(3) [Global warming] Climate change poses a serious threat to the economic well-being, public
health, natural resources and environment of Oregon.
(4) Oregon relies on snowpack for summer stream flows to provide energy, municipal water,
watershed health and irrigation.Also, a potential rise in sea levels threatens Oregon’s coastal
communities. Reduced snowpack, changes in the timing of stream flows, extreme or unusual weather
events, rising sea levels, increased occurrences of vector-borne diseases and impacts on forest health
could significantly impact the economy, environment and quality of life in Oregon.
(5) Oregon forests play a significant role in sequestering atmospheric carbon, and losing this
potential to sequester carbon will have a significant negative effect on the reduction of carbon lev-
els in the atmosphere.
(6) [Global warming] Climate change will have detrimental effects on many of Oregon’s largest
industries, including agriculture, wine making, tourism, skiing, recreational and commercial fishing,
forestry and hydropower generation, and will therefore negatively impact the state’s workers, con-
sumers and residents.
(7) There is a need to assess the current level of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon, to monitor
the trend of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon over the next several decades and to take neces-
sary action to begin reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent disruption of Oregon’s
economy and quality of life and to meet Oregon’s responsibility to reduce the impacts and the pace
of [global warming] climate change.
(8) Oregon has been a national leader in energy conservation and environmental stewardship,
including the areas of energy efficiency requirements and investments, renewable energy invest-
ments, natural resource conservation, greenhouse gas offset requirements and investments, and
[global warming] climate change pollution standards for passenger vehicles. Significant opportu-
nities remain to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide, especially from major contributors of
greenhouse gas emissions, including electricity production, transportation, building construction and
operation, and the residential and consumer sectors.
(9) Actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will reduce Oregon’s reliance on foreign sources
of energy, lead to the development of technology, attract new businesses to Oregon and increase
energy efficiency throughout the state, resulting in benefits to the economy and to individual busi-
nesses and residents.
(10) In devising measures to achieve reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, Oregon must strive
to not disadvantage Oregon businesses as compared to businesses in other states with which Oregon
cooperates on regional greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies.
(11) Policies pursued, and actions taken, by Oregon will:
(a) In concert with complementary policies and actions by other states and the federal govern-
ment, substantially reduce the global levels of greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of those
emissions;
(b) Encourage similar policies and actions by various stakeholders;
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(c) Inform and shape national policies and actions in ways that are advantageous to Oregon
residents and businesses; and
(d) Directly benefit the state and local governments, businesses and residents.
SECTION 3. ORS 468A.210 is amended to read:
468A.210. As used in ORS 468A.200 to 468A.260:
(1) “Global warming” means an increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere
that is associated with the release of greenhouse gases.
(2) “Greenhouse gas” means any gas that contributes to anthropogenic global warming includ-
ing, but not limited to, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons
and sulfur hexafluoride.
(3) “Net negative emissions” means the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the
atmosphere is less than the amount of greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere, as
determined by emissions accounting best practices over a specified period of time.
(4) “Net zero emissions” means the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the at-
mosphere is equal to the amount of greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere, as de-
termined by emissions accounting best practices over a specified period of time.
SECTION 4. ORS 468A.215 is amended to read:
468A.215. (1) There is created the Oregon Climate Action Commission. The commission shall
consist of 35 members, including 13 voting members appointed by the Governor under this section
and 22 nonvoting members specified in ORS 468A.220.
(2) Members of the commission appointed under this section shall be appointed so as to be rep-
resentative of the social, environmental, cultural and economic diversity of the state and to be rep-
resentative of the policy, science, education and implementation elements of the efforts to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and to prepare Oregon for the effects of [global warming]climate
change. Of the members appointed by the Governor under this section:
(a) One member shall have significant experience in manufacturing;
(b) One member shall have significant experience in energy;
(c) One member shall have significant experience in transportation;
(d) One member shall have significant experience in forestry;
(e) One member shall have significant experience in agriculture;
(f) One member shall have significant experience in environmental policy;
(g) One member shall have significant experience in environmental justice;
(h) One member shall be appointed as a youth representative, who must be at least 16 but no
more than 24 years of age when appointed; and
(i) One member shall have significant experience in the fishing industry.
(3) The Governor shall select a chairperson and a vice chairperson from among the members
appointed under this section.
(4) The term of office of a member appointed under this section is four years, except that the
term of office of the member appointed as a youth representative is two years. Before the expiration
of the term of a member, the Governor shall appoint a successor whose term begins on January 31
next following. A member appointed under this section is eligible for reappointment.In case of va-
cancy for any cause, the Governor shall make an appointment to become immediately effective for
the unexpired term.
(5) The members of the commission appointed under this section must be residents of this state.
Failure of a member to maintain compliance with the eligibility requirements related to the
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member’s appointment shall result in disqualification from serving on the commission.
(6) Voting members of the commission appointed under this section are entitled to expenses as
provided in ORS 292.495 (2).
SECTION 5. ORS 468A.225 is amended to read:
468A.225. (1) A majority of the voting members of the Oregon Climate Action Commission con-
stitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.
(2) The commission shall meet at times and places specified by a majority of the members of the
commission.
(3) The State Department of Energy shall provide clerical, technical and management personnel
to serve the commission.
(4) In order to assist the commission in its duties, state agencies shall regularly report to the
commission on the respective state agencies’ efforts to make progress toward the greenhouse gas
emissions reduction goals established by ORS 468A.205 and to prepare for the effects of [global
warming] climate change.
SECTION 6. ORS 468A.235 is amended to read:
468A.235. The Oregon Climate Action Commission shall recommend ways to coordinate state
and local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon consistent with the greenhouse gas
emissions reduction goals established by ORS 468A.205 and shall recommend efforts to help Oregon
prepare for the effects of [global warming] climate change. The Office of the Governor and state
agencies working on multistate and regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions shall inform
the commission about these efforts and shall consider input from the commission for such efforts.
SECTION 7. ORS 468A.245 is amended to read:
468A.245. The Oregon Climate Action Commission shall develop an outreach strategy to educate
Oregonians about the scientific aspects and economic impacts of [global warming] climate change
and to inform Oregonians of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ways to prepare for the
effects of [global warming] climate change. The commission, at a minimum, shall work with state
and local governments, the State Department of Energy, the Department of Education, the Higher
Education Coordinating Commission and businesses to implement the outreach strategy.
SECTION 8. ORS 468A.250 is amended to read:
468A.250. (1) The Oregon Climate Action Commission shall track and evaluate:
(a) Economic, environmental, health and social assessments of [global warming] climate change
impacts on Oregon and the Pacific Northwest;
(b) Existing greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies and measures;
(c) Economic, environmental, health and social costs, and the risks and benefits of alternative
strategies, including least-cost options;
(d) The physical science of [global warming] climate change;
(e) Progress toward the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, the net zero emissions
goals and the net negative emissions goals established by ORS 468A.205;
(f) Greenhouse gases emitted by various sectors of the state economy, including but not limited
to industrial, transportation and utility sectors;
(g) Technological progress on sources of energy the use of which generates no or low
greenhouse gas emissions and methods for carbon sequestration;
(h) Efforts to identify the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the residential and commer-
cial building sectors;
(i) The carbon sequestration potential of Oregon’s natural and working lands, alternative meth-
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ods of land management that can increase carbon sequestration and reduce the loss of carbon
sequestration to wildfire, changes in the mortality and distribution of tree and other plant species
and the extent to which carbon is stored in tree-based building materials;
(j) The advancement of regional, national and international policies to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions;
(k) Local and regional efforts to prepare for the effects of [global warming] climate change; and
(L) Any other information, policies or analyses that the commission determines will aid in the
achievement of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals established by ORS 468A.205.
(2) The commission shall:
(a) Work with the State Department of Energy and the Department of Environmental Quality
to evaluate all gases with the potential to be greenhouse gases and to determine a carbon dioxide
equivalency for those gases;
(b) Use regional and national baseline studies of building performance to identify incremental
targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions attributable to residential and commercial
building construction and operations;
(c) Prepare a detailed forecast of expected greenhouse gas emissions reductions; and
(d)(A) Periodically evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, the net zero emis-
sions goals and the net negative emissions goals established by ORS 468A.205 and, as necessary,
make recommendations to the Legislative Assembly for updating those goals based on the best
availablescience.
(B) At a minimum, the commission shall complete an evaluation and provide any recommen-
dations to the Legislative Assembly, in the manner provided in ORS 192.245, no later than 18 months
after the date on which the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change publishes
a synthesis report or the United States Global Change Research Program publishes a national cli-
mate assessment.
SECTION 9. ORS 468A.255 is amended to read:
468A.255. The Oregon Climate Action Commission may recommend to the Governor the forma-
tion of citizen advisory groups to explore particular areas of concern with regard to the reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of [global warming] climate change.
SECTION 10. ORS 468A.260 is amended to read:
468A.260. The Oregon Climate Action Commission shall submit a report to the Legislative As-
sembly, in the manner provided by ORS 192.245, by December 1 of each even-numbered year that
describes Oregon’s progress toward achievement of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals
established by ORS 468A.205. The report may include relevant issues and trends of significance, in-
cluding trends of greenhouse gas emissions, emerging public policy and technological advances. The
report also may discuss measures the state may adopt to mitigate the impacts of [global warming]
climate change on the environment, the economy and the residents of Oregon and to prepare for
those impacts.
SECTION 11.This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
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