In the Pacific Northwest, E2 is organizing the business community to address climate change policy in the 2007 Oregon legislative session. They kicked things off on February 27 with a standing room-only gathering of business leaders, including newly elected representatives from the Oregon Legislature. Portland’s General Electric Company sponsored the dinner, thanks to E2 member Pamela Lesh, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Strategic Planning. Don Fuhrman, Senior Vice President of PPM Energy, and Angus Duncan, President of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, also addressed the audience.

NRDC’s Energy expert, Ralph Cavanagh, masterfully guided the process of creating an energy agenda on which the Oregon business community could take immediate action. The meeting was a great success, with overwhelming support for the policy agenda from the assembled group. Since the event, Oregon business leaders have sent letters supporting policy action on global warming to both U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) and members of the Oregon state legislature.