[Comm-Council] FW: NEWS RELEASE: Governor appoints advisory group on climate change

Wed Jun 14 15:31:50 PDT 2006

_____________________________________________
From: SHERWOOD Jodi L * Governor's Office 
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 3:17 PM
To: EXEC Net List
Subject: NEWS RELEASE: Governor appoints advisory group on climate
change

Ted Kulongoski
Governor	           <<Picture (Metafile)>> 	
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2006

Contact:
Lonn Hoklin (503.378.6169 or 503.559.1034)
Mary Ellen Glynn (503.378.4656)

Governor appoints advisory group on climate change
Group will track progress, offer recommendations on policies

Salem, OR-Governor Kulongoski has appointed a "Climate Change
Integration Group" to continue state efforts to address global warming,
the Governor's office announced Wednesday.  

"It is very important to the economic and physical health of our state
that we understand and address problems associated with climate change,"
the Governor said.  "We have taken strong measures on several fronts to
combat this threat, but we need the benefit of advice from a single
group in order to make the most of our efforts."

The new integration group will continue the work of the 2004 Governor's
Advisory Group on Global Warming, which developed strategies for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part of a West Coast regional
effort.  The earlier group also recommended several policies and
measures that the Governor has begun implementing. For instance, the
Governor adopted greenhouse gas emission goals for Oregon, and he
championed adoption of cleaner tailpipe emission standards.  He also
appointed a work group to develop a proposal for reducing carbon
emissions in the electricity sector.  

Part of the new group's responsibilities will be to track the progress
of those efforts.
The earlier group also recommended several policies and measures that
the Governor endorsed.  Part of the new group's responsibilities will be
to track the progress of those efforts.

The Governor selected an Oregon State University dean and the president
of an environmental engineering consulting firm to co-chair the Climate
Change Integration Group.  Mark Abbott, dean of OSU's College of Oceanic
and Atmospheric Sciences, and Ned Dempsey, president of Century West
Engineering, will lead the 20-member group of university and agency
scientists, business and environmental leaders, agriculture and forest
leaders and others. The Oregon Department of Energy will provide staff
to the group. The group will hold its first meeting on June 27, in Room
50 at the Capitol at 9:00 a.m.  

The Governor has charged the Climate Change Integration Group with
tracking the State's progress on greenhouse gas emission reductions and
looking at future economic and societal implications of climate change.

"Climate change presents a vast array of challenges and opportunities to
Oregonians, ranging from changes in the amount of winter snowfall and
its impact on summer water supplies as well as ski resorts, to
opportunities to develop new fuel resources and establish new
agricultural crops," Abbott said.  "The group will examine economic
opportunities and risks for Oregon businesses and governments."

Abbott said the new group would use the 2004 advisory group report as a
starting point. That report outlined how the climate of the Pacific
Northwest has warmed during the past few decades.  According to the
report, annual precipitation has increased, and rising sea levels have
affected land on the central and northern Oregon coast.  Also, snow pack
has declined.

The report also presented some predictions about the next 10 to 50
years, including:

*	The Pacific Northwest will continue to warm, perhaps by as much
as three to six degrees over the next 40 years.
*	The region will suffer more summer drought and a declining snow
pack.
*	Oregon forests will be more vulnerable to insects, disease and
fire.
*	Water resource issues will likely increase.
*	Sea level will continue to rise.

One potential impact of warming is the threat to Oregon's ski industry.
Some lower-elevation ski resorts may be at-risk with the projected
average temperature increase of three to six degrees. Higher-elevation
ski areas may face later openings and earlier ends to their seasons.

The Climate Change Integration Group will also explore new opportunities
for research on the mitigation and adaptation to climate change in
Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon University System will play
a key role in that effort. The integration group  will further serve as
an information clearinghouse about measures Oregonians can take to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Governor's Climate Change Integration Group Members

*	Co-Chair Mark Abbott, dean, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric
Sciences, OSU
*	Co-Chair Ned Dempsey, president, Century West Engineering
*	Gail Achterman, Oregon Transportation Commission board member
and director of the Institute for Natural Resources at OSU;
*	Lisa Adatto, environment and economic development director,
Oregon Business Association;
*	Susan Anderson, director, Portland Office of Sustainable
Development;
*	Rex Burkholder, Metro councilor;
*	Michael Burnett, executive director, The Climate Trust;
*	Mike Cloughessy, director of Forestry, Oregon Forest Resources
Institute;
*	Bob Doppelt, director, Climate Leadership Initiative, University
of Oregon;
*	Christine Ervin, green building and energy consultant;
*	Jenny Holmes, environmental ministries director, Ecumenical
Ministries of Oregon;
*	Greg Jones, associate professor of geography, Southern Oregon
University;
*	Dan Keppen, executive director, Family Farm Alliance;
*	Dr. Mel Kohn, state epidemiologist, Oregon Department of Human
Services;
*	John Ledger, vice president of external affairs, Associated
Oregon Industries;
*	Greg Miller, regulatory affairs, Weyerhaeuser;
*	Ron Neilson, U.S. Forest Service (ex officio);
*	Jim Pendleton, board chair, Oregon Water Resources Congress and
manager of Talent Irrigation District;
*	Sarah Severn, Nike, Inc.
*	Dave Riley, vice president and general manager, Mt. Hood
Meadows;
*	Jonathan Williams, regulatory affairs, Intel.

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