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Latest News

Transportation Bill Passed by Oregon Senate

May 29, 2009  Read more

 

House Passes Major Transportation Funding Bill

May 27, 2009  Read more

 

Business Plan Steering Committee Offers Framework for Balancing the Budget

May 21, 2009  Read more

 

Oregon Clusters News Update May 19, 2009

May 19, 2009  Read more

Oregon shares sustainability expertise at summer boot camp  April 20, 2009.  Read more  

State launches site to keep Oregonians informed of economic stimulus opportunities

April 1, 2009.  Read more.  

 

Skills to compete campaign draws attention to "middle skill" jobs

March 10, 2009.  Read more.  

 

News Archive

Upcoming Events

Achieve Green Conference June 1-3, 2009.  Oregon Convention Center

 

Achieve Green is a two-day conference (with an opening reception on the evening of June 1st) that is focused on enhancing the opportunity for networking, education and communication among people from diverse sectors that are influenced by environmental and economic issues. Attendees will engage with business, education, environmental and political leaders that contribute to the efforts of environmentally responsible strategies.  Learn more.

 

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Ecosystem Markets Conference.  June 18-19 2009.  DoubleTree Hotel, Lloyd Center.  

 

Using markets to protect and restore ecosystems – and the many services they provide – is gradually becoming a reality. But what are the critical elements for success? What progress has been made? What still needs to be done? What are the remaining challenges?

At this two-day national conference, presented by Northwest Environmental Business Council and American Forest Foundation, you will hear from national and regional experts, innovators, and hands-on users of these evolving market models in a dialogue about: • recent progress • what transactions can be done now • how these markets will affect family forests and other land owners, and • how state and regional efforts can merge into a common model.  Learn more.  

Summer Sustainability Series June 22-29, 2009.  Oregon

 

There is a lot of talk about green jobs and sustainability these days.  The Oregon Business Council has teamed up with the Oregon University System to offer an opportunity for professionals and graduate students to learn exactly what this means.  

 

The event is a combination of a travelling symposium, a hands-on summit and a five day field trip for professionals and graduate students from around the world.  The summer institute features two tracks:  the urban built environment & agriculture and food systems.  

Learn more at www.summersustainabilityseries.org. 

View Archived Events

 

 

More News

 

Two new reports make Oregon's portion of stimulus bill a bit clearer

March 6, 2009

 

Today Congressman Earl Blumenauer posted "An Oregonian's Guide to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act" on his website, http://blumenauer.house.gov/.  

 

On Thursday, the nonprofit group Climate Solutions posted an online spreadsheet detailing the clean energy opportunities for Oregon and other Northwest states in the ARRA. 

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pFhOvchaNSItWgfojwvmUCw&hl=en.

 

If you come across additional information explaining stimulus, send it our way and we will post it here.   

 

Legislature passes plan to balance current budget

March 6, 2008

 

Thursday brought a turning point in the 2009 Oregon legislative session.  The Oregon House voted to plug an $855 million gap in the current budget.  Read more at OPB news.

Bipartisan Coalition Introduces Budget Stabilization Legislation.  March 5, 2009

The day that the US officially went into a recession was the day that Oregon mailed $1.2 billion in kicker checks to Oregon Taxpayers.  

Now the state is slashing programs from education to human services to public safety from a budget deficit half of that size, and ironically, if the state economist is off on his projections for the next biennium, we could see another kicker check 

State legislators introduced a bill to reform Oregon's kicker laws.

State hosts vendor outreach events for state stimulus package.

March 4, 2009

 

Vendors interested in bidding on opportunities in Oregon's $175 million stimulus package have an opportunity to learn how to go about it.  The state is hosting a series of regional meetings.  Meetings have already taken place in Portland and Salem.  Future meetings will take place according to the following schedule:

 

March 5:   Klamath Falls

March 9:   Roseburg

March 12:  Pendleton

March 13:  Bend

 

To learn more about these opportunities click here.  

 

Legislature begins discussions on Jobs and Transportation Act of 2009

March 2, 2009

 

The Oregon Legislature began discussions today on the transportation package put forward by Governor Kulongoski.  The Governor developed his package through a year-long process that kicked off at the December, 2007 Oregon Leadership Summit.  Oregon Business Plan transportation initiative leaders Pat Reiten and Steve Clark led committees that helped develop the Governor's package, which was released in the fall as the "Jobs and Transportation Act of 2009."   

 

The House Transportation Committee held a hearing on the Governor's package--HB 2120--on Monday (listen to the audio archive).  The committee will hold another hearing this Wednesday, March 4 at 4pm in Hearing Room D.  Stakeholders have been invited to deliver testimony.  To watch Wednesday's hearing online, click here.

 

In statements made on Monday, House Transportation Committee Chair Terry Beyer suggested that lawmakers may go for a larger gas tax increase than is proposed by the Governor.  “I think there is a limit to where we can get to, but I do think that if we have a gas tax it will be higher than two cents.”

 

Click on the following links to read recent press reports on the this issue:

 

OBP News

Associated Press

 

Recent studies have shown that every million dollars invested in transportation creates roughly 14 family wage jobs.  

 

Edlen speaks to Vice-President Biden about green jobs

February 27, 2009

 

Oregon's green reputation got another boost Friday when Gerding Edlen CEO Mark Edlen spoke to Vice President Joe Biden about green jobs at the first meeting of Biden's White House Middle Class Task Force.  Edlen has been a strong proponent of sustainability as an economic strategy and has spoken several times about the opportunity for green jobs at the Oregon Business Plan Leadership Summit.  Today Edlen had the opportunity to deliver his message on a national stage.

 

In his remarks, Edlen discussed "The Oregon Way," Governor Kulongoski's plan, unique among Governor's, to ensure that Oregon's use of stimulus funds is driving a new generation of green innovation. 

 

Read more about Edlen's participation at the Middle Class Task Force meeting at bizjournal.com.  Learn more about the meeting and the Task Force at:

 

NY Times

Boston Globe

Middle Class Task Force Website and Blog

 

Governor calls for continued action to reduce hunger

February 26, 2009

 

Governor Kulongoski sent a letter today to participants from the December 11, 2008 Oregon Leadership Summit.  The letter thanked business leaders for their action addressing Oregon's growing hunger problem and called for continued support.  Donations to the food bank rose significantly after the Oregon Business Hunger initiative was presented at the Summit.  Unfortunately, since that time, many more Oregon families have lost jobs and wages and the hunger problem continues to grow.  Sustained support from the Business Community is essential.    Read the Governor's letter here.

 

State issues revenue forecast 

February 20, 2009

 

The amount of money available to lawmakers for state programs and services took a deep dive today as State Economist Tom Potiowsky delivered the latest revenue forecast.  

 

Revenue forecast Summary

Revenue forecast PowerPoint

 

 

Massachusetts takes Oregon's VMT idea for a test drive

February 18, 2009

BOSTON (AP) — A tentative plan to overhaul Massachusetts' transportation system by using GPS chips to charge motorists a quarter-cent for every mile behind the wheel has angered some drivers.

"It's outrageous, it's kind of Orwellian, Big Brotherish," said Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, who drafted legislation last week to prohibit the practice. "You'd need a whole new department of cronies just to keep track of it."

But a "Vehicle Miles Traveled" program like the one the governor may unveil this week has already been tested — with positive results — in Oregon.

Read more.

Progress Board releases Benchmark report

February 18, 2009

 

The Oregon legislature created the Progress Board in 1989 to develop a strategic plan for Oregon and to monitor progress on that plan using 91 key benchmarks.

 

The latest report shows a mixed bag of progress and areas where Oregon continues to struggle.  Click here to read the latest report or to utilize the online benchmark report generator.  

 

State Makes Progress on Regulatory Streamlining, but Work Remains

February 13, 2009

 

One of the original initiatives of the Oregon Business Plan was to streamline the state's burdensome regulatory environment.  Governor Kulongoski's first executive order after taking office was to create the Office of Regulatory Streamlining to help tackle this issue.  

 

Oregon Business Plan Initiative Leader Eric Blackledge and Office of Regulatory Streamlining Director Kate Marx discussed progress in a recent Guest Commentary in the Portland Business Journal.  Read the op-ed here.  

 

Regulatory Streamlining Initiative Transfers to ERT in Governor's Office

February 11, 2009

 

Begnning July 1, 2009, Oregon's regulatory streamlining initiative, a key priority of the original Oregon Business Plan, will be managed by the Economic Revitalization Team housed at the Governor's Office.  

 

Governor Kulongoski’s first executive order after taking office in 2003 was to create the Office of Regulatory Streamlining, housed at the Department of Consumer and Business Services.  The goal of the Office has been to work with regulatory agencies to make it cheaper, easier, and quicker to do business with government, without compromising standards that protect Oregonians.  Read more.

 

Governor Announces Public/Private Partnership to Tap Stimulus Funding

February 11, 2009

 

Governor Kulongsoki today announced the formation of the "Oregon Way Advisory Committee" to help the state tap as much support from the federal stimulus legislation as possible, with a focus on green technologies and projects.  Read the story in the Portland Business Journal.  

 

Oregon Charges Ahead on Electric Car Leadership

February 11, 2009

 

Oregon is emerging as a North American leader in creating infrastructure for electric cars.  Our leadership was recently featured in the Christian Science Monitor.  Read the article here. 

 

Coalition Urges Support for Forest Stimulus

February 3, 2009

 

A coalition of business, labor and environmental groups sent a letter to Governor Kulonsgoski and Oregon's Congressional delegation today asking for continued support for federal forest management dollars in the stimulus bill.  Read the letter.  This issue was also discussed in the Oregonian and Medford Mail Tribune.

 

Task Force Calls for Kicker Reform, Long-term Budgeting Practices

January 30, 2009

 

The Governor's Task Force on comprehensive revenue restructuring has released its final report.  The report aligns with some key priorities of the Oregon Business Plan, including the adoption of ten year budget and revenue forecasts and kicker reform.


Read more here. 

 

Senators Ask Obama for Federal Forest Stimulus Funding

January 20, 2009

 

At the Leadership Summit on December 11, business and elected leaders discussed the opportunity to strengthen rural economies and the sustainability of our forests by including money for forest restoration projects in the federal stimulus package.  This was a key recommendation of the "Jumpstart Oregon" stimulus agenda included in the Policy Playbook, Initiative and Cluster Guide.

 

Senator Wyden, along with 10 other Senators, has urged President Elect Obama to include forest restoration in his stimulus package.

 

Read more in:

Capital Press

Roseburg News Review

 

Leaders gather at Convention Center to chart economic course

December 12, 2008

 

On December 11, 2008 over 1000 business, elected and community leaders from across Oregon met at the Oregon Convention Center to plan for Oregon's economic future.  Click on one of the links below to learn more.  

 

News

News reports from 7th Annual Oregon Leadership Summit

 

Pictures and Video

Pictures from the 7th Annual Oregon Leadership Summit

 

Documents

2009 Oregon Business Plan Policy Playbook, Initiative and Cluster Guide

 

Organizations honored for sustainability leadership at Business Summit

December 11, 2008

Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury honored six Oregon companies for their commitment to sustainable business practices at the second annual Oregon Business Plan Leadership Summit December 11.

“Businesses increasingly understand that sustainability benefits the bottom line in three ways,” said Bradbury, who also chairs the Oregon Sustainability Board. “First it helps the economy; second, the environment and third, our citizens.”

Sokol Blosser Winery, Full Sail Brewing and Klamath Basin Brewing Company were the small business award winners. New Seasons Market received the award in the “large” business category. The NGO/Government award went to ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia. Finally, the Eugene ‘08 Local Organizing Committee, host of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials received a special project award.

The business and NGO/government awards recognized organizations that had taken dramatic and comprehensive steps to incorporate sustainability into their operations. The special project award was given in recognition of a particular project that demonstrated innovative and significant sustainability principles.

In 2006, Governor Kulongoski issued an Executive Order directed the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) to establish an awards program to promote and advance the inclusion of sustainable practices in government and the private sector.

“Honoring Oregon businesses which are leaders in sustainability highlights the critical role it plays in all 21st century economic development,” said OECDD Director Tim McCabe. “Every business in Oregon can help the state’s effort to become the nation’s leading sustainable economy.”

More on the 2008 Oregon Sustainability Award Winners:

Small Business Award Winners  

Sokol Blosser Winery

Sokol Blosser is a family-owned, organic winery in Dundee. Sokol Blosser constructed the first LEED Silver underground barrel cellar, installed solar panels to provide one-third the winery’s energy, and put extensive effort into biodiversity and water management projects.

Full Sail Brewing Company

Full Sail Brewing is an employee-owned brewing company in Hood River. Full Sail uses local ingredients whenever feasible, uses a hot water recovery system to save over three million gallons of water per year and purchases wind power for its facility’s energy needs.

Klamath Basin Brewing Company

Klamath Basin Brewing is located in Klamath Falls and is the only brewery in the world to use a geothermal system in its production. Klamath Basin has a unique process to recover the maximum amount of heat from the geothermal water and also converted a dilapidated landmark into a viable commercial hub for the local community.

Large Business Award Winner

New Seasons Market

New Seasons Market operates in the Portland metro area and is committed to promoting community involvement, a progressive workplace, and sustainable, regional agriculture. One third of all of New Seasons’ products are caught or produced in Oregon, Washington or Northern California. New Seasons provides excellent benefits to its employees and hosts benefit events to feed the hungry. In addition, the company has green building specifications for its stores and has set a new industry standard for composting and recycling.

NGO/Government Award Winner

ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia

ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia is a non-profit, community development financial institution that serves rural and urban communities in Oregon and Washington. The firm’s key investments include organic dairy farms, the Community Seafood Initiative to support sustainable fisheries, and remediation and redevelopment of formerly contaminated sites.

Special Project Award

Eugene 08 Local Organizing Committee

The Eugene ‘08 Local Organizing Committee hosted the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. The committee put considerable focus on transportation alternatives providing bike valet service, walking and cycling maps and bus shuttles. In addition, the committee installed solar panels on the entertainment stage to power the stage and two, large video boards. The committee also put tremendous focus on waste reduction, composting and recycling.

For more information, please refer to http://www.sustainableoregon.net. http://sustainableoregon.net.

Business leaders issue proposals to jumpstart Oregon's economy

December 10, 2008

 

Business leaders today released a "Jumpstart Oregon Stimulus Proposal" that includes measures to stimulate Oregon's economy in line with the state's long-term goals of leadership in sustainable industries and practices.

"The policies that we propose here address the downturn, support Oregon's long-term strategy of building globally competitive industry clusters, and position us well to consolidate our policy and business lead in sustainability," said Steve Pratt, Chair of the Oregon Business Plan.  

Read the proposal here.  

Governor Announces Partnership With Nissan, PGE on Electric Vehicles  November 19, 2008

 

A key plank of the Oregon Business Plan transportation initiative is to accelerate the development of infrastructure for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles in Oregon.  Today, Governor Kulongoski announced a partnership between Nissan, PGE and the State of Oregon to do just that.

 

Read more

 

Governor Reveals Transportation Agenda

November 10, 2008

Governor Kulongoski today revealed his transportation agenda for the 2009 legislature.  The Governor began a year long process to develop his agenda at last year's Leadership Summit.  

The agenda, called the "Jobs and Transportation Act of 2009" was informed in part by of the work of three committees:  vision, governance and public outreach.  The vision and management committees were Chaired by Business Plan transportation initiative leaders Pat Reiten and Steve Clark, respectively.  The public outreach committee was chaired by the Governor's Chief of Staff Chip Terhune.  

The Governor's transportation agenda can be viewed here.  

Oregon Innovation Council Releases 2009-2011 Plan

November 1, 2008

 

The 2009 Oregon Innovation Plan includes support for bolstering innovation in the forest products industry, continued investments in wave energy, food processing, seafood and manufacturing, and continued support for Oregon's three signature research centers.

The $26 million funding request is supported by recent reports that investments in signature research can deliver a big payoff: According to a report by RTI International, a research firm based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., the Oregon Nanoscience an Microtechnology Institute (ONAMI) has returned more than $100 million on the states $38 million investment.

Learn more about the Oregon Innovation Plan at www.oregoninc.org

Report highlights the return on investment of ONAMI.  

November 1, 2008

A recent report by RTI International, a research firm based in Research Triangle Park, N.C., the Oregon Nanoscience an Microtechnology Institute (ONAMI) has returned more than $100 million on the states $38 million investment.

ONAMI, Oregon's first signature research center, was proposed by the Oregon Council on Knowledge and Economic Development (OCKED) and was an initiative of the Oregon Business Plan.  

Read the report here.  

Oregon Ballot Measures will have major impact on Oregon's ability to accomplish Oregon Business Plan initiatives.

Several Oregon ballot measures will have an impact on Oregon's ability to accomplish the initiatives laid out in the Oregon Business Plan.  

Read a joint statement from several business associations involved in the Oregon Business Plan here.  

Oregon Health Fund Board releases draft proposal

The Oregon Health Fund Board released its draft proposal in early September.  Review the proposal at http://www.oregon.gov/OHPPR/HFB/index.shtml.  The Oregon Business Plan Health Care committees will be reviewing this work and issuing their own recommendations in November.  

Governor outlines transportation priorities

Governor Kulongoski has made transportation a top issue for his agenda in 2009.  Review the Governor's transportation priorities here.  

Governor outlines climate change agenda

Governor Kulongoski has laid out an ambitious agenda to combat climate change.  Read the press release here.  

Go to News Archive

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Media Coverage:

Transportation tops to-do list.  The Oregonian, December 4, 2007.   Legislators and businesses plan ways to upgrade Oregon's aging roads and bridges.  Read more

Turning concepts into cash.  The Oregonian, December 4, 2007.  Leaders ask if the state's sustainability special push adds jobs for the middle class.  Read more

New Green Initiatives.  Leadership Summit attendees electronically registered straw votes on several proposals to further state progress on the sustainability front.  Read more

Five questions with Steve Pratt  The Oregonian, December 2, 2007

Steve Pratt, president of the Northwest Portland metals manufacturer Esco Corp., is this year's chairman of the Oregon Business Plan. As such, he'll be the man introducing the plan at Monday's Leadership Summit, the annual event in which the business community unveils its big-picture legislative agenda and strategic prescriptions to grow the state economy.  read more

Green focus pays, but work remains.  Portland Business Jounral,  November 30, 2007

Much of next week's annual Oregon Leadership Summit will build on last year's "Gaining Sustainable Advantage" theme...read more

Transportation Needs Finally Getting Attention.  Lake Oswego Review.  November 22, 2007

Leadership summit next month will offer great chance to tackle transportation issues....read more

Media Coverage Archives

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