Sustainability Law Blog

Governor Kulongoski recently unveiled an ambitious legislative package aimed at mitigating the impacts of global warming and putting Oregon on track to reduce greenhouse gas levels to ten percent less than 1990 levels by the year 2020. The Governor's plan has four components, one of which is sustainable transportation. The sustainable transportation plan intends to address the state's growing transportation needs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To do this, the Governor plans to put forward the following four measures in 2009:

1) Encouraging alternative vehicle technologies such as plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles;
2) Authorizing the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt a low-carbon fuel standard that will require fuel providers to reduce the average carbon intensity of fuels sold by ten percent over time;
3) Expanding transportation options to allow Oregonians to attain an overarching vehicle miles traveled reduction goal that will be set by the Governor; and
4) Developing a least carbon model which will direct the Oregon Department of Transportation to consider the least carbon option in order to relieve congestion rather than just building additional capacity.

The biking community has already sounded warning bells about the fact that bicycles are not front and center in the Governor's plan. While the Governor does address expanded bicycle programs under the rubric of "expanding transportation options," bicycles are certainly not a key component of the Governor's plan.

Considering that Portland is a city known for its bike friendliness and high number of cyclists, it seems that this is an opportunity not to be missed. Take me for example—I used to regularly commute by bike, but now that I work in downtown and live in West Linn, I have not biked to work even once. But, if a safe biking route existed and there was a clean and convenient bike storage/locker/showering facility available to me, I can guarantee that I would bike commute to work on a regular basis. I am certain that there must be many more Oregonians like me—hampered by logistics but bikers at heart. Considering that bikes are one of the most carbon neutral transportation methods, it seems that this is a group of Oregonians not to be overlooked in planning for a more sustainable future.

Post authored by Jeanette C. Schuster, attorney practicing in the Sustainability and Real Estate and Land Use Practice Groups.