The 2018 Democratic Party of Oregon Platform
Article 8 - INFRASTRUCTURE: Energy; Transportation; Communication and Media Systems;
Internet and Net Neutrality
Internet and Net Neutrality
Oregon Democrats support maintaining and upgrading our infrastructure. We demand new infrastructure projects prepare for a future that includes the realities of climate change, Oregon’s housing crisis, increasing corporate control of the flow of information, food system insecurity, scarcity of fresh water, rising seas along Oregon’s coast, and the affordability of renewable energy and storage technologies. We support state, national, and international greenhouse gas pollution reduction programs aimed at accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy while meeting our climate goals and providing funds to be invested in sustainable improvements to our state’s infrastructure. We believe in using the best peer-reviewed science and technology to protect essential infrastructure and to prevent and prepare to combat natural, technological, terrorist attacks, or other disasters. We believe that an open and free internet, with public control, is critical to information sharing, democracy, and enhancing innovation.
Planks:
1. We believe there are multiple benefits to increasing responsible development of regional, available, renewable, and resilient energy infrastructure. This infrastructure including storage microgrids, will improve the ability of communities to survive and recover from natural and human caused disasters resulting in a loss of utility grid power.
2. We support funding of programs that increase the affordability of renewable energy and energy storage technologies. Such technologies; include geothermal, wind, solar, wave, pumped hydropower, hydrogen fuel, and batteries.
3. We support energy conservation in public, residential, and commercial buildings, as well as industrial energy efficiency through green energy policies, incentives, and education.
4. We oppose using public funds to develop infrastructure components that transport or export non-renewable resources, including coal, oil, and liquid natural gas.
5. We believe Oregon’s economy is dependent on transportation. We must reduce our reliance on petroleum markets by investing in electric and hybrid forms of personal and commercial transportation, and mass transit, across the state.
6. We believe multi-modal, safe, transportation solutions must be available.
7. We believe that fully or partially publicly funded capital improvements should be constructed in a sustainable manner that balances costs, benefits, and risks to the environment, economy, and society.
8. We support public and private partnerships in developing, maintaining, and upgrading our infrastructure and fully oppose privatization of its ownership.
9. We support the implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in our local and state governments and municipalities to expedite open information access, facilitate workforce efficiencies, better inform decision-making, and enable concise communication with the public and between agencies.
10. We believe communities must protect agricultural, forestry, recreation and otherwise protected lands while accommodating increased construction and development. We support funding to assist with utility Service Development Charges where they have been shown to have stifled growth within existing urban growth and service boundaries.
11. We believe enhancing sustainable energy developments, increasing efficiencies in industrial, heating, cooling, and transportation processes, and reducing production and release of greenhouse gases are key infrastructure components of a sustainable future.
12. Governments at all levels have a responsibility to support investment in, and maintenance of, an up-to-date physical infrastructure that supports a free, open, and neutral internet.
13. We support using the internet to implement Engagement Broadcast as a way to facilitate a conversation with people using the internet, where they are, about the critical issues of our time and to share ideas for solutions.
14. We believe the internet is an essential resource for all members of society and must be classified a public utility as that term is used in Title II of the Federal Telecommunications Act. A free, universally available, high-speed internet is essential to informed citizenry in a free, democratic, 21st century society.
2. We support funding of programs that increase the affordability of renewable energy and energy storage technologies. Such technologies; include geothermal, wind, solar, wave, pumped hydropower, hydrogen fuel, and batteries.
3. We support energy conservation in public, residential, and commercial buildings, as well as industrial energy efficiency through green energy policies, incentives, and education.
4. We oppose using public funds to develop infrastructure components that transport or export non-renewable resources, including coal, oil, and liquid natural gas.
5. We believe Oregon’s economy is dependent on transportation. We must reduce our reliance on petroleum markets by investing in electric and hybrid forms of personal and commercial transportation, and mass transit, across the state.
6. We believe multi-modal, safe, transportation solutions must be available.
7. We believe that fully or partially publicly funded capital improvements should be constructed in a sustainable manner that balances costs, benefits, and risks to the environment, economy, and society.
8. We support public and private partnerships in developing, maintaining, and upgrading our infrastructure and fully oppose privatization of its ownership.
9. We support the implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in our local and state governments and municipalities to expedite open information access, facilitate workforce efficiencies, better inform decision-making, and enable concise communication with the public and between agencies.
10. We believe communities must protect agricultural, forestry, recreation and otherwise protected lands while accommodating increased construction and development. We support funding to assist with utility Service Development Charges where they have been shown to have stifled growth within existing urban growth and service boundaries.
11. We believe enhancing sustainable energy developments, increasing efficiencies in industrial, heating, cooling, and transportation processes, and reducing production and release of greenhouse gases are key infrastructure components of a sustainable future.
12. Governments at all levels have a responsibility to support investment in, and maintenance of, an up-to-date physical infrastructure that supports a free, open, and neutral internet.
13. We support using the internet to implement Engagement Broadcast as a way to facilitate a conversation with people using the internet, where they are, about the critical issues of our time and to share ideas for solutions.
14. We believe the internet is an essential resource for all members of society and must be classified a public utility as that term is used in Title II of the Federal Telecommunications Act. A free, universally available, high-speed internet is essential to informed citizenry in a free, democratic, 21st century society.
