Press Kit
FOR THE PRESS
...to contact Beyond Toxics, please call or email:
Emily Matlock, Membership and Communications Coordinator | 541-543-2457 | ematlock@beyondtoxics.org
Lisa Arkin, Executive Director: 541-543-2465 | email: larkin@beyondtoxics.org
Who We Are
Beyond Toxics is a statewide environmental justice organization advancing policies that ensure meaningful participation and cultivating grassroots leadership from Oregon’s frontline and impacted communities. Established in 2001, we are a multicultural, inter-generational team dedicated to centering community leaders and building out the true diversity of our state’s vibrant Environmental Justice movement. MORE About Us
Our Mission
Beyond Toxics provides leadership to build a community-driven environmental justice movement for a thriving and just Oregon.
We envision a society where everyone has equitable access to healthy food and clean air and water, and underserved communities are included in decision making processes that affect them. Together, we move beyond the damaging environmental practices of the past and collectively work to support and maintain ecological resilience and balance.
For release on Jan. 17, 2025
Read the full press release (PDF)
Eugene Reverses Zone Verification Decision for Biofuels Transloading Facility
Beyond Toxics’ appeal stops a risky project in pollution-burdened neighborhood
Eugene, OR. – Local environmental justice nonprofit Beyond Toxics and community advocates are celebrating a victory for public health in Trainsong and surrounding neighborhoods. The Planning Division of the City of Eugene reversed its initial zone verification approval for USD Clean Fuels, a biofuels transloading facility proposed for 799 Bethel Dr., deciding that the facility is prohibited in this location.
In June of 2024, the Planning Division approved a zone verification request for USD Clean Fuels. Beyond Toxics learned about the proposed facility in September when concerned residents alerted them to the proposed facility. Represented by nonprofit Crag Law Center, Beyond Toxics filed an appeal with the Land Use Board of Appeals on Sept. 30. The City withdrew its verification for reconsideration on Oct. 18. On Dec. 3, the City opened a 14-day public comment period and accepted additional written testimony. It received 229 pieces of written testimony in response, mostly from concerned community members, as
well as Beyond Toxics, and USD Clean Fuels.
After further investigation, the city determined that the site is zoned for I-3 Heavy Industrial use, and was not unzoned, railroad right-of-way as previously determined. It further concluded that the proposed facility qualifies as a “regional distribution center,” which is not a permitted use within that zone.
"This was the quintessential David and Goliath fight. The fuel transfer project proposed by a huge Texas fuels company for a tiny community in Eugene was unfair from the start," said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics. "Although the City’s reversal of their original approval was the right outcome, the process of the appeal revealed a plethora of weak land use policies that fail to recognize public health and safety impacts on the people of Eugene."
Beyond Toxics is holding a community meeting on Sunday, Jan. 26, in partnership with Active Bethel Community, River Road Community Organization and Trainsong Contact : Emily Matlock, Membership & Communications Coordinator : 541-543-2457 (cell) ematlock@beyondtoxics.org.
Members of the railroad workers union Local 471 will speak about their concerns and objections to plans for Class I Union Pacific to lease local rail yards and tracks to Class III Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad. The deal would give full control over rail yard operations and maintenance to a small and under-resourced company, as well as eliminate 40 union jobs in Eugene.
For more information, please see the attached zone decision notification and visit JusticeForTrainsong.org.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457 (cell)
Download Press Release (PDF)
For release on December 5, 2024
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City of Eugene opens public comment period for biofuels station
The City will accept written comments through Dec. 17th regarding the fuel transfer station, proposed for the Trainsong neighborhood.
Eugene, OR. – On Dec. 3rd, the City of Eugene opened a public comment period regarding the proposed Eugene Clean Fuels transfer station slated for the Trainsong neighborhood. The 14-day timeframe allows community members and organizations to formally submit written comments and testimony as the City reconsiders its zoning verification of the site at 799 Bethel Drive.
Beyond Toxics, represented by nonprofit Crag Law Center, appealed the city’s zone verification to the Land Use Board of Appeals earlier this year. The City withdrew its verification on Oct. 18th for reconsiderations. The Planning Division has until Jan. 16, 2025 to modify, reverse, or affirm its decision.
For several months, Beyond Toxics and Trainsong, Bethel and River Road community members have organized meetings to share information, and concerns, regarding the proposed biofuels transfer station. The zoning approval for the facility should be denied because it is not consistent with the city's land use code. Additionally, among other impacts the site would increase truck traffic, transporting highly flammable fuels through narrow streets, predominantly overnight. Community members have expressed concerns over safety, noise and air pollution and lack of emergency planning should this terminal be located in the neighborhood.
Community members are encouraged to submit written testimony to City of Eugene senior planner Jeff Gepper via email to JGepper@eugene-or.gov or via mail or hand delivery to the City of Eugene Planning Division, Atrium Building, 99 West 10th Avenue, Suite 290, Eugene, Oregon, 97401 no later than 5 p.m. Dec. 17.
Those who have already submitted comments to the City will need to resubmit their written comments for consideration during this comment period to add it to the public record. More information and sample testimony is available at JusticeForTrainsong.org.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457 (cell)
Download Press Release (PDF)
For release on October 11, 2024
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Oregon’s Waste Incinerator, Reworld Marion, is closing
The facility failed to adhere to emissions monitoring regulations set forth by the 2023 Oregon Legislature and is shuttering its remaining West Coast facilities.
Brooks, OR – After advocating for stronger Oregon regulations for waste incinerators, Beyond Toxics has learned that Reworld Marion, formerly known as Covanta Marion, will end waste incineration operations as of December 31, 2024. The international corporation stated in communications to Marion County it will turn its attention to “new business opportunities … in North America.”
The corporation’s announcement follows the passage of SB 488, a 2023 environmental health bill introduced by Sen. Deb Patterson of District 10 where the incinerator is located. The bill required regular emissions sampling and reporting of hazardous dioxins, furans, heavy metals and particulate matter pollution from the incinerator. Prior to the bill, Reworld instead conducted one annual pollution stack test.
Beyond Toxics, a clean air advocacy group who worked with the senator, has long championed strong healthy air and chemical right-to-know laws. The environmental justice organization works with the Energy Justice Network and leads the Clean Air Now coalition dedicated to researching and educating the public about the highly dangerous air pollution caused by trash incineration.
“Over the past two years, Reworld has repeatedly failed to adhere to air pollution regulations passed by the Oregon Legislature in 2023,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics. “We don’t doubt that Reworld would rather close this facility than confess to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the communities downwind of their operations, the true concentration of the air pollution they spread throughout the mid-Willamette Valley.”
Beyond Toxics first drew attention to environmental health concerns regarding waste incineration when it conducted an environmental monitoring project in 2022. Moss samples collected at various distances showed increasing quantities of heavy metals the closer the samples were taken to the incinerator.
Some heavy metals, such as lead, have no safe level of exposure. Other air pollutants like dioxin are highly persistent in the environment and are highly toxic and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, damage to the immune system, and can interfere with the body’s balance of hormones, per the U.S. EPA.
“The closure of this incinerator gives us all the opportunity to advance better programs to reduce waste, and recycle, repurpose and reuse our trash,” Arkin says. “Incineration pollution is too toxic for communities, especially those who are already harmed by industrial chemical exposure.”
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457 (cell)
Download Press Release (PDF)
For release on October 1, 2024
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Beyond Toxics files petition against City of Eugene over Planned
Fuel Transfer Site Near Trainsong Homes
Beyond Toxics and Active Bethel Community will host a meeting on Oct. 7 for Trainsong
and River Road residents to learn about a proposed biofuel transfer station.
Eugene, OR – Residents in the west Eugene neighborhood of Trainsong learned about a fuel transfer facility coming to their neighborhood in late 2025 and recently brought it to the attention of Beyond Toxics. On Sept. 30, Beyond Toxics, working with Crag Law Center, filed a notice of intent to appeal the city’s zone verification of the site.
Highly flammable ethanol, renewable diesel, biodiesel, and sustainable aviation fuel will be delivered to the Eugene railyard by train, then transloaded to tanker trucks for distribution. The truck route will be on Bethel Drive, alongside school bus stops and families’ front yards.
The private, Houston-based company, USD Clean Fuels, has stated that the transfer station will result in 40 one-way tanker truck trips daily, primarily during the hours of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Neighbors are concerned about environmental health and safety impacts.
“There are a lot of noise concerns,” said community member Dharmika Henschel. “Extra trains, braking and train cars banging into each other… We’d like to sleep. But it’s not just the noise. We have the potential for air, land, and water pollution, and explosions.”
Henschel, Beyond Toxics and other community members testified at city council on Monday, Sept. 23, asking councilors to commit to implementing Public Health Development Standards to prevent further heavy industrial facilities, like J.H. Baxter, that could lead to pollution burdens in these neighborhoods.
Active Bethel Community and Beyond Toxics will host a community forum on Monday, Oct. 7 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Lions of Judah Christian Center (2600 Wood Ave., Eugene) to address the issue. Mayor Lucy Vinis and City Councilor Lyndsie Leech will be on hand to hear concerns and answer questions.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457 (cell)
Download Press Release (PDF)
For release on September 11, 2024
Read the full press release (PDF)
Beyond Toxics seeks participants in clean energy program
The Bethel Clean Energy Project connects low-income, West Eugene residents with access to resources and information to make home improvements for energy efficiency.
Eugene, OR – Local environmental justice nonprofit Beyond Toxics is seeking low-income, West Eugene residents to participate in the Bethel Clean Energy Project fall cohort. The Bethel Clean Energy Project is an innovative pilot program in partnership with Eugene Water and Electric Board to make clean energy accessible to Bethel residents. This program offers information on, and assistance accessing, funding to replace old and inefficient appliances with updated, clean energy models. Participants will receive a stipend upon completion of the program.
Beyond Toxics’ goal is to collaborate directly with neighborhood residents, to research and identify the best options for implementing free or low-cost clean energy home improvements. Through this program, Bethel community members will save money on home projects while contributing to the solution for a healthier environment.
During the fall workshop, which meets for three weeks on Tuesdays from 6-8pm, Oct. 8-22, participants will have the opportunity to learn from Beyond Toxics and EWEB staff about their energy usage, available rebates and incentives from EWEB to support a switch to electric heat pumps and water heaters to make their homes more energy efficient. These changes help save money on energy bills.
Past participants said they would highly recommend the program to their neighbors and some ultimately took advantage of incentives to make improvements. “Even more important than finding out about heat pumps was to learn that my wife and I qualify for the full rebates from both the agencies,” said one participant. “It’s not something we thought about before and didn't even realize it was a possibility. And to be a part of a group that is asking questions and who are dealing with the same things, that is wonderful.”
To sign up to participate in the 2024 fall workshops, please express your interest by filling out this Bethel Clean Energy Project Form. For additional information, please contact West Eugene Community Organizer Arjorie Arberry-Baribeault at 541-543-2468 or aab@beyondtoxics.org. Meetings are held Tuesday evenings in West Eugene for three weeks. Light meals are provided. This program is supported by the Oregon Raindrop Fund and the U.S. Energy Foundation.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457 (cell)
Download Press Release (PDF)
For release on June 5th, 2024
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10th Annual Bee Jazzy Benefits Oregon’s Pollinators
A year of progress protecting native bees and habitats continues with annual celebration and fundraiser.
Eugene, OR – On June 13, 2024, Beyond Toxics will host its 10th annual Bee Jazzy celebration and benefit concert to Save Oregon’s Bees, featuring live performances by the Halie Loren Jazz Quartet and Mood Area 52 at Silvan Ridge Winery.
Quick Overview:
Earlier this year, Governor Tina Kotek declared May 15 to be Oregon Native Bee Day at the request of Beyond Toxics and hundreds of petition signers. The Oregon declaration is inspiration to join with Beyond Toxics to celebrate 10 years of successful work to inspire Oregonians to protect and enhance habitat for native bees. Our native bees are uniquely adapted to pollinate native plants to promote thriving food systems and strengthen access to affordable, healthy foods.
The Bee Jazzy fundraiser supports Beyond Toxics efforts to hold educational events and activities such as native bee surveys, maintain a pollinator garden at the Churchill Community Garden, support community gardens, and partner with other organizations and businesses in Oregon that create awareness and ensure a thriving and just future for bees and other native pollinators.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | (541) 465-8860 x820
Download Press Release (PDF)
For release on March 6, 2024
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New report finds fossil fuels in Oregon homes generate more smog-forming pollution than power plants
Healthy air standards for HVAC and water heaters are needed to cut pollution, boost access to cooling, and slow climate change
Portland, OR – Burning fossil fuels for heating and water heating in Oregon homes and buildings generates as much lung-damaging nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution as the state’s cement manufacturing and power generation combined, according to a new report released today from Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, Verde, Beyond Toxics, Oregon Sierra Club and RMI. Regulators can dramatically reduce this pollution by setting healthy air standards for homes and buildings.
“Burning fossil fuels for space and water heating is an underrecognized driver of outdoor air pollution in Oregon, which disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. State regulators limit pollution from vehicles, power plants, and other key drivers of smog, but no equivalent standards currently exist for HVAC and water heating equipment. Closing this loophole is essential to achieve cleaner air in Oregon,” said Melanie Plaut, MD, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility.
The report, Oregon’s Hidden Air Pollution Problem: Fossil Fuels in Buildings, finds that health care costs from fossil fuel pollution in Oregon associated with buildings is pegged at almost $88 million annually. When property damages from climate change are added to the societal costs, that price tag reaches a staggering $1.1 billion.
Communities of color across the state are disproportionately impacted by air pollution from homes and buildings. Black Oregonians, for example, are exposed to nearly twice the amount of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution from burning gas in homes as white residents. Fossil fuel pollution from homes and buildings also adds to existing concentrated pollution “hotspots,” which disproportionately occur in these communities.
“Air regulators must ensure that all communities across the state breathe clean air, with a particular focus on those who have been historically marginalized and those who are facing environmental injustices. The combustion of fossil fuels in homes significantly contributes to localized pollution, placing an undue burden on communities that have been historically wronged in Oregon,” said Xitlali Torres, Air Quality and Climate Program Coordinator, Verde.
In addition to cutting dangerous air pollution, the report finds transitioning to pollution-free HVAC and water heating equipment could dramatically reduce planet-warming emissions. Fossil fuel combustion in homes and buildings is responsible for more carbon pollution than Oregon’s entire industrial sector. Upgrading to heat pumps from gas equipment cuts climate pollution from the average Oregon home by 41% in the first year and a stunning 84% over the lifetime of the equipment.
Heat pumps also provide some of the most efficient cooling on the market. Installing them in Oregon homes can help keep households safe during extreme heat events, such as the climate change-fueled 2021 heat dome during which temperatures across the state reached a blistering 116 degrees. According to a review of the more than 100 heat-related deaths in Portland during the event, 85% occurred in homes without air conditioning.
“Our futures in Oregon depend on meeting our climate targets, and burning fossil fuels in homes and buildings is a real barrier. While the state has made significant progress on other major sources of climate pollution, we must now prioritize emissions from homes and buildings. Adopting a healthy air standard for HVACs and water heaters can change that,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics.
The report comes on the heels of a major agreement between nine states, including Oregon, to accelerate the transition to pollution-free HVAC and water heating equipment in homes. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) includes a shared goal across participating states to meet at least 65% of residential-scale heating, air conditioning and water heating shipments by 2030 and 90% by 2040.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) can support their new commitment while tackling a key source of lung-damaging pollution by setting a healthy air standard for HVAC and water heating equipment. Such a standard would ensure that only pollution-free technologies like heat pumps are sold or installed in homes, starting from a specified end date.
“Nearly half of Oregon homes burn methane gas, a potent fossil fuel. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way. Highly efficient electric heat pumps are already available to replace gas furnaces and water heaters. Heat pumps mean lower energy costs, cleaner air, and access to cooling during the hottest months. It’s a no-brainer: Oregon should act fast to set a date by which all new HVACs and water heaters are pollution-free,” said Damon Motz-Storey, Director, Sierra Club Oregon Chapter.
Read the report: Oregon’s Hidden Air Pollution Problem: Fossil Fuels in Buildings.
Coalition partners
About Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility:
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility (Oregon PSR) is an organization of health professionals and public health advocates working collaboratively with community partners to educate and advocate for societal and policy change that protects human health at the local, state, national, and international level. Oregon PSR seeks a healthy, just, and peaceful world for present and future generations.
About Verde:
Verde’s mission is to build environmental wealth through organizing, advocacy, and social enterprise. We live our mission to build environmental wealth by investing in climate resilience through our profound belief that frontline communities are the most important voices in the climate movement. Our programs in education and engagement are designed to strengthen community voices in decision-making spaces and raise the next generation of climate leaders. We believe that communities experiencing the harshest impacts of climate change should be front and center in policy and advocacy.
About Beyond Toxics:
Beyond Toxics uplifts voices from Oregon communities disproportionately impacted by pollution and climate change. We are a statewide nonprofit founded in 2001 with offices in Lane and Jackson counties. We collaborate with other nonprofits, educators, and tribal organizations to build a movement to demand that state and local policies require fair, inclusive, and equitable access to clean air, clean water, and safe spaces for all to live and work in.
About the Sierra Club:
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action.
About RMI:
RMI is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market- driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world’s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.
For interviews, please contact:
Chloe Zilliac, chloe@sunstonestrategies.org | 650.644.8259
Download Press Release (PDF)
Download the full report (PDF)
For release on Jan. 22, 2024
Read the full press release (PDF)
Broad coalition backs Governor and DEQ’s commitment to
rapidly restore cornerstone Climate Protection Program
Portland, OR – The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today announced plans to reestablish the state’s landmark Climate Protection Program, following a Court of Appeals ruling to invalidate the rules based on a procedural technicality.
A coalition of environmental justice, climate, and business organizations who intervened defensively in the case, including Beyond Toxics, Oregon Business for Climate, Oregon Environmental Council, Climate Solutions, and Environmental Defense Fund–all represented by Crag Law Center–and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), issued the following statement in response to DEQ’s announcement:
“We applaud the State’s decisive action to reinstate Oregon’s Climate Protection Program without further delay. Oregonians have long demanded that fossil fuel companies take responsibility for the devastating harm they cause to our lives, our families, and our communities. Every day that the fossil fuel industry delays climate action is another day justice is denied to Oregon communities– especially Black, Indigenous, people of color, low-income, rural, and other communities who stand to benefit the most from emissions reductions and economic prosperity under the Climate Protection Program. It’s shameful that Oregon’s oil companies and gas utilities like NW Natural Gas sought legal action to overturn this cornerstone climate policy at the expense of people and communities across Oregon.
Today, Governor Kotek doubled down on her commitment to uphold Oregon’s bedrock climate policies and reach our state’s climate goals. Now, it’s up to DEQ leadership to swiftly restore the protections we need to ensure a healthy climate future for all Oregon families. We will be watchdogging this process every step of the way to ensure this delay due to a procedural technicality does not result in weakening of the underlying program, which was already the result of years of rigorous study, community engagement and agency process. We insist that the Department and the Environmental Quality Commission adopt the most expeditious schedule for program reinstatement consistent with legal prudence. We look forward to seeing this law reinstated so that we can get back to the urgent work of investing in low-income, rural and communities of color who have borne the brunt of climate and economic injustice for too long.
We are in the decisive decade for climate action. Without the Climate Protection Program, Oregon simply does not have an adequate or workable plan to achieve the state's climate goals. Our state also misses out on the innovation, job creation, and energy cost savings that this program will drive, that are vital for our economy and household budgets. It is imperative that the State hold firm in its progress toward growing clean energy industries that create local, high-quality jobs across Oregon. As DEQ moves forward with a process to reestablish the Climate Protection Program, we expect the agency to maintain the science-based integrity of these rules to ensure Oregon stays on track to meet its climate goals.”
Background
Oregon’s Climate Protection Program went into effect in January 2022, critically requiring a 90% reduction in climate emissions by 2050 from some of Oregon’s largest polluters: oil and methane gas companies. The program was developed through a robust 18-month process and informed by extensive input from environmental justice, labor, climate, and business community leaders, as well as companies regulated by the program. More than 7,600 Oregonians weighed in during the original Climate Protection Program rulemaking, and the overwhelming majority were in favor of strong protections for climate and communities.
Prior to the Court’s decision to invalidate the rules, the Climate Protection Program was projected to achieve 45% of the state’s targeted emissions reductions by 2035, and invest hundreds of millions of dollars annually in environmental justice communities across Oregon. Oregonians were eagerly awaiting the Climate Protection Program’s investments in their communities in projects like rooftop solar, home energy efficiency retrofits, and electric vehicle infrastructure. The court’s ruling denies communities of color, low-income, and rural Oregon communities the near-term economic, health and job creation benefits promised by the CPP’s Community Climate Investment program.
NW Natural Gas, Cascade Natural Gas, Avista, Western States Petroleum Association, Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Business & Industry Association, and Associated Oregon Loggers and a dozen industry petitioners filed a challenge to the program in March 2022. One of the three gas utilities, Avista, was caught attempting to use customer dollars to fund the lawsuit. Advocates and community groups say that the ruling is just the latest in a long battle waged by the oil and gas industry to skirt accountability for destruction caused by climate-fueled wildfires, droughts, and heat waves that are causing increasing harm to Oregonians’ health and livelihoods. As the State found in its assessment of the Climate Protection Program, the failure to achieve the program’s pollution reduction requirements would exacerbate the negative impacts of climate change on Oregon’s economy.
Joining as defenders of the State in amicus filings in the litigation were: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC), Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), NAACP Eugene-Springfield, Verde, Community Energy Project, Rogue Climate, Oregon Public Health Association, Our Climate, Columbia Riverkeeper, and Oregon businesses representing several industries. In their January 2023 filings, they pointed out that the state has an obligation to protect communities against the health and economic impacts of climate change, and highlighted the immense benefits Oregon stands to gain by maintaining a strong Climate Protection Program.
For interviews, please contact:
Nora Apter, Oregon Environmental Council
noraa@oeconline.org | 971.275.6179
Download Press Release (PDF)
Fight is Not Over After Oil and Gas Industry Challenge Delays Cornerstone Climate and Community Protections
Salem, OR – The Court of Appeals today found that Oregon’s cornerstone Climate Protection Program was invalid on procedural grounds after the oil and gas industry and their allies challenged the rule.
A coalition of environmental justice, climate, and business organizations who intervened defensively in the case, including Beyond Toxics, Oregon Business for Climate, Oregon Environmental Council, Climate Solutions, and Environmental Defense Fund, Crag Law Center, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), issued the following statement in response to the ruling:
“The oil and gas industry just delivered a lump of coal — literally — into Oregon’s Christmas stocking. Today’s Court ruling focused on a procedural technicality. The Court did not undermine the Environmental Quality Commission’s authority to set climate pollution reductions on the oil and gas industry. We look forward to supporting any agency actions to address procedural requirements without delay. Oregon must move forward to protect our communities, especially Black, Indigenous, people of color, low-income, rural, and other communities who have historically borne the brunt of climate pollution and economic disinvestment. We have faced wildfires that have wiped out entire communities, toxic smoke choking our lungs, deadly heat waves, and record-breaking droughts; we will not stop holding the oil and gas industry accountable for the impact it is having on our lives, our families and our communities. Upholding the cornerstone Climate Protection Program is essential to prevent incalculable harm to Oregon families, workers, and local economies, now and in the future.”
For news rooms: Graphics you can use to show record global temperatures and the impact of fossil fuel use are here.
Background: The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission adopted the Climate Protection Program in December 2021 following an extensive 18-month rulemaking and robust stakeholder engagement process. The Department of Environmental Quality received more than 7,600 public comments on the CPP rules, the overwhelming majority of which were in favor of the program. The CPP requires oil and gas companies in Oregon to reduce their emissions 50% by 2035 and 90% by 2050; establishes first-ever requirements for major industrial facilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and enables millions of dollars annually to be invested in clean energy projects that benefit environmental justice and other communities across Oregon. NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas, Western States Petroleum Association, Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Business & Industry Association, and Associated Oregon Loggers and a dozen industry petitioners filed a challenge to the program in March 2022.
For release on Dec. 12, 2023
Read the full press release (PDF)
Oregonians exposed to hazardous levels of pollution from gas stoves, new study finds
Report shows evidence that vents don’t capture pollutants known to cause asthma, which then accumulate to toxic levels throughout the home
Eugene, OR – A new study from Beyond Toxics reveals that cooking with gas stoves and ovens not only releases dangerous levels of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) but also that ventilation systems such as exhaust hoods overwhelmingly fail to capture toxic fumes, allowing them to spread throughout the home. These toxic chemicals are known to cause asthma, cancer, and other illnesses.
A Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera allowed Beyond Toxics to visualize pollution from gas appliances that is not visible to the naked eye. By combining data from this camera with air quality monitors, Beyond Toxics determined that 82% of homes studied had chronically hazardous levels of NO2 present while a stove was on. Additionally, 94% of homes had ventilation systems that failed to capture the fumes being released from stove-top burners and ovens.
Beyond Toxics produced both a documentary and a report, “Fumes in Focus: Visualizing air pollution from gas stoves,” detailing these findings. Both the video and the full report can be seen here.
"With this study, we sought to build Oregonians' understanding of the health risks from the gas stoves in their kitchen using specialized cameras to make invisible pollutants visible. Many studies have shown just how dangerous pollution levels can be in homes that cook with gas, but for many, seeing is believing," said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics.
The report builds on dozens of independent studies that have connected gas stoves to hazardous air quality in homes and respiratory problems like asthma. According to one study, gas stoves are associated with a 42% increased risk of current asthma symptoms in children and a 24% increased lifetime risk of an asthma diagnosis. Another study released earlier this year from researchers at RMI, University of Sydney, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that gas stove pollution can be attributed to more than 12% – or one in eight – of childhood asthma cases nationwide. That’s a similar level of childhood asthma risk as living with secondhand smoke.
The FLIR footage in the report provides a visual depiction of the pollutants when the stove is on. Pollutants shoot directly up from burners, and often blow right past any ventilation systems, spreading around the kitchen before moving to other areas of the house.
In interviews with the participants for the video documentary, households were generally surprised to learn about the pollution impacts from the gas stoves in their homes. One Eugene participant, John Webster, upgraded his family’s exhaust hood before the FLIR footage was taken. He was shocked to learn that the upgrade did little to help mitigate the spread of toxic fumes, and found out the pollutants from their gas stove accumulated most in his daughters bedroom, across from the kitchen.
"We weren’t aware of the hidden health risk associated with using gas in our home," said Webster. "When you’re preparing a meal, you think you’re nourishing your family — but it turns out that when you’re cooking with gas, you could actually be harming their health. That is deeply concerning.”
Beyond Toxics’ findings come on the heels of a recent NPR investigation, which reported that fossil fuel companies have pulled extensively from Big Tobacco’s playbook in an attempt to undermine and hide the risks of gas stoves — even hiring some of the very same researchers and public relations firms employed by Big Tobacco. In response, so far seven current and former elected officials in Oregon have signed a letter calling on the Oregon Attorney General to investigate and curtail deceptive communications from NW Natural about the public health risk that gas presents.
"This important film documents our worst fears about the impact of gas on our health. There is no denying the evidence that natural gas cooking stoves fill not only our kitchens but our homes with the toxic byproducts of burning methane,” said Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis, who has signed the letter to the Attorney General. “As a mayor, I recognize our obligation to "support communities in protecting themselves from this insidious and pervasive pollution by upgrading to healthier electric cooking stoves as quickly as possible."
See the Fumes in Focus documentary
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, Beyond Toxics | ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457
Download Press Release (PDF)
Watch the Dec. 12 Press Conference (Youtube)
Fumes In Focus video clips (DropBox)
Title Slide - Fumes In Focus (.jpg)
Fumes In Focus Report Cover (.jpg)
For release on Nov. 20, 2023
Read the full press release (PDF)
Lane County’s first “bio-digester” is state-of-the-art technology to reduce waste
The proposal to construct a new facility to convert methane from garbage to renewable energy will be built by a local company and create jobs
Eugene, OR – The Lane County Board of Commissioners will soon vote on a recommendation from the County Public Works Department to construct an Integrated Material and Energy Recovery Facility (IMERF). The facility, slated to be constructed in Goshen, would effectively process municipal waste, enhance recycling and make compost from organic waste, and thus divert 80,000 tons of garbage from the county’s Short Mountain Landfill.
The Lane County Board of Commissioners will determine whether or not to approve the construction of the facility on Dec. 5. The next update to the board is scheduled for Nov. 28, at which time the board will also hear public comment.
The facility will make Lane County a leader in modern, effective waste reduction and biogas production. Other benefits include the creation of almost 200 construction jobs and 65 ongoing family wage jobs.
“This state of the art project is something everyone can get behind,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics. “When our County Commissioners approve this waste management facility, they will create the infrastructure to increase our County's recycling rates, extend the life of our public landfill, and produce nearly 1 million gallon equivalents every year of renewable natural gas. What a motivating way to take action to reduce waste, divert methane gasses and support the local economy!”
A yes vote will make Lane County a nationwide leader in waste management practices for a cleaner, greener future. Lane County residents are encouraged to submit public comments ahead of the Dec. 5 vote and let the commissioners know the importance of supporting the IMERF waste reduction proposal.
Read more about our Waste Management projects
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, Beyond Toxics | ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457
Download Press Release (PDF)
Read our new report, Beneath The Pump: The Threat of Petroleum Contamination (PDF)
See the video recording of our TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE (YouTube)
See the presentation from the Oct. 17th online press conference (PDF)
ALSO: read the blog, "Pump to Progress: Ending the Legacy of Gas Station Contamination" by Nate Wilson, Beyond Toxics LUST/UST Data Analysis Intern
ALSO: read the Guest Viewpoint in Eugene Weekly by Nathan Wilson, Beyond Toxics LUST/UST Data Analysis Intern: Rethinking the Pump - Why there is no need for new gas stations
For release on Oct. 23rd, 2023
Read the full press release
Read more about the benefits of a Public Health Overlay Zone
Eugene Plans for Public Health in Land Use Codes
The Eugene city council voted unanimously to create public health industrial development standards within city codes.
Eugene, OR – Eugene City Council voted last week to create standards within its planning code to protect people from major industrial polluters. If passed, an ordinance would be the first of its kind in the state. Such an amendment to the code would prohibit polluting businesses from establishing facilities near homes and schools within a specified buffer zone.
In 2022, Beyond Toxics began campaigning for a Public Health Overlay Zone to be implemented to protect families in west Eugene from new industrial polluters after the closure of the J.H. Baxter wood treatment facility. The facility is the focus of an investigation by the US EPA and Oregon DEQ into dioxin contamination impacting dozens of residential properties just north of the J.H. Baxter site. Currently, councilors are seeking to amend zoning policies that would be applied city-wide.
“We’re excited that the council is working toward implementing public health standards throughout Eugene,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director. “This is a monumental step toward environmental justice for everyone in Eugene, especially those in the Bethel area that have been most burdened by decades of pollution.”
The city council plans to bring a draft ordinance to a vote by summer 2024. Beyond Toxics will continue to gather data and promote the community’s perspectives and experience as the city proceeds with the decision making process.
Beyond Toxics supports the city’s work to enhance public health with innovation in land use policy and is committed to ensuring families in the Bethel neighborhood are protected from industrial pollution, climate change and environmental harms. The organization originally brought forward the idea of embedding public health into land use laws in 2017, which resulted in Eugene’s adoption of the Clear Lake Overlay Zone, the first effort to meld industrial land use with public health and environmental justice concerns.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, Beyond Toxics | ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457
Download Press Release (PDF)
For release on Oct. 12th, 2023
Read the full press release
Read more about the proposed Gas Station Moratorium
Proposal for Eugene Gas Station Moratorium: New Report on Threats of Petroleum Contamination
A new report from Beyond Toxics outlines issues underlying new gas station creation in Eugene, as the City Council considers a moratorium. A press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 17th at 11 am.
Eugene, OR – Environmental Justice nonprofit Beyond Toxics published a study describing the results of a pilot project to connect low- and middle-income residents with new, low cost energy efficient appliances through the Bethel Clean Energy Project.
Through the project, a cohort of 15 Bethel neighborhood households completed a series of three workshops to learn about clean energy options. Beyond Toxics and Eugene Water and Electric Board provided information on what funding is available to support home upgrades through local and federal incentives, including the Inflation Reduction Act.
Beyond Toxics found that most low- and middle-income households would qualify for free or reduced-cost ductless heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, in addition to home weatherization. These strategies will increase energy efficiency in their Bethel-area homes. These technologies also protect residents from breathing air pollutants such as wildfire smoke and industrial pollutants from manufacturers like the now-shuttered J.H. Baxter wood preservation plant, located directly across from this neighborhood.
“I wasn’t very familiar with clean energy to begin with, and I wasn’t thinking about it as a renter,” said a mother who participated in the BCEP cohort. “Solar energy sounds good but a heat pump is a much more effective way to tackle energy costs and efficiency.”
“Because of this program, many families realized they’re eligible for 100% of the rebates available,” said Ajorie Arberry-Baribeault, West Eugene Community Organizer for Beyond Toxics. “Cohort members are now seriously considering making the switch to electric appliances.”
“We’re excited to bring some hope to these families that have faced so many challenges because of the pollution harming the neighborhood in which they live,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics. “We hope this project encourages families to adopt non-fossil fuels energy options and take advantage of the IRA rebates available to them.”
Beyond Toxics plans to continue to assist these communities with accessing funds from the IRA and State of Oregon as they become available. Incentive programs like the Inflation Reduction Act will provide families with both the financial assistance they need to perform energy efficiency upgrades in their homes as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions from outdated or gas appliances.
Beyond Toxics believes supporting these communities to upgrade their heating and cooling systems will lead to better health and wellness for these communities as well as reducing negative impacts on the climate.
Beyond Toxics can provide reporters with interviews and contact information for BCEP participants.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, Beyond Toxics | ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457
Download Press Release (PDF)
PRESS REPORTS:
Eugene City Council debates ban, suspension or location restrictions of new gas stations by Alan Torres, Eugene Register-Guard (PDF)
Local organizations plead for moratorium on new gas stations being built in Eugene (KEZI-TV)
City of Eugene considers ban on construction of new gas stations (KVAL-TV)
For release on Sept. 19th, 2023
Read the full press release
Read more about the Bethel Clean Energy Project->>
Low-income families qualify for free ductless heat pumps with IRA and local incentives, study finds
Beyond Toxics conducted a pilot study to inform community members of local and federal incentives and loan programs for upgrading electric energy appliances
Eugene, OR – Environmental Justice nonprofit Beyond Toxics published a study describing the results of a pilot project to connect low- and middle-income residents with new, low cost energy efficient appliances through the Bethel Clean Energy Project.
Through the project, a cohort of 15 Bethel neighborhood households completed a series of three workshops to learn about clean energy options. Beyond Toxics and Eugene Water and Electric Board provided information on what funding is available to support home upgrades through local and federal incentives, including the Inflation Reduction Act.
Beyond Toxics found that most low- and middle-income households would qualify for free or reduced-cost ductless heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, in addition to home weatherization. These strategies will increase energy efficiency in their Bethel-area homes. These technologies also protect residents from breathing air pollutants such as wildfire smoke and industrial pollutants from manufacturers like the now-shuttered J.H. Baxter wood preservation plant, located directly across from this neighborhood.
“I wasn’t very familiar with clean energy to begin with, and I wasn’t thinking about it as a renter,” said a mother who participated in the BCEP cohort. “Solar energy sounds good but a heat pump is a much more effective way to tackle energy costs and efficiency.”
“Because of this program, many families realized they’re eligible for 100% of the rebates available,” said Ajorie Arberry-Baribeault, West Eugene Community Organizer for Beyond Toxics. “Cohort members are now seriously considering making the switch to electric appliances.”
“We’re excited to bring some hope to these families that have faced so many challenges because of the pollution harming the neighborhood in which they live,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics. “We hope this project encourages families to adopt non-fossil fuels energy options and take advantage of the IRA rebates available to them.”
Beyond Toxics plans to continue to assist these communities with accessing funds from the IRA and State of Oregon as they become available. Incentive programs like the Inflation Reduction Act will provide families with both the financial assistance they need to perform energy efficiency upgrades in their homes as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions from outdated or gas appliances.
Beyond Toxics believes supporting these communities to upgrade their heating and cooling systems will lead to better health and wellness for these communities as well as reducing negative impacts on the climate.
Beyond Toxics can provide reporters with interviews and contact information for BCEP participants.
Read the full report (PDF)
Read more about the project
For release on April 17, 2023 at 9 am
Read the full press release
New Study: Beyond Toxics publishes results of study on indoor air pollution from gas stoves
Eugene, OR – Beyond Toxics will release findings of its study, “Seeing is Believing: Visualizing Indoor Air Pollution from Gas Stoves.” The study details the results of testing 13 different homes in Eugene and Springfield for the presence of concerning levels of toxic indoor air pollution emitted by residential gas stoves.
Beyond Toxics used an industry-standard optical gas imaging camera alongside a personal air quality monitor in homes ranging in size and age to determine levels of toxic gasses accumulating in kitchens while gas stoves were in use. Air monitor results found that using one burner on low heat for under five minutes, combined with preheating an oven to 350 degrees, resulted in harmful, sometimes hazardous nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels, plus other toxic chemicals in six of thirteen houses.
Awareness and discussion of the use and perpetuation of gas appliances in residential construction has become a hotly debated topic in Eugene and across the country in recent months. Over 90 cities have taken action to curb the expansion of natural gas infrastructure for public health and climate benefits. Beyond Toxics’ report shows indoor air pollutants do increase with normal gas stove use and includes resources for those interested in switching to electric appliances.
Beyond Toxics and Fossil Free Eugene will be holding a virtual news conference to discuss the findings of this report:
WHEN: Monday, April 17 at 9:30 am
WHERE: On Zoom
We will send you an embargoed PDF of the report when you register for the news conference.
WHO: Speakers: Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics; Mason Leavitt, Beyond Toxics GIS and Spatial Data Coordinator; Moderator: Emily Matlock, Membership and Communications Coordinator, Beyond Toxics
WHAT: 10-15 minute presentation on the report and time for questions, photos and videos.
“With this study, we were able to show that using a gas stove inside your home leads to increased levels of air pollutants,” said Mason Leavitt, GIS and Spatial Data Coordinator at Beyond Toxics. “We know that repeated, prolonged exposure to these toxic chemicals can lead to adverse health effects. This new report will educate the public on ways they can reduce everyday exposure in their homes, on any budget.”
“Our hope is to show that by creating policies and offering incentives to go all-electric, Eugene and cities across the U.S. can move toward building a fossil-free future,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics. “It is critical that we move away from polluting the air in our homes with methane gas.”
Find out more about the study and our campaign to build a fossil-free future.
Read the blog by Emily Matlock, Clearing the Air: Uncovering the Risks of Gas Stove Pollution
For April 5, 2023 Release
Read the full press release (PDF)
Medical Waste Incineration Bill Passes Senate Committee
Senate Bill 488-6, which passed out of the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment with bipartisan support, will set new standards for monitoring dioxins and heavy metals emitted to the air.
Salem, OR – Senate Bill 488 would require one of Oregon’s biggest polluters to closely monitor toxic emissions and report findings to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The bill’s requirements apply to Covanta Marion, Oregon’s only medical waste incinerator, the nation’s fourth largest medical waste incinerator. An amended version of SB 488 passed out of the Senate Committee on Environment and Energy on April 4. The bill passed 3-2 along partisan lines.
Senate Bill 488 would require continuous air quality testing at the facility to monitor for high levels of toxic chemicals known to cause cancer and other ailments.
Covanta is located in Brooks, in Marion County, just north of Salem. Residents in the immediate area are impacted by toxic pollution from the incineration of untreated medical waste, which release dioxins, heavy metals, and climate-driving greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Not only are residents of Brooks, Woodburn, Gervais, and surrounding areas affected, but the entire mid-Willamette Valley watershed is impacted by toxic emissions.
"I served in a congregation a few miles downwind from this incinerator. Over the course of eight years, in this church with 100 members, I buried 30 people. Nearly all of them died from cancer – throat cancers, breast cancers, esophageal cancers, pancreatic cancers, prostate cancers among them,” said Senator Deb Patterson, chief sponsor of the bill.
“We need to do [by passing SB 488] what we can to be sure that the air we are breathing and the water we are drinking is safe."
“The incineration of medical waste is an environmental justice issue for communities surrounding the Covanta Marion facility,” said Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics. “These families face the highest risk to learning disabilities, chronic illness and cancer due to their proximity. Oregon has become a dumping ground for medical waste from other states, and we need to protect these families from corporations that are exploiting loopholes in Oregon’s waste regulations and profiting from it.”
Covanta Marion has operated under Oregon Department of Environmental Quality regulations as a municipal waste incinerator for decades. Municipal waste is generally less toxic than medical waste. In 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created stricter regulations for large medical waste incinerators to address this. Covanta Marion burns over 15,000 tons of medical waste each year. That, according to the EPA’s definition, would classify this facility as a large medical waste incinerator. However, due to a loophole in DEQ’s regulations, Covanta has been allowed to operate under less-restrictive guidelines as a municipal waste incinerator. This bill would close that loophole.
Senate Bill 488 is supported by Beyond Toxics, Clean Air Now! Coalition, Oregon Environmental Council, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, Salem 350, Oceana, Surfrider Foundation, and Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN). Chief Sponsors of the bill are Sen. Deb Patterson (D-10), Sen. James Manning, Jr. (D-7), and Rep. Courtney Neron (D-26). More information about the bill can be found at beyondtoxics.org.
For interviews, please contact:
Emily Matlock, Beyond Toxics | ematlock@beyondtoxics.org | 541-543-2457
Download Press Release (PDF)
For January 12, 2023 Release
Gas Utilities Attempt to Delay Clean Energy Transition
SALEM, OR. – A broad coalition of business, environmental justice, labor, intertribal, and public health organizations filed legal briefs on Wednesday pushing back on the oil and gas industry’s attempt to roll back Oregon’s health and climate protections. Altogether, 15 organizations joined the defense against the fossil fuel industry lawsuits attempting to stop the state’s Climate Protection Program.
“With climate impacts like extreme heat, wildfires, and drought threatening the health, safety, and livelihoods of farmworkers and others on the frontlines of the climate crisis, we are counting on action from the state to reduce climate pollution and protect our communities,” said Ira Cuello Martinez, Policy and Advocacy Director at PCUN, Oregon’s farmworker, and Latinx union. “We are proud to join with partners in standing up against the fossil fuel industry that has for too long harmed our people and our planet.”
Under the Climate Protection Program, gas utilities and oil companies, and other large Oregon emitters must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to a safer level, achieving a 50% reduction by 2035 and 90% by 2050. NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas, the Western States Petroleum Association, and other fossil fuel industry proponents sued the state last year in a fraught attempt to derail the program after an extensive public process showed broad support for it from across the state.
Over 7,600 comments were submitted during the 2021 rulemaking process, and more than 70% were firmly in favor of the proposed program, which went into effect last January. It is yet to be known when the Court of Appeals will make a ruling on the lengthy, expensive, and unnecessary lawsuit. In the meantime, the Climate Protection Program is moving forward.
The destruction caused by climate-fueled wildfires, droughts, and heat waves in Oregon have price tags in the billions of dollars. As the State found in its assessment of the Climate Protection Program, the failure to achieve the program’s pollution reduction requirements may be higher than the state’s economy can bear. The Sixth Oregon Climate Assessment, published last week by the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, underscores the dangerous impacts climate change poses to Oregon’s economy, particularly to farming and timber economies. The assessment also highlighted that Oregon’s tribes and other communities on the frontlines of climate change are disproportionately harmed by climate extremes and associated negative health and economic effects.
“The gas utilities and oil industry are using the courts as a desperate, last-ditch attempt to protect their stuck-in-the-past business model that relies on climate pollution and high prices. They’re claiming that climate pollution isn’t actually pollution, and the state can’t regulate it. That’s absurd, especially when Oregonians are facing ever-extreme and devastating climate impacts,” said Nora Apter, Climate Program Director for the Oregon Environmental Council. “The state has not only the legal right but the moral responsibility to rein in climate polluters. But as they have done time and time again, the gas and oil industry is wasting taxpayer dollars to fight common-sense protections. We are united in our efforts to keep Oregon on track to reduce climate pollution and protect public health and the clean energy economy.”
Last September, the Oregon Court of Appeals granted Beyond Toxics, Climate Solutions, Environmental Defense Fund, Oregon Business for Climate, Oregon Environmental Council, and Natural Resources Defense Council the right to be parties to the case and help defend against the fossil fuel industry’s attack. In legal briefs filed alongside the Environmental Quality Commission last week, the intervenors point out the frivolousness of the industry’s arguments.
“It is imperative that the state hold firm in its progress toward growing clean energy industries that create local, high-quality jobs while improving our environment at the same time,” says Tim Miller of Oregon Business for Climate, another of the original intervening groups. “We are tremendously excited that so many business interests and varied entities are joining us to defend the right for our state to do the right thing.”
Joining the case this week in amicus filings were: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC), Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), NAACP Eugene-Springfield, Verde, Community Energy Project, Rogue Climate, Oregon Public Health Association, Our Climate, Columbia Riverkeeper, Neil Kelly, SERA Architects, Indow Windows, New Seasons Market, and Friends of Family Farmers. In their filings, they point out that the state has an obligation to protect communities against the health and economic impacts of climate change and the immense benefits Oregon stands to gain by maintaining a strong Climate Protection Program.
“Without the Climate Protection Program, Oregon youth do not have a healthy future,” said Grace Doleshel, Pacific Northwest Field Organizer for the youth-led organization, Our Climate. “Young people stand to benefit most from climate protections and have the most to lose if NW Natural and their industry allies succeed in rolling back the Climate Protection Program.”
Oregon’s clean energy leaders and advocates point out that market forces and consumer desires have shifted and are moving away from fossil fuels. They also highlight the important role of the State and the Climate Protection Program in creating economic opportunities for Oregon to become a leader in producing innovative, in-demand technologies that the entire world is seeking in the transition to a clean energy economy.
This broad group is joined by leaders in Oregon’s legal community, including Crag Law Center, Willamette Law Group, Northwest Environmental Defense Center, Western Environmental Law Center, and Earthjustice, who donated time and expertise to defend the Climate Protection Program by pointing out the specious arguments made by the fossil fuel industry and their co-petitioners.
All the briefs can be read here: https://crag.org/climate-protection-plan-legal-briefs/
For October 11, 2022 Release
Community organizations and residents protest experimental
Eugene hydrogen blending pilot project
NW Natural’s proposed hydrogen pilot targets an environmental justice community in West Eugene, despite health and safety risks
For interviews, please contact:
Dylan Plummer, Senior Campaign Representative, Sierra Club
541.531.1858, dylan.plummer@sierraclub.org
Sage Welch
615.715.6714, sage@sunstonestrategies.org
EUGENE, OR. – Local and statewide climate, community, environmental and health organizations are petitioning the Oregon Public Utility Commission to reject a proposal by NW Natural to pipe experimental hydrogen into the gas system in Eugene, citing health, safety, cost and feasibility concerns. Residents and organizations are specifically alarmed with the siting of the project in a community that is already overburdened with pollution.
“Northwest Natural’s hydrogen blending project is an example of the fossil fuel industry’s predatory practices of putting the most vulnerable community members at risk in favor of profit.” said Teryn Yazdani the Staff Attorney and Climate Policy Manager for Beyond Toxics, who led the petition. “Forcing blended hydrogen onto residents and businesses in the Bethel community –- and not allowing them to opt out — increases their health and safety risks, while also increasing their gas rates — all while doing little to reduce climate pollution. It’s all risk and no reward for Bethel residents.”
Northwest Natural filed an application in August to mix hydrogen — between 5 and 10% of total gas volume — with fossil gas that would then be piped into the gas system and delivered to homes in Eugene’s Bethel neighborhood. The petition notes that the project carries very high costs which will be footed by Northwest Natural customers, with minimal reductions in climate pollution, while increasing the health and safety concerns associated with transporting hydrogen in infrastructure and appliances built for fossil gas. Residents would not be able to opt out of the pilot.
Hydrogen is more susceptible to leakage than gas, and can be ignited more easily. A recent study from the United Kingdom found that if hydrogen were used in homes to replace gas, the annual predicted number of explosions would more than quadruple.
“As a physician, I’m deeply concerned about the health and safety risks associated with burning a hydrogen-methane blend in our homes — particularly for vulnerable populations and communities who already face disproportionate health burdens due to air pollution and climate change,” said Dr. Melanie Plaut, a member with Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility.
The Bethel neighborhood where the pilot would take place is a working class community where over 90% of residents are considered low-income, with a higher percentage of communities of color compared to the rest of the city. Residents live among several polluting factories and industries which accounted for 96% of all toxic emissions released in the City of Eugene in 2019. Asthma rates in the Bethel School District are almost double those of other neighborhoods in Eugene.
Physicians for Social Responsibility recently released a report recommending that local governments rule out hydrogen blending projects due to a lack of long-term studies on the risks and their use to prop up continued reliance on fossil gas, which has well-documented health impacts. A recently published review of 32 independent studies found that using hydrogen for home heating is not feasible due to technical barriers, and that this use of hydrogen would be far less efficient and more expensive than electric solutions like heat pumps and district heating.
“Study after study shows that replacing gas with clean, electric appliances is the lowest-cost, lowest-risk path to cutting pollution from homes,” noted Dylan Plummer, campaign representative for the Sierra Club. “Using hydrogen for home heating is not only risky and astronomically costly - it’s unnecessary. It wastes a resource we should use for hard to decarbonize sectors. Piping hydrogen into homes for heating is a terrible idea that no utility that’s serious about decarbonization should be proposing.”
Advocates say gas utilities are using the guise of hydrogen blending to extend the life of the gas system and fight electrification, at a major cost to consumers. All NW Natural customers would be charged a .2% increase in their gas bills to cover the costs of this pilot, which comes in addition to a proposed 42% increase in gas utility bills this Winter.
“The Bethel community has a long history of bearing the brunt of corporate greed at the expense of public health, safety, and livability. The fact is — the community cannot afford to cover the costs of this pilot - nor can they afford to be a test case for a carbon-reduction strategy that is bound to fail,” concluded Yazdani.
The intervening organizations include Beyond Toxics, NAACP Eugene-Springfield, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, 350 Eugene and Sierra Club, and are represented by attorneys Jan Hasselman at Earthjustice and Carra Sahler at the Green Energy Institute.
Download Press Release (PDF)
See also our Eugene Hydrogen Blending FAQ (PDF)
For July 27, 2022 Release
Eugene City Council moves toward all-electric policies for new residential, business construction
The Council has also set goals to decarbonize existing buildings by 2050.
For interviews, please contact:
Lisa Arkin, Executive Director, Beyond Toxics, 541-465-8860 x804, larkin@beyondtoxics.org
Bethany Cotton, Cascadia Wildlands, 503-327-4923, bethany@cascwild.org
Danny Noonan, Breach Collective, 541-653-5795, danny@breachcollective.org
EUGENE, OR. – The Eugene City Council, on July 27, took steps to move the city away from natural gas in favor of all-electric construction. City staff will draft an ordinance requiring new residential buildings three stories or less to be 100% electric beginning June 1, 2023 and will hold a work session in fall to discuss prohibiting natural gas and all fossil fuel infrastructure in all new commercial buildings. Furthermore, the city manager was directed to bring back a revision to the Climate Action Plan to formalize the electrification of residential, and as feasible, commercial buildings by 2035, and industrial buildings by 2050.
As summers become increasingly hot and wildfires pose a greater threat to our communities each year, it is time for our leaders to act on climate change and work for climate justice for future generations of Oregonians. This is a huge accomplishment for Fossil Free Eugene and Fossil Free Lane County, a coalition of nonprofits which has been working with the city to achieve its climate goals.
City Council also directed the city manager to return to the council this fall with a proposal for engaging the public to develop a plan for the transition of buildings to becoming decarbonized, a term referring to choosing energy sources that do not emit carbon, with an emphasis on social, environmental and economic equity, especially regarding historically marginalized communities.
Beyond Toxics plays a key role within the coalition by centering equity in the work of a Fossil Free Eugene. “We must consider what a just transition off of fossil fuels looks like and have steps in place to support impacted communities, such as BIPOC, rural and low income residents,” said Paige Hopkins, Climate Justice Organizer with Beyond Toxics.
“The passage of these motions is a step in the right direction as we need to take necessary action to combat the impacts of climate change,” Hopkins said. “As we develop sensible and climate-smart policy, we move closer to the goal of a fossil free future for all.”
Download Press Release (PDF)
For July 6, 2022 Release
Eugene’s Newest Environmental Justice Mural
Ribbon cutting and honoring ceremony for “Willamette Wetlands of the Kalapuya”
For interviews, please contact:
Lisa Arkin, Executive Director: 541-465-8860 x804 | Email: larkin@beyondtoxics.org
EUGENE, OR. – Beyond Toxics will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 9, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., for a new mural featuring the ethnobotany of local wetlands and the Kalapuya people. The event will take place at the Dr. Edwin Coleman Jr. Community Center at Westmoreland Park in Eugene. The mural, “Willamette Wetlands of the Kalapuya,” was created in collaboration with the Friendly Area Neighbors Equity Action Team, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, Kalapuya descendants, City of Eugene Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement, and City of Eugene Parks and Open Space.
The free event features speakers, music, and a tour of the wetlands. Speakers are Rayna Viles, member of the Confederated Tribe of the Siletz Indians, Mayor Lucy Vinis, Senator James Manning, Kalapuya elder and cultural consultant Esther Stutzman, Dr. David Lewis, Assistant Professor in the School of Language, Culture and Society at Oregon State University, and mural artist Susan Applegate. Additionally, The Splachta Alla Singers will perform drumming and songs of the Willamette Valley tribal people during the ceremony.
The mural illustrates a Kalapuya storyteller speaking about her people and their ancient and contemporary uses of native plants for food, medicine and spiritual observances.
“Visual representation of Kalapuya lifeways through public art is a gift to the community,” said Viles, who is also a Beyond Toxics board member. “It is important that we recognize the first peoples of the region and the sustenance that the land provides through seasonal round practices. Holding a reciprocal relationship with the land has always been the way forward.”
This mural is part of a larger project called the “Kalapuya Cultural Project and Wetlands Preservation” sponsored by Beyond Toxics and Friendly Area Neighbors Equity Action Team. The project includes an informational kiosk, an online resource, environmental and cultural curriculum resources, and ongoing preservation of the park wetlands to protect the significant native plants within Westmoreland Park.
Download Press Release (PDF)
For March 23, 2022 Release
Eugene City Councilors to Host Forum on Pollution
Councilors will Discuss 3 Proposals to Tackle Chronic Polluters Following Closure of JH Baxter Plant
For interviews, please contact:
Lisa Arkin, Executive Director: 541-465-8860 x804 | Email: larkin@beyondtoxics.org
also:
Councilor Randy Groves
RGroves@eugene-or.gov
and
Councilor Claire Syrett
Claire.m.syrett@ci.eugene.or.us
EUGENE, OR. – In order to address growing concerns about public health and industrial pollution, City Councilors Claire Syrett and Randy Groves will speak at a Community Public Forum on Tuesday, March 29th at 7 p.m. Participants will discuss three proposals that have received unanimous support from the Eugene City Council. The purpose of all three of these proposals is to reduce local industrial pollution and improve public health for the entire community.
"I am very concerned about the release of toxins in our environment and their effect on our health, safety, welfare and the environment. The J.H. Baxter dioxin contamination is just one example of outcomes we must avoid in the future," says Eugene City Councilor Randy Groves.
Councilors Syrett and Groves have organized this forum to elicit community feedback on the following proposals:
● Requiring risk bonds or liability insurance for industrial users of fossil fuel or hazardous chemicals.
● A public health overlay zone.
● Chronic toxic polluter solutions.
Councilor Syrett stated, “It is long overdue for the city to take stronger action to protect and promote our community's well-being when it comes to polluting industries." She also expressed her gratitude to “the mayor for her leadership in promoting the idea of a public health overlay zone and to my fellow councilors for their strong support for looking into this and the other regulatory measures we will be considering.”
A Public Health Overlay Zone is an additional land use zoning code that applies to established residential neighborhoods and industrial zones. These types of zones are designed to ensure that future land development projects promote a healthy environment and improved quality of life for surrounding neighborhoods. The City of Eugene adopted a similar land use concept in 2017 when it annexed lands to add acres for industrial and manufacturing jobs in the Clear Lake Road area in West Eugene.
Risk Bonds are used to ensure financial responsibility for the impacts of future releases on surrounding neighborhoods and public infrastructure.
City councilors also agreed to ask the staff to determine how a local government could implement meaningful solutions to address chronic toxic polluters.
The Community Public Forum has enlisted several local experts on the topics slated for discussion, including:
● Laura Allen, Member, Eugene Sustainability Commission
● Lisa Arkin, Executive Director, Beyond Toxics
"To better address these issues Councilor Syrett and I pushed for three council work sessions,” said Councilor Groves. “We must explore tools and strategies for addressing chronic toxic polluters."
Councilors are eager to receive questions and ideas from the community during the public forum.
The Community Public Forum is sponsored by Beyond Toxics, and will be held virtually on Zoom on Tuesday, March 29th at 7-8:30 p.m.
Download Press Release (PDF)
For February 9, 2022 Release
Ecological Threats, Wildfires and Health Burdens are Top Priorities in First Local Climate Assessment in Lane County
The Climate Vulnerability Assessment reveals that Lane County residents are primarily concerned about climate impacts on respiratory health, housing availability, wildfires, and extreme heat. Nearly 70% of locals do not know how to prepare for changes.
For interviews, please contact:
Paige Hopkins, Climate Justice Organizer:
(541) 543-2454| Email: phopkins@beyondtoxics.org
Meet Panchal, Environmental Justice Statewide Projects Manager:
(541) 543-2448 |Email: mpanchal@beyondtoxics.org
EUGENE, OR. – Lane County residents have identified housing availability, health and extreme wildfires among the top concerns as the climate continues to change in dramatic and unpredictable ways. Now, the results from the First Climate Vulnerability Assessment are in (Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment - PDF). The goal of this assessment is to understand how Lane County residents are affected by climate change now and in the future.
National research and local experiences have shown that the impacts of climate change tend to disproportionately impact marginalized communities, such as communities of color, low-income communities, the elderly, and people experiencing disabilities. The report reveals that Lane County residents are primarily concerned about the following:
- 85% are concerned about the way climate change impacts their health. Reduced air quality and increased smoke are expected to amplify chronic respiratory problems.
- 63% are concerned about the way climate change threatens their safety. Increased wildfires in Oregon combined with poor forest management practices are likely to contribute to more intense wildfire seasons.
- 62% are concerned about the way climate change threatens housing availability as the environment becomes more inhospitable and more climate refugees, from multiple socioeconomic statuses, move to Lane County.
- 47% are concerned about the way climate change threatens their jobs. Specifically, people are concerned about shifts in job supply and demand due to climate change.
The Lane County Vulnerability Assessment is a report created by the 2021 Climate Equity and Resilience Task Force, a joint project of Beyond Toxics, the NAACP Eugene-Springfield, The Geos Institute and Lane County Public Works Department. The Task Force, a 16-member advisory group made up of county residents from rural and marginalized community groups, met throughout 2021 to gather input from across Lane County.
Lack of water availability is a concern, along with the potential increase in water rates associated with reduced access to water. There is a concern that poor forest management is going to lead to an increase in fire frequency and intensity. The assessment reveals a lack of hope among younger residents and all ages with increasing anxiety about the future.
“This report is a call to action that sends a clear message: We must continue to develop strategies to address these vulnerabilities to provide a strong and equitable framework for climate resilience in Lane County,” said Paige Hopkins, the Climate Justice Organizer at Beyond Toxics.
The Lane County Climate Equity and Resilience Task Force is accepting new members from rural and BIPOC communities. The Task Force will host a workshop to develop equitable and resilient strategies for the next phase of the Lane County Climate Resilience Plan. A report on Climate Adaptation Strategies will be presented to County Commissioners later this year.
Those interested in more information or becoming a Task Force member may contact Beyond Toxics.
Download Press Release (PDF)
For January 26, 2022 Release
POLLUTER JH BAXTER SHUTTING DOWN
Discovery of dioxin contamination in the soil and intense pressure from Beyond Toxics and the West Eugene community leads to JH Baxter closing down
EUGENE, OR. – After intense public pressure and mounting evidence of dangerous levels of toxic pollution, JH Baxter, a creosote manufacturer and chronic polluter in West Eugene, announced it is closing its doors on January 31st. The company will keep a skeleton crew onsite to manage clean up requirements.
Last week, Beyond Toxics, in collaboration with the Active Bethel Community organization, sent letters to Eugene's Mayor and City Council demanding that our elected officials ask Governor Brown and the DEQ to issue a Cease and Desist order. The goal of this order was to force JH Baxter to immediately halt all actions that emitted pollution or contributed to contamination.
While many questions remain about the company's accountability for the damage they have caused in terms of health, property safety, property values and environmental quality, JH Baxter's shutdown will mean that West Eugene residents will be spared the noxious and nauseating creosote fumes that neighbors have complained to agencies about for decades. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality assures the public that the agency will hold JH Baxter responsible for the costs of remediating the contaminated soil in residential yards and on the facility’s site.
JH Baxter, a creosote manufacturer in the heart of the Bethel neighborhood, has been found culpable of burning off 1.7 million gallons of creosote waste water, violating their air and waste pollution permits and emitting dioxin that has now contaminated multiple residential and public properties. Dioxin, a highly poisonous chemical compound that is known to cause cancer and serious illnesses, was the primary chemical that poisoned soldiers and civilians during the Vietnam War because of exposure from Agent Orange.
“This recent news about the closing of JH Baxter is very rewarding after the hard work the community has put into demanding clean air!” said Arjorie Arberry-Baribeault, the West Eugene Community Organizer for Beyond Toxics. “We will gladly take this victory and continue to work towards holding them accountable for their damage. The saying is ‘if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.’ Well, the community and our supporters have brought the heat and are going to keep cooking!”
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For November 17, 2021 Release
Oregon Board of Forestry Approves Agency’s First
Climate Change and Carbon Plan
EUGENE, OR. – The Oregon Board of Forestry approved a first-of-its-kind climate plan for the state’s forest management agency, marking a transformative shift for forest management in the state.
The plan was developed in response to Executive Order 20-04, which directed state agencies to “prepare and plan for the impacts of climate change and to take actions to encourage carbon sequestration and storage.” The plan envisions the Board and Department of Forestry as “national leaders in climate-smart and socially equitable forest policies that promote climate health, resilient forests and watersheds, community wellbeing, and a viable forest products industry.” The plan also aims to incorporate principles of equity and environmental justice in agency decision-making, including the requirements of SCR 17 (2021).
By approving the Climate Change and Carbon Plan, the Board signals that continuing business as usual in Oregon’s forests amidst changing conditions is unsustainable. Oregonians are already feeling the
weight of severe climate change impacts, including heat domes, increasing wildfires and water scarcity for personal or agricultural use. The unanimous vote of approval indicated the Board takes these
impacts seriously and acknowledges that Oregon’s forests can be a powerful tool to help us take up and store carbon and adapt to climate change.
Advocates with the Oregon Climate Action Plan Coalition are celebrating the plan’s approval and are committed to working with the Board, incoming State Forester Cal Mukumoto, and ODF staff to ensure
climate and equity considerations are central to all levels of the Department’s decision-making. Leaders from the Oregon Climate Action Plan Coalition released the following statements:
“Transforming Oregon’s forest practices will markedly improve environmental and climate justice outcomes, especially access to clean water and air,” said Grace Brahler, Oregon Climate Action Plan and Policy Manager for Beyond Toxics. “The Climate Change and Carbon Plan represents a big step forward for the agency and can make our communities and forests more resilient to climate change.”
“The Oregon Department of Forestry’s new plan is a critical first step to positioning the state at the forefront of natural climate solutions,” said Lauren Anderson, Oregon Wild’s Forest Climate Policy Coordinator. “Our best near-term option to reduce the future impacts of climate change is to sequester and store more carbon in our forests. Oregon’s remaining intact mature temperate rainforests store more carbon per acre than the Amazon rainforest and should be a top climate priority for the state.”
More information is available on the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Climate Change page. | Read the full plan.
Contacts: Co-Leads of the Oregon Climate Action Plan Coalition Forest Policy Table
● Lauren Anderson, Forest and Climate Policy Coordinator, Oregon Wild (la@oregonwild.org)
● Grace Brahler, Oregon Climate Action Plan and Policy Manager, Beyond Toxics (gbrahler@beyondtoxics.org)
Joint Press Release (PDF)
For April 5, 2021 Release
Two Oregon nonprofits to host Oregon’s first Environmental Justice Summit
Summit to feature two nationally-renowned environmental justice advocates
EUGENE, OR. – Beyond Toxics and the NAACP Eugene/Springfield will be hosting Oregon’s first Environmental Justice Pathways Summit on April 9th and 10th. The Summit will host nationally and internationally renowned environmental justice advocates and will be held in conjunction with the University of Oregon’s Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples Lecture. Both events are virtual.
April 9th – Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples (CCIP) Keynote Lecture:
Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, former President and International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. Moderated by Don Sampson, Director of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Climate Change Program. | Photo of Ms. Watt-Cloutier (.jpg) | Read Ms. Watt-Cloutier’s full bio
“The pandemic has given a pause, a time to reflect on new possibilities. It is a time to shift from apathy to empathy and see how we are all interconnected. What happens in the Arctic affects us all,” says Sheila Watt Cloutier.
April 10th – EJP Summit Keynote Lecture:
Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President of Environmental Justice, Climate & Community Revitalization for the National Wildlife Federation and Founder & CEO of Revitalization Strategies. He is also the former Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization at the US EPA under the Bush and Obama Administrations. Moderated by Michelle J. DePass, President & CEO of Meyer Memorial Trust and founding executive director of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. | Photo of Dr. Ali (.jpg) or a portrait of Dr. Ali (.jpg) | Read Dr. Ali’s full bio
“We can’t win on climate change unless we win on environmental justice. Together, we can help vulnerable communities move from surviving to thriving,” says Dr. Ali.
The Summit will also feature interactive discussions with the goal of supporting a collaborative network and crafting policy guidelines dedicated to Environmental Justice in the state of Oregon.
“Oregon’s history of exclusionary and racist land-use policies has dramatically shaped the way our communities live, work, and play today,” says Haley Case Scott, environmental justice organizer for both Beyond Toxics and the NAACP Eugene-Springfield. “This Summit will help expose and find solutions to the history of forced separation and dispossession between land and people that has played a significant role in the environmental and climate injustices.”
For more information, see our pages on the Environmental Justice Pathways Summit
Read the FULL Press Release (PDF)
For January 14, 2021 Release
Full Press Release (PDF)
Leading Oregon Environmental Justice Organizations Announce 2021 Legislative Agenda
Environmental justice joint resolution and land use reform bill have support of a strong group of legislators and community leaders
EUGENE, OR – State elected leaders are joining with Beyond Toxics and the Eugene/Springfield and Portland chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to champion a suite of environmental justice legislation to be introduced in the upcoming session of the Oregon state legislature. | Summary of our Environmental Justice Legislative Priorities (PDF)
HB 2488, the “Equity and Climate in Land Use” bill, calls upon Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development to update statewide land use planning goals, in order to make equitable planning decisions for vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, and establish measurable climate targets associated with land use. LC 1894/2902, the “Environmental Justice for Oregon” Joint Resolution, calls on the state legislature to adopt a vision and set of principles for achieving environmental justice in Oregon, including recognizing the right of all people to clean air and water.
In the wake of the 2020 Oregon wildfires, and nationwide protests against systemic racism, we argue that Oregon needs a major shift in its approach to land use decisions, prioritizing the needs of impacted communities.
Representative Karin Power, who is introducing both the bill and Joint Resolution, explains:
“I’m proud to be introducing these two pieces of legislation this session, which will help equip Oregon to tackle the monumental challenges facing our State: the climate crisis and systemic racial inequities. The events of the past year put into sharp relief just how deeply intertwined these issues are. There’s a growing recognition among my colleagues in the legislature that, going forward, Oregon needs a holistic reimagining of who deserves to have a say in the future of our communities. This legislation will put our State on the path to achieve this.”
Lisa Arkin, Executive Director of Beyond Toxics, said: “Oregon’s land use planning goals have stood the test of time in many ways, however laws that are nearly fifty years old need updating to address two of the most pressing issues of our time, climate impacts and the exclusion of those who bear the heaviest burdens of public health problems related to environmental pollution.”
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Lisa Arkin, Executive Director
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