Letter to Senate Committee on Environment and Energy
February 27, 2023 Senate Committee on Environment and EnergyOregon LegislatureSalem, Oregon Dear Committee…
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Testimony of Eric Fruits Before the House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment in Support of HB 3002
Eric Fruits, Ph.D.Vice President of ResearchCascade Policy Institute Support for HB 3002 re:…
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Oregon Must Stop Outsourcing Policymaking to California’s Unelected Bureaucrats
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. At the end of last year, the Oregon Environmental…
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Oregon Environmental Policy Now Controlled by California
By John A. Charles, Jr. On December 19, Oregon’s Environmental Quality Commission voted…
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Small Steps Toward the Stone Age: Biden’s Gas Stove Ban
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. My, how time flies. Just last month, I warned…
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A Holiday Wishlist for Oregon
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. ‘Tis the season for holiday wishes. And, toward that…
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Multnomah County Is Going “Ban”-anas
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. First they banned styrofoam, then last week they banned…
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Magical Thinking Won’t Fill the Fuel Tank
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Portland is a world leader in magical thinking on…
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For Oregon’s New Governor, Great Power Comes with Great Responsibility
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. It’s the day after Election Day and the votes…
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Oregon Needs a Free-Market Makeover
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D “What’s the one thing you’d do to fix Oregon?”…
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Kate Brown’s Parting Gift
By John A. Charles, Jr. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is accepting…
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Oregon Legislature Should End the GET Green Energy Fiasco
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. It seems everywhere you look, “clean energy” is in…
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Gotta Get Rid of the GET Green Energy Boondoggle
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. It seems everywhere you look, “clean energy” is in…
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Solar Panels in a Dark Room
By Taylor Marks In 2014, Fire Station 21, located on SE Madison St….
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TriMet’s Electric Bus Plans Could Burst into Flames
By Mia Tiwana Connecticut’s bus service just pulled its entire fleet of electric…
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Portland’s Clean Energy Fund Didn’t Deserve a Green Light
By James Swyter and Mia Tiwana This month, Portland City Council approved $118…
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This Green Fund Doesn’t Deserve a Green Light
By Mia Tiwana Have you heard of the Portland Clean Energy Fund? Portlanders…
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Fossil Fuels Are Not Going Anywhere
By John A. Charles, Jr. Many Oregon politicians have convinced themselves that we…
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Testimony of John Charles to Portland Public School Board on the Proposed Climate Crisis Response, Climate Justice, and Sustainable Practices Policy
By John A. Charles, Jr. March 1, 2022Rosanne Powell, Senior Board ManagerPortland Public…
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Local governments seeking to ban natural gas are willfully ignoring Oregon voters.
By Rachel Dawson Think the natural gas industry is dying? The latest data…
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Oregon is falling behind other states in the race for advanced nuclear power
By Rachel Dawson The era of small-modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) is upon us,…
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Utilities should plan on using firm, reliable resources during peak events
By Rachel Dawson Portland General Electric is living a virtual power plant pipe…
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Innovation, not regulation, is the most effective way to control GHG emissions
By Rachel Dawson Governor Kate Brown has joined other state and national representatives…
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A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity to Shake Up Metro
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. With the retirement of Bob Stacey earlier this month,…
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PacifiCorp can do more to prevent future blackouts
By Rachel Dawson Environmental groups including the Sierra Club and Western Resource Advocates…
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Oregon’s New “Clean Energy” Law Is a Fraud
By John A. Charles, Jr. Politicians have a lot in common with magicians….
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Oregon’s 2021 Energy Regulations Are Already Hurting Consumers
By Rachel Dawson Did you just have an order for a desktop computer…
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Portland Parks are Wrecked
(Photo is a stock photo.) By Stew Robertson You would think Portland Parks…
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Press Release: Heat Wave Highlights Fatal Flaws of Wind Power
July 9, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact:John A. Charles, Jr.President & CEOCascade…
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Time to Put the Brakes on Kate Brown’s Electric Vehicle Goal
By John A. Charles, Jr. President Biden is proposing to spend $174 billion…
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A new loss of load probability heightens concerns over the Northwest’s power grid
By Rachel Dawson The race is on for a reliable power grid. A…
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Dams and Fish Can Live Together, Thanks to Whooshh
By Rachel Dawson Should we breach Northwest hydropower dams to replenish native fish…
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Hydroelectric power is renewable; it’s time legislators recognize that
By Rachel Dawson Oregon has always been a national leader in providing clean…
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Oregon Legislators Should Vote Yes on Nuclear Power
By Rachel Dawson Oregon is home to NuScale Power, the nation’s leading small…
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SolarWorld factory closure is the latest among government subsidy mistakes
By Rachel Dawson Should governments use taxpayer dollars to support select companies of…
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To ensure the lights stay on, Oregon needs a robust portfolio of energy resources
By Rachel Dawson Recent freezing temperatures and power outages in both Oregon and…
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Make Oregon the Opportunity State
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. Oregonians blame Californians for many of our state’s woes….
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Willamette Cove Is the Reset Button Metro Needs
By Helen Doran What does an old industrial site from World War II…
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Why are we still paying a “temporary” energy tax 19 years later?
By John A. Chalres. Jr. Every month when you pay your electricity bill,…
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The Region’s New Transfer Station Means Frills and Bills
By Vlad Yurlov Would you like to have a nice picnic near a…
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Oregon’s “Public Purpose” Energy Tax: Mission Accomplished, or Mission Creep?
By John A Charles, Jr. and Rachel Dawson EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Oregon Public…
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Wind turbines are not a bird’s best friend. Black paint may be able to help.
By Rachel Dawson The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimates up to 500,000…
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The Boardman Coal Plant Closed. Now What?
By Rachel Dawson On Thursday, October 15, Portland General Electric pulled the plug…
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Cascade Policy Institute Responds to the Early Closure of the Boardman Coal Plant
October 19, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Rachel Dawson (503) 242-0900 [email protected]…
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Oregon’s NuScale is one step further to providing states with clean, reliable energy
By Rachel Dawson Oregon’s very own NuScale Power, a company developing small-modular nuclear…
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California Blackouts Show the Need for Reliable Hydropower
By Rachel Dawson Recent blackouts in California have demonstrated the need for reliable…
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California blackouts serve as a warning to Oregon officials
By Rachel Dawson California’s recent blackouts should serve as a warning to officials…
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The nuclear waste reality that popular media loves to ignore
By Rachel Dawson Did you ever watch the Simpsons and think nuclear waste…
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Energy Reform Is Needed to Combat Rising Energy Bills in Oregon
By Rachel Dawson After 42 years, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA)…
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The hidden truth behind the Renewable Energy Certificate market
By Rachel Dawson You may have noticed companies and public agencies using the…
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Think renewable energy is infallible? Michael Moore’s film “Planet of the Humans” says to think again
By Rachel Dawson Despite the claims of environmentalists promoting wind and solar energy,…
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Small Modular Reactors Are Not the 20th-Century Nuclear Plants We’re Familiar With
By Rachel Dawson Oregon, it’s about time we talk about nuclear power. No,…
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Kate Brown is out of touch if she thinks an executive order is needed to reduce emissions
By Rachel Dawson Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown responded to the Republican walk-out and…
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The Grid Is Not a Tinker Toy
By John A. Charles, Jr. Rarely has Oregon’s lack of political leadership been…
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Oregon is meeting its 2020 GHG emissions goals, depending on how you measure it
By Rachel Dawson Is Oregon meeting its 2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction…
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Why are rural, low-income residents subsidizing Teslas for Oregon’s urban elite?
By Rachel Dawson Oregon state officials recently celebrated helping the state reach 25,000…
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Think TriMet’s New Electric Buses Run on Wind Power? Think Again.
By Rachel Dawson TriMet unveiled five new battery-electric buses (BEBs) in April 2019,…
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You and Your Car: Portland Public Enemy No. 1
By Micah Perry Driving around Portland could get a lot more expensive. The…
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Portland’s Clean Energy Tax: A High Cost with Low Benefit
By Rachel Dawson In January 2019 the City of Portland implemented a voter-approved…
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Portland’s Ill-Considered Climate Action Tax
By Micah Perry Last fall, Portland voters approved a new 1% tax on…
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SW Corridor Project: A Net Negative for the Environment
By John A. Charles, Jr. Portland politicians claim to be concerned about carbon…
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Our Most Pressing Environmental Crisis Is at Home
By Miranda Bonifield Oregon’s most pressing environmental crisis isn’t in forests or renewable…
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Cap and Trade in Oregon: All Pain, No Gain
By Eric Fruits, Ph.D. The Oregon legislature is expected to pass a carbon cap-and-trade…
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Proof by Assertion
By John A. Charles, Jr. Many Portland drivers probably wonder why there are…
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Kate Brown’s Environmental Showmanship Has No Substance
By John A. Charles, Jr. Governor Kate Brown has announced a legislative proposal…
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Plastic Straw Ban Isn’t Environmentalism—It’s Virtue Signaling
By Miranda Bonifield What’s the deal with plastic straws? Heartbreaking images of sea…
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Climate Change Alarmists Can’t Get Their Story Straight
By John A. Charles, Jr. Relying on computer models to predict the future…
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Testimony on HB 4001/SB 1507 Regarding Energy Rationing for Environmental Quality
Testimony of John A. Charles, Jr. President & CEO, Cascade Policy Institute Regarding…
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For Green Activists, the Cleanest Cars in History Are Bad News
By John A. Charles, Jr. The Oregon Legislature convened again this week. A…
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Poll Shows Voters Are Smarter Than Politicians Think
By John A. Charles, Jr. In November the regional government, Metro, released the…
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Kate Brown’s Attention Deficit Disorder
By John A. Charles, Jr. The most serious problem facing Oregon right now…
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Timber Conservation and Oregon’s Constitution Shouldn’t Be at Odds
By Lydia White Last week the Idaho Department of State Lands and the…
Read Blog DetailThe Paris Agreement Was Symbolism over Substance, Leaving Was the Right Call
By John A. Charles, Jr. President Trump made the right call last Thursday…
Read Blog DetailStatement regarding President Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris accord on climate change
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: John A. Charles, Jr. (503) 242-0900 PORTLAND, Ore….
Read Blog DetailOregon Politicians Support Better Roads, Just Not Here
By John A. Charles, Jr. Recently the Oregon Legislature held a hearing on…
Read Blog DetailRenewable Energy Certificates Don’t Turn on Your Lights
By Allison Coleman Over the past two decades there has been a large…
Read Blog DetailSurprise! Renewable Energy Mandates Are Actually Fossil Fuel Mandates
By John A. Charles, Jr. and Lydia White The Sierra Club and other…
Read Blog DetailWES Is an Energy Hog
By Allison Coleman In 2009 the regional transit agency, TriMet, opened a commuter…
Read Blog DetailPortland’s 100% Renewable Energy Claim Is “Greenwashing”
By Allison Coleman In 2001, the Portland City Council declared that by 2010,…
Read Blog DetailPower Is the Narcotic of Choice for Politicians
By John A. Charles, Jr. Oregon’s free-market research center, Cascade Policy Institute, celebrated…
Read Blog DetailWill the PUC Make Oregon’s Solar Energy Incentives Equitable?
By Lydia White In accordance with House Bill 2941, the Public Utilities Commission…
Read Blog Detail"Beyond Traffic" Has a Different Meaning in Portland
Portland is one of seven cities still in the running for a $50…
Read Blog DetailPortland Schools Schedule Book-Burning Party
The Portland Public School board recently voted to prohibit textbooks or classroom materials…
Read Blog DetailGet Ready for High-Cost Electricity
In the recently concluded session of the Oregon legislature, the big environmental “win”…
Read Blog DetailOregon electricity ratepayers about to be ripped off with so-called “clean energy” bill
Oregon’s electricity ratepayers are supposed to be protected from monopolistic electric utilities by…
Read Blog DetailElectric Utilities Should Call the Bluff of Green Radicals
Two committees of the Oregon Legislature will hear presentations this week on a…
Read Blog DetailIs It Possible to Power an Export Facility Entirely by Renewable Energy?
The Portland Sustainability Commission recently recommended that the City Council approve a $500…
Read Blog DetailTide Goes Out on Ocean Energy
A new report released by Cascade Policy Institute concludes that the public-private partnership…
Read Blog DetailReport Shows No Return on Public Investment for Oregon Wave Energy Trust
PORTLAND, Ore. – A new report released by Cascade Policy Institute concludes that…
Read Blog DetailKitzhaber’s “Clean Fuels Program” Is a Hidden Gas Tax
Many politicians on the West Coast have fallen in love with untested policies and programs they say will help solve global warming. Many of these policies are mind-bogglingly complicated. What, after all, is a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), or clean fuels program? And how exactly do programs like “cap and trade” work? And, perhaps most importantly, how do these policies impact you, the consumer?
Read Blog DetailReport Questions Legality of Renewable Energy Certificates
PORTLAND, Ore. – Cascade Policy Institute issued a report today, questioning the legality of renewable energy…
Read Blog DetailBeaverton’s Renewable Energy Purchase: Well Intentioned, Little Impact
By William Newell The decisions we make are often greatly influenced by the…
Read Blog DetailGreen Data Center Bill Is Just More “Greenwashing”
By William Newell In February, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 4126. This…
Read Blog DetailPortland’s 100% Renewable Energy Goal Is Still Fantasy
By William Newell The 2013 North American World Environment Day opened with a…
Read Blog DetailHow the Environmental Left Became the New Climate Deniers
By Todd Myers “The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change raises the level…
Read Blog DetailTriMet Violates Clean Air Act While “Regulators” Stay Silent
In previous decades the Portland region failed to meet national air quality standards…
Read Blog DetailPortland’s Renewable Energy Pipe Dream
By William Newell Since 2001 the City of Portland has aimed to obtain…
Read Blog DetailIt’s Time for Renewable Energy to Stand on Its Own Legs
The Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO) is a non-profit organization that carries out…
Read Blog DetailThe Portland Streetcar: Time to Reset the Vision
If some Portlanders are confused about why we have a 19th century trolley…
Read Blog DetailMayor Hales’s Environmental Vision Lacks Grounding in Reality
Recently, Mayor Charlie Hales gave a speech welcoming out-of-town dignitaries visiting Portland as…
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