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Pursuant to my authority as Governor of the State of Oregon, I find that:
Sustainability represents a significant economic opportunity for the State of Oregon. Sustainability enables state and local government to operate in a more efficient and effective manner. Sustainability benefits all Oregonians, urban and rural. Oregon prospers when the economy, the environment, and our communities support each other.
Oregon's business and higher education sectors increasingly are focusing on the opportunities presented by sustainable development. The Oregon Business Plan has identified Sustainable Industries as a key development cluster for the state. The Oregon University System is pursuing opportunities to increase the focus on research and development related to sustainable technologies.
State Agencies Directed to Adopt Sustainable State Policies
Executive Order 03-03 directed the Oregon Sustainability Board and certain state agencies to develop policies and practices to make Oregon a more sustainable state, consistent with and in furtherance of the goals regarding sustainability adopted by the Legislative Assembly in 2001.
The primary intent of Executive Order 03-03 was to establish meaningful and measurable sustainability planning within state agencies and to encourage state agencies to lead by example in this important area.
The efforts of the Oregon Sustainability Board and forward thinking state agency directors and personnel have resulted in the following achievements:
… All 20 state agencies included in Executive Order 03-03 developed sustainability plans for their agencies and continue to update those plans and integrate them into their budgetary and strategic planning.
… Environmental management system ("EMS") plans have been developed within three state agencies.
… The state light duty vehicle fleet is transitioning to alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles and is using increasing amounts of ethanol and biodiesel.
… The state established a "green" building policy requiring all new state buildings to meet, at a minimum, the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ("LEED") program's silver equivalency status, with major renovations also requiring LEED certification.
… State procurement practices are beginning to include life cycle costs and sustainability considerations when making contracting and purchasing decisions, from computer equipment to janitorial supplies.
… The state dedicated L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, the first Oregon state park developed with sustainability as a primary objective.
… The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is incorporating sustainability into its $1.3 billion bridge repair program. One benefit of this innovative approach is that environmental baselines are assessed before design begins for each project, resulting in more efficient permitting, better environmental results and millions of dollars of projected cost savings.
Collectively, these and other successes resulted in economic, environmental and community benefits to the state and prove that state policy makers do not need to choose between the economy and the environment when making decisions aimed at providing a prosperous and sustainable future for Oregonians.
Oregon Sustainability Board
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AND DIRECTED:
1. The Oregon Sustainability Board ("Board") shall continue as an executive branch board serving at the pleasure of the Governor. The Board shall consist of 11 members representing business, local government and natural resource sectors and shall reflect the geographic diversity of Oregon. The members of the Board, including the Chair, will be appointed by the Governor. The Chair shall establish the agenda for Board meetings and generally provide leadership and direction to the Board. A quorum for Board meetings shall consist of a majority of the appointed members. The Board shall strive to operate by consensus; however, the Board may approve measures and make recommendations based on an affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum present. The members of the Board shall not be entitled to the reimbursement of expenses or to the per diem provided in ORS 292.495.
2. The Board is directed to manage and carry out the following primary objectives:
Sustainable Practices Toolbox for State and Local Governments
a. Assist Local Governments and the Private Sector with the Development of Sustainability Practices.
i. The Board shall coordinate a multi-agency effort to develop a "Sustainable Practices" toolbox for state and local governments and for the private sector. The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) shall lead this effort. The Board, together with DAS and OECDD, shall determine the appropriate components of the toolboxes, which may include information regarding best practices, sustainability certification programs and processes, training opportunities and case studies.
ii. The Board shall coordinate the development of a Sustainability Awards Program to promote and advance the inclusion of sustainable practices in government and the private sector. OECDD shall be the agency primarily responsible for assisting the Board with this effort, with staff assistance, as needed, from the Department of Agriculture (DOA), the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), DAS and the Department of Energy (DOE).
b. Promote Sustainable Economic Investment and Development. In this area, the Board shall give priority to efforts related to renewable energy and working landscapes.
i. The Board's energy focus requires working with the private sector, academic institutions, non-profits and state and local governments to maximize practices in Oregon that create economic opportunities, while also promoting renewable and efficient energy use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing material use and costs. One priority area should be to assist efforts to develop viable bioenergy markets in Oregon.
ii. The working landscapes focus requires working with the natural resource sectors, academic institutions, non-profits, state and local government and consumers to incent and promote practices that help agricultural, ranching, forestry and fishing sectors achieve value-added market opportunities that are built and marketed around sustainable practices. Such opportunities include replication of the Oregon Natural Beef model in the wood products and agricultural sectors and efforts to strengthen initiatives, such as the Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Resource Center (OSARC), that promote better coordination, collaboration and integration of public and private efforts and resources and aim to enhance investment and job creation and retention while also achieving better environmental results.
c. Advance Sustainability Performance in State Government. The Board shall continue to work with state agencies that have developed sustainability plans and shall assist agency efforts to update and improve sustainability planning and to monitor and measure achievements. The Board shall also oversee the following new pilot initiatives with identified state agencies and shall receive regular reports from the agencies on progress:
i. DAS shall coordinate a State Procurement Interagency Team, that will include DOE, ODOT and DEQ. This interagency team shall develop recommended procurement acquisition models and training that take into account relevant sustainability principles, including, but not limited to, life-cycle cost assessment, energy impact assessment, and vendor take-back, re-use, re-charge, and re-build assessment. This task shall be completed by December 31, 2006.
ii. DAS shall coordinate a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Interagency Team which shall include DOE, ODOT, and DEQ. This interagency team shall develop a methodology for state agencies to develop greenhouse gas emission baseline assessments and recommend best practices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This task shall be completed by December 31, 2006.
iii. Beginning in 2007, DAS shall provide annual reports to the Sustainability Board detailing the greenhouse gas reductions that have been achieved within each agency vehicle fleet. Each state agency that operates a vehicle fleet shall develop a greenhouse gas reduction baseline and annual reduction targets utilizing the methodology developed by the Greenhouse Gas Interagency Team and shall annually report emission reductions to DAS. This report shall include the volume of ethanol and biodiesel used by agency fleets and any costs savings attributable to the use of more fuel efficient vehicles and alternative fuels.
iv. DAS shall collaborate and coordinate with California and Washington on possible regional purchasing strategies that aggregate the three states' purchasing power to maximize environmental and economic value. DAS shall report to the Board regarding these efforts.
v. DAS, in coordination with the Strategic IT Investment Team and DEQ, shall develop electronic waste disposal procedures that enable and encourage product take back, protect the security of information, recycle usable equipment and protect the environment. This task shall be completed by June 30, 2006.
vi. DOE shall coordinate an Energy Efficiency Interagency Team that will include DAS and the Oregon University System. The Energy Efficiency Interagency Team shall develop strategies to meet the Governor's previously announced goal of 20 percent energy efficiency savings in state government and education institutions in ten years, including consideration of the expanded use of energy service contracts in the public sector.
vii. OECDD, in coordination with DOE, and within existing funding and authority, shall establish and administer a renewable energy feasibility revolving loan fund to assist community renewable energy projects develop the information needed to assess the technical feasibility of developing renewable energy projects.
viii. The Department of State Lands is encouraged to coordinate an interagency team including ODF, DOE and DLCD to develop a streamlined process for developing renewable energy on state lands and waterways and for issuing leases for private sector development on state lands and waterways.
3. The Board shall be assisted in carrying out its activities by the following:
a. Sustainability Leadership Team. A Sustainability Leadership Team shall be comprised of the following: the Governor's Sustainability Policy Advisor (Chair), the Sustainability Board Chair and the Directors of the following agencies or their designees: DAS, OECDD, DOE, ODOT, DEQ, and such other members as may be requested by the Governor. The Leadership Team shall meet regularly, shall advise the Governor and the Board, as appropriate, and shall assist the Board with carrying out its responsibilities under this Executive Order.
b. Interagency Sustainability Network. DAS shall coordinate an Interagency Sustainability Network ("Network"). The Network shall be an informal forum of state agency personnel. The purpose of the Network is to exchange ideas and practices and to develop new approaches to sustainability among state agencies.
c. Oregon Solutions. Oregon Solutions shall periodically report to the Board regarding opportunities for sustainability related projects. The Board shall provide guidance to Oregon Solutions and to state agencies regarding projects that simultaneously address economic, environmental, and community concerns, as well as the ten community objectives listed in ORS 184.423(2). The Board and the Leadership Team shall identify opportunities for state agencies to participate in Oregon Solutions projects.
d. Sustainability Web Site. DAS will ensure that the state's sustainability website, SustainableOregon.net, continues to be a resource for the public and interested stakeholders.
4. Oregon University System. The Governor's Office shall work with a person designated by the Chancellor to develop and carry out a sustainability initiative for the Oregon University System. The Chancellor's designated coordinator will work with the institutions of higher education, the Academic Excellence Committee of the Board of Higher Education, the Oregon Innovation Council, OECDD and other state agencies to assess the feasibility of, and to implement research and development efforts regarding, areas that include, but are not limited to: (1) green building and forest products; (2) water systems and management; and (3) renewable energy. The coordinator shall also facilitate efforts to implement the OUS Sustainability Plan and to develop further policies to integrate sustainability into academic programs, operations and research and outreach within the university system. The coordinator shall work with the Governor's Office, the Board of Higher Education, the Oregon University System, the Oregon Innovation Council, OECDD and other state agencies to secure funding to accomplish this initiative.
5. Executive Orders EO-03-03 and EO-00-07 are superseded by this Executive Order and rescinded.
Done at Portland, Oregon this 19th day of January, 2006
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