Columbia Riverkeeper

SINCE APRIL 2020, RIVERKEEPER HAS ACTED AS THE FISCAL SPONSOR FOR COMUNIDADES, A PROJECT WITH A MISSION TO AMPLIFY LATINO VOICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2024, COMUNIDADES EMBARKED ON THE PROCESS OF BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER WORKED WITH COMUNIDADES TO SUPPORT THIS PROCESS, AND IN DECEMBER THE FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WAS TERMINATED.

FIGHTING FOSSIL FUELS - COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER HAS WORKED WITH TRIBAL NATIONS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, STRONG COALITIONS, AND AMAZING PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RIVER COMMUNITIES TO DEFEAT NEARLY EVERY NEW FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ON THE COLUMBIA. THIS INCLUDES THE WORLDS LARGEST FRACKED GAS TO METHANOL REFINERY, THE NATIONS LARGEST OIL-BY-RAIL SHIPPING TERMINAL, AND THE NATIONS LARGEST COAL EXPORT TERMINAL. OUR WORK IS NOT DONE. HIGHLIGHTS FROM COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPERS WORK IN 2024 INCLUDE:3 REJECTED LONG-TERM GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION PLANS FOR OREGONS LARGEST GAS UTILITIES, IN FAVOR OF MORE AGGRESSIVE PLANS TO MOVE AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS. 4,900+ PEOPLE SPOKE UP FOR CLIMATE ACTION USING COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPERS PETITIONS. 3 LAWSUITS BROUGHT BY COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER TO STOP THE EXPANSION OF FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.PREVENTING NEW FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE IS A CRITICAL TASK TO PROTECT OUR CLIMATE AND CLEAN WATER. IF FOSSIL FUEL CORPORATIONS BUILD NEW INFRASTRUCTURESHIPPING TERMINALS, PIPELINES, REFINERIESTHEY LOCK THE REGION INTO DECADES OF FOSSIL FUEL USE AT A TIME WHEN WE MUST RAPIDLY MOVE TOWARD CLEAN ENERGY AND FEWER PETROCHEMICALS. IN 2024, WE CONTINUED TO SEE MORE PROPOSALS TO EXPAND EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURELIKE PIPELINES, REFINERIES, AND WATERFRONT-INDUSTRIAL TERMINALSRATHER THAN BUILD NEW FACILITIES. WHY? EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE TYPICALLY HAS SOME OF THE REQUIRED PERMITS, AND REGULATORS OFTEN APPROVE CAPACITY EXPANSIONS EVEN WHERE THEY MIGHT REJECT A NEW PROJECT. IN THIS CHANGING LANDSCAPE, COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER WORKED WITH TRIBES, COMMUNITIES, AND COALITION PARTNERS TO ADVOCATE FOR A JUST TRANSITION FROM FOSSIL FUELS. COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER ALSO DUG DEEP ON ALLEGED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS. MANY FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY PLAYERS CLAIM THAT RENEWABLE FUELS ARE THE ANSWER TO OUR PROBLEMS. IT TURNS OUT THAT NOT ALL RENEWABLE FUELS ADVANCE CLIMATE ACTION. COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER IS COMMITTED TO UNCOVERING GREENWASHING FROM CORPORATIONS THAT VALUE PROFITS OVER ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS AND FIGHTING PROJECTS THAT WILL DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD. TWO PROMINENT EXAMPLES: NEXT RENEWABLE FUELS PROPOSED NON-CONVENTIONAL DIESEL REFINERY IN COLUMBIA COUNTY, OR, AND THE ZENITH OIL-BY-RAIL TERMINAL IN PORTLAND, OR.COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER ALSO WORKED IN RIVER COMMUNITIES TO ADVOCATE FOR CLIMATE ACTION AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH PEOPLE ACROSS PORTLAND AND VANCOUVER TO ENSURE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRESSIVE CLIMATE ORDINANCES.