Second only to housing, is my focus on climate change and environmental protections. I made the Portland Harbor Superfund Site part of my 2016 campaign. We produced a video about he harbor in English and Spanish, and helped drive record-breaking public comment to the EPA site, which ultimately led to a stronger clean-up plan for Portland.

​

In a city that's considered one of the greenest in the country it's unacceptable that we have the worst air pollution in the state and that carbon emissions from transportation on are on the rise. It's also unsustainable. According to the IPCC we have less than a decade to course correct in order to avoid climate catastrophe. And we can only do this by taking a holistic approach. As you will see, I've been involved in a variety of efforts to fight climate change and improve air quality in our city.

​

✓ In 2016, before being elected to Council, I testified in support of the passage of Portland's deconstruction ordinance, which requires some projects to be fully deconstructed as opposed to mechanically demolished, keeping waste out of landfills and pollutants out of our air. Building on the success of the initial ordinance, Portland City Council adopted an amendment in 2019, raising the year-built threshold from 1916 to 1940.

✓ In 2017, I co-sponsored and helped craft one of the most ambitious renewables resolutions in the country, establishing the goal of meeting 100% of community-wide energy needs with renewable energy by 2050. Given the current best science, I believe it's time to revisit and double-down on that timeline.

✓ In 2018, my office, in partnership with environmental advocates, crafted the strongest green roof requirements in the country for the Central City 2035 Plan.

✓ In 2018, I was the only member of the Council that endorsed and supported the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF). I devoted staff resources to its development before it became a measure, and I helped fundraise and canvass for the measure. PCEF will help ensure a just and equitable transition to a green economy.

✓ In 2018, four months after the Oregon Legislature passed SB871: Addressing Lead Paint in Residential Demolitions, my office created and passed city regulations for lead and asbestos abatement in residential demolitions. When we discovered that the rules weren't being enforced as we intended by BDS (which is no longer my bureau), we pursued clarification through admin rules and code changes.

✓ In 2018, I supported the City of Portland Clean and Efficient Fleet Practices, which requires the use of biodiesel and set higher standards for fleet replacement.

✓ In 2019, I stood with the rest of my colleagues in opposition to Zenith Energy. We have denied permit applications for adding underground pipes at its oil terminal and explored multiple avenues for legally defensible approaches to fighting it.

✓ Over the past 18 months, I have stood with environmental advocates, Albina Vision, the school district, and other local elected representatives on the Rose Quarter I-5 project. I successfully negotiated for a community forum with ODOT, an extended comment period, I've repeatedly called for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and am still pushing for the establishment of both executive and community advisory bodies

✓ In 2019, I supported Commissioner Fish's initiative to get rid of the city's gas-powered leaf blowers, and have committed to pursuing the expansion of that ban to private use.

​

✓Developed the Rose Lanes Project which aims to increase public transit ridership by making buses and streetcars faster and more frequent by re-allocating right-of-way to buses and streetcars with transit priority treatments.

 

But we’re not done!  We are continuing to decrease carbon emissions in transportation and aligning all Housing Bureau and Transportation Bureau endeavors with a climate and racial equity lens.

​

• We need a real climate emergency declaration that focuses on equity, transportation, housing, and jobs and is bold enough to address irreversible disruption to our environment.

​

• We must reduce carbon emissions by dramatically improving our public transit system and supporting and incentivizing alternative modes of transportation

​

• Ensure that the Portland Clean Energy Fund successfully launches next year

​

• Continue to fight against all new fossil fuel infrastructure.

​

Deeply invest in electric vehicle infrastructure in order to make EVs a viable alernative for more Portlanders and support the continued conversion of the City fleet, as well as TriMet.

​