Economic Summit focuses on carbon reduction and educating Oregon’s students, Aug. 27

Sen. Roblan release – LINCOLN CITY, Ore. – Nearly 700 public officials and business and community leaders from across the state came together for two days to discuss issues facing coastal and rural communities. Business and community leaders from coastal communities met with government officials and others to discuss complex issues ranging from climate change to education and broadband during the Oregon Coastal Caucus Economic Summit on Wednesday and Thursday at Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City. “We are excited to host this important regional summit for the second time, and we are honored to have some top-notch speakers again this year,” Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians Chairman Dee Pigsley said. The event – now in its seventh year – is an opportunity to create connections that can lead to solutions for economic issues facing coastal and rural communities, centering around the economy and quality of life. This year’s summit dedicated an entire day to carbon reduction to combat climate change at the state and local levels. The second day focused on education and featured meetings with members of the Joint Committee on Student Success, which has been touring the state to discuss educational issues with community leaders throughout Oregon. “Although there are specific issues that apply to the coastal regions, the majority of the Oregon Coastal Caucus Economic Summit is about meetings with elected officials, state agencies and private business leaders on the common goals that affect all Oregonians,” Wasco County Commissioner Rod Runyon said. Panels also focused on other emerging issues in rural communities such as challenges facing the state’s burgeoning cannabis industry and delivering building code inspection services in small towns and rural communities. Gaining a reputation for its valuable conversations, the event also drew a group of government officials from across the state, including inland Southern Oregon and Eastern Oregon. The event featured – in addition to city and county elected officials – several Oregon state legislators and members of Oregon’s congressional delegation. Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, and House of Representatives Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, participated in the event, leading a panel on legislative efforts on carbon emissions. “The Oregon Legislature’s Coastal Caucus is taking this opportunity to thank our federal Congressional delegation – Sen. Ron Wyden, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Congressional Rep. Kurt Schrader and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici – for their support and leadership of the Oregon Coastal Caucus Economic Summit,” said Coastal Caucus Chair Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose. “Members of the Coastal Caucus greatly appreciate the attention our congressional leaders have paid to the natural resource industries, education and workforce development, which are vital economic lifelines for our rural coastal region.”