Sustainable Transportation Initiative
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Planning
On March 18, 2010, Governor Ted Kulongoski signed Senate Bill 1059. This legislation directs Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) to adopt statewide transportation strategies on greenhouse gas emissions to aid in achieving emission reduction goals in ORS 468A.205. Senate Bill 1059 is the latest in a line of interrelated bills passed by the Legislature since 2007 in an effort to control the state’s GHG emissions. This bill, like two passed in 2009, focuses on reducing emissions from the transportation sector. The transportation sector’s emissions are predominantly from on-road vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds and making local trips. This would include, for example, local passenger vehicles carrying their occupants to and from work and errands, as opposed to freight trucks, transit, and aircraft.
Senate Bill 1059 directs the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to do the following, among other things:
1. Adopt a statewide transportation strategy on GHG emissions that will help the state achieve the reduction mandates of ORS 468A.205.
2. Establish guidelines for developing and evaluating alternative land use and transportation scenarios to reduce GHG emissions.
3. Establish a toolkit to assist local governments in developing and implementing actions to reduce GHG emissions. This would include information about programs that can be implemented, information about those programs’ effectiveness, guidelines for best management practices, and public educational tools.
4. Set transportation-related GHG targets for Oregon’s six Metropolitan Planning Organizations (which would include the Central Lane MPO) by June 2011.
5. Conduct outreach and education to the public about the need to reduce GHG emissions, as well as about the costs and benefits of doing so.
6. Work with local governments within areas served by an MPO to consider what actions they might take, transportation-wise, to reduce greenhouse gases in the short-term.
Senate Bill 1059 requires ODOT and DLCD to report to the Legislature in 2013 regarding their progress in meeting these mandates.
Implementation of Senate Bill 1059
Several committees have been established to assist ODOT and DLCD in meeting these requirements, as follows:
- Statewide Transportation Strategy Policy Committee. This group of stakeholders is responsible for helping to identify policy considerations in developing the statewide transportation strategy. Chaired by the Oregon Transportation Commission chairman, this group includes members from the DLCD and DEQ commissions.
- Statewide Transportation Strategy Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). This group will help develop technical recommendations
and provide technical advice to the other committees for the statewide strategy. This TAC, or a subset, will also be a resource for the toolkit and scenario planning guidelines efforts. Central Lane MPO Manager Andrea Riner is a member of this committee.
- LCDC Target Rulemaking Advisory Committee (TRAC). This stakeholder group will advise LCDC in its public rulemaking process to establish the GHG reduction targets required by SB 1059. Eugene City Councilor Alan Zelenka and Central Lane MPO Manager Andrea Riner serve as members of this committee.
- Scenario Planning Technical Advisory Committee (SP TAC). This group will be a resource for the scenario planning guidelines efforts. Central Lane MPO Manager Andrea Riner is a member of this committee.
Information about these committees, including meeting times, materials and membership contacts are available on ODOT's website. Additional information is also provided on this Senate Bill 1059 Fact Sheet.
Background - MPO Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force
Sentate Bill 1059 is a follow-up to recommendations made by the MPO Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force. Oregon House Bill 2186, signed by Governor Kulongoski on July 22nd, established a 16-person statewide MPO Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force.
Under House Bill 2186, the charge of the Greenhouse Gas Task Force was to:
- Study and evaluate the development of alternative land use and transportation scenarios that accommodate population and employment growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles;
- Evaluate fiscal and other resource needs to implement these scenarios, including staffing and resources needed by state agencies, local governments and each MPO;
- Evaluate impediments to implementing land use and transportation scenarios that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
- Recommend legislation related to transportation and to the environment establishing a process for adoption and implementation of plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
The Task Force was directed to consider GHG emissions from motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less.
The 16-member Task Force included two members of the State Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; two members of the House, appointed by the House Speaker; four representatives of transportation and land use stakeholders; chairs of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) and Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC); and one representative from each of the state's six MPO's. Eugene City Councilor Alan Zelenka served as the Central Lane MPO's representative.
The Task Force met four times in the Fall of 2009. Meeting materials, summaries and a copy of the Final Task Force Legislative Concepts Report is available on the State's webpage devoted to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force.
MPO GHG Task Force Subcommittee
The MPC has also established an interagency team to provide staff and information to support Councilor Zelenka’s participation in the Task Force process. The Subcommittee is charged with helping to communicate the range of regional ideas, issues, and concerns relating to future land use and transportation requirements. The Subcommittee is also charged with providing consistent updates back to the MPC and to the City Councils of Coburg, Eugene, and Springfield, the Lane County Board of Commissioners, and the LTD Board.
The local Subcommittee is comprised of the following members:
- Alan Zelenka, City Councilor, City of Eugene
- Hillary Wylie, City Councilor, City of Springfield
- Andrea Riner, Central Lane MPO
- Susan Payne, Central Lane MPO
- Tom Boyatt, City of Springfield
- Ron Bittler, City of Springfield
- Kurt Yeiter, City of Eugene
- Celia Barry, Lane County
- Daniel Hurley, Lane County
- Tom Schwetz, Lane Transit District
Background Information on Central Lane MPO planning for Climate Change
The Central Lane MPO has begun work to incorporate planning for climate change into the MPO’s activities, plans and programs. Information summarizing these efforts can be found as part of the July 9, 2009 MPC meeting materials.
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