Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization: MOVING INTO THE FUTURE

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Home > Committees > Senate Bill 1059

On March 18, 2010, Governor Ted Kulongoski signed House Bill 1059. This legislation directs Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) to adopt statewide transportation strategies on greenhouse gas emissions to aid in achieving emission reduction goals in ORS 468A.205. In addition, the legislation requires:

ODOT and DLCD to coordinate and consult with metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and other state agencies to develop a state-level strategy to reduce greenhouse gases from transportation;
Development of a toolkit to assist local governments and MPOs in reducing greenhouse gases from transportation;
Development of guidelines for scenario planning, and
Provides information to DLCD to set transportation-related greenhouse gas reduction targets for major metropolitan areas, conduct outreach and education to the public and work with local governments within urban areas served by an MPO to consider what actions they might take transportation-wise to reduce greenhouse gases in the short-term.

The Senate Bill was sponsored by Senator COURTNEY at the request of the Metropolitan Planning Organization Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force.

Oregon House Bill 2186, signed by Governor Kulongoski on July 22nd, established a 16-person statewide MPO Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force. The recommendations from the MPO Greenhouse Emissions Task Force have been crafted into draft legislation, known as Senate Bill 1059.

Background - MPO Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force

Under House Bill 2186, the charge of the Greenhouse Gas Task Force was to:

Study and evaluate the development of alternative land use and transportation scenarios that accommodate population and employment growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles;
Evaluate fiscal and other resource needs to implement these scenarios, including staffing and resources needed by state agencies, local governments and each MPO;
Evaluate impediments to implementing land use and transportation scenarios that reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and
Recommend legislation related to transportation and to the environment establishing a process for adoption and implementation of plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

The Task Force has been directed to consider GHG emissions from motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less.

The 16-member Task Force included two members of the State Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; two members of the House, appointed by the House Speaker; four representatives of transportation and land use stakeholders; chairs of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC) and Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC); and one representative from each of the state's six MPO's. Eugene City Councilor Alan Zelenka served as the Central Lane MPO's representative.

The Task Force met four times in the Fall of 2009. Meeting materials, summaries and a copy of the Final Task Force Legislative Concepts Report is available on the State's webpage devoted to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Task Force.

MPO GHG Task Force Subcommittee
The MPC has also established an interagency team to provide staff and information to support Councilor Zelenka’s participation in the Task Force process. The Subcommittee is charged with helping to communicate the range of regional ideas, issues, and concerns relating to future land use and transportation requirements. The Subcommittee is also charged with providing consistent updates back to the MPC and to the City Councils of Coburg, Eugene, and Springfield, the Lane County Board of Commissioners, and the LTD Board.

The local Subcommittee is comprised of the following members:

Alan Zelenka, City Councilor, City of Eugene
Hillary Wylie, City Councilor, City of Springfield
Andrea Riner, Central Lane MPO
Susan Payne, Central Lane MPO
Tom Boyatt, City of Springfield
Ron Bittler, City of Springfield
Kurt Yeiter, City of Eugene
Celia Barry, Lane County
Daniel Hurley, Lane County
Tom Schwetz, Lane Transit District

Background Information on Central Lane MPO planning for Climate Change
The Central Lane MPO has begun work to incorporate planning for climate change into the MPO’s activities, plans and programs. Information summarizing these efforts can be found as part of the July 9, 2009 MPC meeting materials.