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.
Senator Merkley on the Danger of Nanoplastics and Microplastics in Water
Senator Jeff Merkley, Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight and Senator Alex Padilla, Chair of the EPW Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, led a joint hearing titled “Understanding the Presence of Microplastics in Water” on February
Merkley, Levin: Transition America to Zero-Emission Vehicles
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Mike Levin (D-CA-49) led colleagues in a bicameral introduction of the Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Act. This legislation would position the United States to lead the world both in vehicle innovation and combating climate chaos. “Electric vehicles mean cleaner air
Merkley, Brown Introduce Legislation Banning LNG Exports to China
Legislation would also ban exports to Russia, Iran, and North Korea Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Ohio’s U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown introduced the Protecting American Households from Rising Energy Costs Act, legislation that would lower prices for American households by banning the export of crude
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $38 Million Coming to Oregon to Combat Growing Wildfire Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that Oregon is receiving over $38 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for wildfire resilience efforts under the U.S. Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. This significant federal investment, provided as part of the Biden administration’s
Merkley, Colleagues: Allocate Dedicated Inflation Reduction Act Funding for Independent Methane Monitoring
Senators’ letter comes ahead of anticipated decision on funding for EPA Methane Emissions Reduction Program Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent a letter to U.S. Environmental
Merkley, Wyden: Over $1.2 Million Heading to Oregon Non-Profit for Electric Vehicle Accessibility
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced a total of $1,269,225 is coming to Oregon to support electric vehicle deployment through promoting innovative ways to finance EV purchasing for underserved populations. The funding is coming from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Office of
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