The carbon pollution in our atmosphere from burning fossil fuels like oil and coal is waging a direct and unchecked assault on our farming, fishing and forests – the cornerstones of Oregon’s rural economy.
When Jeff was young, his dad worked as a millwright. He spent his childhood in Southern Oregon timber communities, where timber jobs were what put food on the table and kept roofs over folks’ head. Fires and insect infestations are already killing trees at alarming rates across the Northwest, and climate change will only make these threats to our forests worse. Other iconic Oregon industries like our coastal oyster hatcheries are threatened by ocean acidification, and fishing and farming alike are facing threats from declining snowpacks and increased drought.
Congress needs to wake up. Climate change is real, and it’s bad for our economy and jobs, especially in rural Oregon and the places that most depend on our abundant natural resources.
Merkley Statement on Biden Administration’s Proposed Rule to Protect Workers Nationwide from Wildfire Smoke, Extreme Heat
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement after the Biden administration announced new efforts to increase protections for workers against extreme weather: “When extreme heat takes over or wildfire smoke blankets our communities, it’s dangerous for public health and hinders everyday life. As these
Rep. Stansbury, Sen. Merkley Lead Letter To FEMA Urging Critical Policy Changes
Reps. Blumenauer, Garcia, and Neguse co-lead letter on extreme heat, wildfire smoke effects WASHINGTON – Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) led a bicameral letter with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to use all available resources to respond to the threats of extreme heat and wildfire smoke facing
Wyden, Schakowsky Lead 41 Colleagues to File Court Brief Supporting National Climate Rights Lawsuit
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) led 41 colleagues in filing a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to support the Juliana v. United States youth plaintiffs – 11 of whom are Oregonians. Juliana v. United States is a landmark
Merkley: Supreme Court Turning into the Ultimate, Unelected Legislature
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Dept. of Commerce: “This is a naked power grab by the corrupt MAGA Supreme Court. Their decision replaces reasonable applications of congressional
Merkley: Supreme Court Undermines EPA’s Ability to Tackle Air Pollution Nationwide
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court’s decision in Ohio v. EPA, which put a hold on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s ‘Good Neighbor Plan’ while lower courts consider the case on its merits: “Time after time, the EPA has
Wyden, Merkley Join Colleagues in Calling on Department of Energy to Promote Battery Recycling in U.S. Electric Vehicle Fleet
In 2023, EV sales hit a record, surpassing one million cars sold Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined 12 of their colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to bolster and diversify the nation’s domestic supply of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, including promoting
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