All posts by zach baker
Zach works to advance policies that address climate change and accelerate the transition to clean energy in Oregon.
Zach brings to his work over a decade of policy and advocacy experience focused on protecting the environment and promoting public health. His experience spans the local, state, and federal policy levels and he has served in a variety of capacities, including serving as a City Councilor in Corvallis, Oregon. Immediately prior to joining Climate Solutions, Zach worked with the Center for Climate Change and Health to launch a national initiative to engage health professionals in state climate change policy.
Zach holds a law degree from the University of Oregon with a focus in Environmental and Natural Resources Law and a BA from Tufts University in political science and community health.
When he’s not advocating for climate policies, Zach enjoys riding his bike, hiking a trail, and enjoying Oregon’s agricultural bounty.
A climate protection plan that exempts gas power plants(?!)
By: Zach Baker on January 22, 2021
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has proposed exempting the state's fossil gas power plants from their Climate Protection Program. This cannot stand.
Oregon's Environmental Quality Commission chooses industry over communities to develop air pollution regulations
By: Zach Baker on December 23, 2020
The EQC has decided to stack the cap-and-reduce rulemaking advisory committee with fossil fuel and big business interests.
Cap-and-reduce: Will DEQ step up to the plate?
By: Zach Baker on September 25, 2020
By no longer allowing industries to spew unlimited amounts of pollution into our air, DEQ's new cap-and-reduce policy can help transition Oregon to cleaner ways of powering our economy and communities.
Cap-and-reduce: What’s at stake as DEQ kicks off program design
By: Zach Baker on September 1, 2020
One major component of the Oregon Climate Action Plan is a directive for the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to set up a new program to “cap and reduce” climate-harming pollution from Oregon’s large polluters.
Clean, climate-friendly buildings can help Oregon build back better
By: Zach Baker on July 7, 2020
We can rebuild and recover in a more just, clean, healthy, and smart way—while creating lots of high quality green jobs along the way. One of those climate-smart and equitable solutions to build back better than before is right in front of us, and all around us: our homes and other buildings.
Oregon’s Climate Action Plan crosses first milestone
By: Zach Baker on June 24, 2020
Last month, twelve state agencies delivered their plans to carry out the Governor’s Executive Order on climate. Here's what we know so far.
Oregon reclaims leadership on bold climate action
By: Zach Baker on March 10, 2020
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has fulfilled her long-standing promise to take strong executive action to curb climate pollution. Learn more about what it does and why it matters.
Oregon reclaims leadership on bold climate action
By: Zach Baker on March 10, 2020
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has fulfilled her long-standing promise to take strong executive action to curb climate pollution. Learn more about what it does and why it matters.
It's go-time for the Oregon Legislature to pass cap-and-invest
By: Zach Baker on January 31, 2020
As we head into the 2020 session, we’re doing everything we can to ensure the Legislature passes a strong cap and invest policy. We’re also working on a number of other complementary bills to move the ball forward on climate – some of which are also unfinished business from last session.
What Oregon's leaders got done (and didn't) for the climate
By: Zach Baker on July 8, 2019
Oregon’s 2019 legislative session will likely go down in history for what did not happen for the climate - and rightly so.