Chapter Directors:
Erik Wohlgemuth
Alex Wall
Chris Dennett
Mark Liffmann
ABOUT
E2’s Pacific Northwest Chapter was founded in 2009 and has since grown to nearly 1,000 members and supporters. Since its founding, the chapter has advocated for policies in both Oregon and Washington State that reduce climate pollution from across the economy while sending strong market signals to drive clean energy innovation, job growth, and investment.
OUR ISSUES
- Growing the clean energy economy
- Reducing economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions
- Improving carbon sequestration on the Pacific Northwest’s natural and working lands
- Decarbonizing the transportation sector
- Decarbonizing the built environment
OUR WORK
- In February 2021, E2 released the latest version of Clean Jobs Oregon, a report that detailed employment in the state’s clean energy economy, including energy efficiency, renewable generation, and clean fuels and vehicles. The report also included data on clean energy job losses in Oregon driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout.
- In November 2020, E2 released Clean Jobs Washington 2020, a report that details employment in the Golden State’s clean energy economy, including energy efficiency, renewable generation, and clean fuels and vehicles. The report also included data on clean energy job losses in Washington driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout. The report received strong media coverage, including from the Seattle Business Magazine and the Daily Herald.
- In February 2020, a delegation of 19 E2 Oregon members and supporters traveled to Salem for meetings with Governor Kate Brown and 42 legislative offices on both sides of the aisle to advocate for passage of a strong Cap-and-Invest carbon pricing program and aggressive executive action should the Legislature fail to act.
- In July 2020, two E2 Oregon members provided testimony in support of strengthening Oregon’s appliance standards at an Oregon Department of Energy virtual hearing, which was called for by Governor Brown’s Executive Order on Climate Action (EO 20-04).
- In October 2020, 38 E2 Oregon members and supporters signed onto a letter in support of a well-designed and strong Cap-and-Reduce Program to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the largest sources across Oregon’s economy. E2 members and staff also delivered supportive testimony at an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality virtual town hall on the topic.
- Building on our success championing a Clean Fuels Program in OR, E2 has advocated in support of a clean fuels standard in WA over multiple legislative sessions, delivering the business case for reducing the carbon-intensity of transportation fuels. In addition to support letters, an E2 member testified before the Washington House Committee on Environment & Energy in 2019.
- In January 2019, an E2 member testified before the Washington House Committee on Environment & Energy in support of a clean fuels standard proposal, delivering the business case for reducing the carbon-intensity of transportation fuels
- In December 2018, E2 hosted a briefing for legislators and staff in Salem, Oregon. The briefing included an overview of Clean Jobs Oregon, an economic analysis of carbon pricing programs across North America, and perspectives on a Cap-and-Invest carbon pricing program from an investment strategist.
RECENT SUCCESS
- In 2020, E2 was a central business voice in the successful push for executive action on climate in Oregon, leading to Governor Brown’s EO 20-04, an ambitious and wide-ranging executive order to reduce emissions from across Oregon’s economy and prime the state’s clean energy sector for accelerating and sustained growth.
- In 2019, E2, primarily through the production of our clean energy economy jobs report, engaged with the coalition that helped pass Washington’s SB 5116, which requires Washington’s utilities to be self-generating 100% clean energy by 2045. Also in 2019, Washington passed an electric vehicle tax incentive extension and a bill to increase the energy efficiency of large commercial buildings.
- In 2016, E2 elevated the business voice to help pass Oregon’s Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Act, which transitions Oregon’s largest utilities off coal-fired electricity by 2030 and requires those utilities to generate 50% of their electricity from clean energy sources by 2040.
GET INVOLVED
Interested in learning more? Want to help us advance our climate and clean energy goals in the Pacific Northwest?
Reach out to Advocate Zach Amittay at zamittay@e2.org to start receiving updates on E2’s work in your area – including attending upcoming regional events, participating in our advocacy campaigns, receiving our email newsletters, and more!