A few weeks ago, we reported on Oregon Apollo, a ballot initiative on a program for biofuels and energy independence.

I just received an alert from the campaign that a group of Oil distributors have appealed the ballot title assigned by the Attorney General’s office:

On the legal front, two oil industry trade groups requested changes to the ballot title that were rejected by the Attorney General. Subsequently, Brian Harris, on behalf of oil distributors, appealed the title to the Oregon Supreme Court on the last day appeals could be filed – March 14th. . This appears to be a delay tactic to keep us from collecting the valid signatures we need to submit to the Secretary of State by July 7th.

Here is the problem we now face: The Oregon Supreme Court is under no specific time line to address this oil industry appeal and we cannot move forward with collecting signatures until the Supreme Court acts. This delay can cripple our efforts to move forward with a clean energy agenda for the November 2006 ballot. We need at least 12 weeks to collect 75,000 plus valid signatures to be viable.

Stay tuned.