Tell the THPRD Board: Drop the Fossil Fuel Lobbyist
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District- Alfred Moreno, Chair
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD) is a community steward of nature, health, and environmental care. But THPRD currently shares a lobbyist with BP America, one of the world’s largest fossil fuel polluters.
This isn’t just bad optics—it’s a dangerous contradiction that undermines THPRD’s conservation mission and erodes public trust in the institutions we rely on for local environmental leadership.
Why It Matters:
A new 50-state report card from F Minus gave Oregon a “D” for its weak lobbyist transparency laws.
These loopholes allow fossil fuel lobbyists to represent both polluters and public institutions—often without full disclosure of the bills they work on or positions they take.
In Q2 of 2024, for instance, Chevron reported paying more than $15,000 to the Proxy lobbying firm, while Proxy disclosed effectively none of its work on Chevron’s behalf.
As F Minus director James Browning notes: “Greater transparency will make it harder for fossil fuel lobbyists to play both sides in the climate fight and help polluters greenwash their harm.”
THPRD’s partnership with a firm that also represents BP America runs counter to its stated goals of stewardship and community well-being. Continuing to work with that firm tacitly supports fossil fuel interests—and gives them a social license to operate, even as the climate crisis worsens.
Take action now:
Send a letter to THPRD’s Board of Directors urging them to:
Drop their current lobbyist over fossil fuel ties
Adopt a permanent no fossil fuel lobbyist policy going forward
Let’s protect the future of the Tualatin Hills and the people who call them home
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To:
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District- Alfred Moreno, Chair
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Members of the THPRD Board of Directors,
I am writing to urge you to sever THPRD’s relationship with its current lobbying firm over their representation of BP America, and to adopt a policy disallowing any future work with lobbying firms that represent fossil fuel interests.
Sharing a lobbyist with BP America is in direct conflict with THPRD’s mission to protect and steward public land, support healthy communities, and respond to environmental threats. Climate change is not abstract—it is already impacting our air, water, parks, and community well-being. By maintaining ties to a lobbyist that also works for one of the world’s biggest polluters, THPRD risks compromising its public credibility and values.
This month, a report from the climate watchdog organization F Minus gave Oregon a “D” for lobbyist transparency and disclosure. One example cited was Chevron’s disclosure of paying a lobbying firm $15,000—while that same firm reported just $15 in lobbying expenditures. These kinds of gaps in disclosure enable fossil fuel lobbyists to quietly represent both polluters and public-serving institutions without proper public oversight.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently called on all institutions to cut ties with the fossil fuel industry, including advertising and lobbying firms. Many local governments and organizations across the country are taking action—including Multnomah County, which sued fossil fuel companies for their role in driving climate disasters like the wildfires that are devastating the Pacific Northwest.
THPRD has an opportunity to be a leader in this moment. I urge you to:
Immediately drop your current lobbying firm due to their work for BP America
Commit to a fossil-free lobbying policy going forward
We all want to ensure a livable future for Tualatin’s parks, families, and ecosystems. That future demands consistency, transparency, and courage from our public institutions.
Thank you for your time and consideration.