Oregon Executive Order Targets Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Earlier this month, Governor Kate Brown of Oregon signed Executive Order 20-04, directing state agencies and commissions to take steps to reduce and regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The order also mandates that state agencies work to reduce emissions to 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2035 and to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

About 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon are related to transportation, writes Jonathan Maus. "[This] action by Governor Brown says [the Oregon Department of Transportation] and [the Oregon Transportation Commission] have a legal requirement to reduce those emissions."

ODOT and OTC must also make implementation of the Oregon Statewide Transportation Strategy a priority. "Furthermore, the order directs ODOT to set metrics and then evaluate GHG impacts of all transportation projects in regional transportation plans," says Maus.