PORTLAND, OR – Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced that the Environmental Protection Agency will erase critical limits on climate pollution for coal and methane gas plants.
These limits, put in place by the Biden administration, would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons by 2047.
A recent study found that the combined impact of this rollback along with other anti-climate moves such as repealing clean energy tax credits will result in Americans:
- Paying up to $30 billion more a year on electricity by 2035. Under Trump’s policies, average utility bills increase by as much as 25%.
- Losing out on up to $700 billion in investments in the U.S. power system over the next decade.
- Being exposed to more air pollution from older coal and gas plants, resulting in up to 69,000 additional early deaths and 85,000 extra emergency room visits and hospital admissions over the next decade.
- Paying an estimated public health cost of $177 billion per year by 2035, reflecting the economic losses resulting from more premature deaths and greater illness rates.
- Living with up to double the power sector carbon dioxide pollution by 2035, with the United States as a whole dumping an additional 3.6 to 5.5 billion metric tons over the next decade.
“By rolling back these protections, Donald Trump and his MAGA allies are harming the health of Oregonians, our environment, and our economy to boost their Big Oil and Big Coal donors,” said Lindsey Scholten, OLCV Executive Director. “At this critical moment, Oregon needs a governor who will stand up for our lands, our climate, and our communities in the face of these attacks. We cannot afford to have a Trump ally like Christine Drazan — who will implement MAGA’s dangerous climate agenda in Oregon — in the governor’s office.”
When the federal government has slashed climate protections, Governor Kotek has fought back to protect Oregon’s environment and climate goals. She re-established Oregon’s Climate Protection Program, putting Oregon back on track to reduce climate pollution through 2050. She signed executive orders to accelerate clean energy, advance climate resilience, and strengthen coordination on clean energy. She secured $197 million in EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant funding, making Oregon the only West Coast state to receive the award which supports climate solutions for communities, businesses, nonprofits, and Tribes across the state.
Unlike Governor Kotek, Christine Drazan has failed to stand up for Oregon’s environment or take the climate crisis seriously. Alongside Trump, she has put polluters and corporations ahead of Oregon’s environment, public health, and energy consumers at every opportunity.
Christine Drazan’s Record on Climate:
- Drazan promised to repeal Oregon’s Climate Protection Program on Day One, which was projected to add nearly 10,000 jobs and $2.5 billion annually to Oregon’s economy by 2050.
- Drazan voted against energy efficiency standards that would save Oregonians $35 million on utility bills.
- Drazan voted against the POWER Act, which makes data centers pay their fair share of electricity costs.
- Drazan voted against regulations on a harmful pesticide that causes neurological damage in children and farmworkers.
- Drazan voted against an early version of a bill prohibiting public bodies from assisting in the privatization of federally owned land and then missed a vote on the final version.
“At every opportunity, Christine Drazan has aligned herself with Donald Trump on putting polluters ahead of Oregon’s environment,” said Federico Araujo, communications director for Tina for Oregon. “Her policies will make Oregonians’ health worse, skyrocket utility bills for working Oregonians, and put Oregon’s climate goals out of reach. Meanwhile, Governor Kotek has championed Oregon’s Climate Protection Program and prioritized cutting energy costs for Oregonians. Unlike Christine Drazan, Governor Kotek will stand up to Trump when it comes to protecting our environment.”
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ABOUT GOVERNOR KOTEK
Governor Tina Kotek has spent her career making history and fighting for others. Over the last three years, Governor Kotek has expanded access to affordable childcare, created thousands of new shelter beds, protected abortion access and vote-by-mail, and funded early literacy and summer learning programs. She has also been a national leader in pushing back against Donald Trump’s attacks on our communities, our healthcare, and our rights by blocking his illegal attempts to deploy the Oregon National Guard in our communities and working through the night to reverse his decision to strip food assistance from Oregonians by taking away SNAP benefits.
Governor Kotek is running for reelection to continue defending Oregon values and tackling the state’s biggest challenges – lowering costs, reducing homelessness, strengthening schools, expanding mental health and addiction care, and bringing affordable childcare to every corner of the state.
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