October 2020 Newsletter
Coming Soon: 2020 Biennial Energy Report
November 1 is just around the corner, which means we'll be publishing the second edition of our Biennial Energy Report. The "BER" is chock-full of interesting data, energy stories from around Oregon, energy technology and resource reviews, policy briefs, and more.
We'll share more about the report in next month's newsletter. In the meantime, keep an eye on energyinfo.oregon.gov/ber for the report's launch.
Oregon Solar + Storage Program Continues Rolling Out Rebates
Last month, we shared that the Oregon Department of Energy had published its first annual Report to the Legislature for the Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program. ODOE's team has continued processing rebates for the program – to date, we've issued rebates totaling $700,813 for:
37 Low- and moderate-income residential solar projects
1 Low- and moderate-income residential solar plus storage projects
204 non-income restricted residential solar projects
20 non-income restricted solar plus storage projects
All of the remaining funds ($1.5 million total) were reserved, and over half is being distributed to low- and moderate-income Oregonians and low-income service providers. Learn more about the program on our website.
ODOE Monitors Safe Storage of Uranium Disposal
Oregonians may be surprised to learn that for a brief period in the late 1950s/early 60s, there were two active uranium mines in southern Lake County along with a uranium mill in Lakeview. While the sites are no longer active, the Oregon Department of Energy’s Nuclear Safety & Emergency Preparedness team inspects the mill tailings disposal cell annually to ensure that an engineered cap continues to be protective. ODOE hydrogeologist Tom Sicilia recently conducted this year’s site visit with our U.S. Department of Energy counterparts.
The mill in Lake county operated from late 1958 until 1961, and mining at White King and Lucky Lass stopped around 1965, but a uranium tailings pile remained next to the mill. In 1976, areas of elevated radioactivity were discovered, and the tailings pile was covered with about two feet of dirt. Between 1968-1988, the mill tailings and contaminated soil were excavated and moved to a disposal cell about seven miles outside of Lakeview. A compacted soil layer was added to limit radon escape and water percolation into the tailings, and a rock cover was added to protect the soil from erosion.
Read more on our blog.
Grounded Podcast Re-launches with New Host
Our energy-focused podcast, Grounded, is re-launching with a new host ready to tackle interesting new stories about energy in Oregon. First up, an interview with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's Clean Fuels Program Manager, Cory Ann Wind. In the episode, Cory Ann talks about the program's work toward reducing pollution from transportation fuels in Oregon. Listen on your favorite podcast app or on our blog.
ORESA Update
The Oregon Renewable Energy Siting Assessment (ORESA) project is funded through a $1.1 million U.S. Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment grant awarded to the Oregon Department of Energy, working with the Department of Land Conservation & Development and Oregon State University's Institute for Natural Resources. The project has five components that will result in two deliverables in 2021. Right now, the team is actively working with our consultant, E3, on the first component of the project: the Renewable Energy Market & Industry Assessment. This assessment is collecting data and modeling future opportunities for development of renewable energy generation and transmission infrastructure, which will result in cost-optimized, renewable energy build-out scenarios for Oregon over the next 15 years. The assessment will help build an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist in the renewable energy development community and identify gaps that could be addressed for Oregon to meet its long-term energy goals. Check out the ORESA webpage for more information.
Reports from Around the Agency
As we mentioned last month, ODOE is accepting public comments through November 8 on Chemical Waste Management's detailed risk assessment and corrective action plan required by the Oregon Department of Energy following a February 2020 Notice of Violation for illegal disposal of radioactive materials in the Arlington landfill. More information about the violation, documents, and public meetings is available on our website.
The Rulemaking Advisory Committee for the ongoing Radioactive Materials Enforcement rulemaking project (OAR 345, Division 29) will meet Monday, November 2 from 2-5 p.m. Get details on our website.
On October 27, ODOE Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Maxwell Woods and Nuclear Remediation Specialist Jeff Burright joined the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs to discuss the corrective action plan and risk assessment for the Arlington Landfill and to answer Tribal Council questions.
On October 15, Portland General Electric announced it had officially closed the Boardman Coal Plant, Oregon's only coal-generated power plant. Learn more about the closure on PGE's website.
We were excited to see this month that the City of Ashland introduced 10 new electric vehicle charging stations downtown. The free EV chargers are supported in part by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's Clean Fuels Program. Learn more.
The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board met on October 29 to hear updates on the cleanup at the Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington. Board members also got to meet ODOE's new Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Maxwell Woods. Learn more about the Board on our website.
Volunteers are currently being recruited to serve on the Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board, with service to begin in 2021. Learn More.
ODOE's solar experts were on hand for the Oregon Solar Energy Industry Association's virtual Oregon Solar Energy Conference on October 6-8. ODOE was proud to sponsor the conference, and joined a conference panel to talk about the Solar + Storage Rebate Program.
ODOE also sponsored the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board Policy Conference on October 16. The conference focused on improving our energy systems in the age of COVID-19. ODOE Director Janine Benner joined a panel to discuss Governor Brown's Climate Change Executive Order 20-04.
ODOE Director Janine Benner also had an opportunity to talk about Oregon's path to zero carbon on a panel during the American Bar Association's Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources 28th Fall Conference.
More fun Oregon energy news: we heard this month that HIllsboro unveiled its new water pipeline energy-generating system. A turbine inside a pipeline bypass will help generate around 200,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity. Check out this highlight in the Portland Business Journal.
The Energy Facility Siting Council, a governor-appointed volunteer council responsible for the review and oversight of large-scale energy facilities, currently has one vacancy. Submit an interest form through the Governor's office, and contact Todd Cornett, ODOE's Assistant Director for Siting and the Council Secretary, with questions.
COVID-19 continues to influence how Oregonians live their daily lives. ODOE's Salem office remains closed to public walk-in traffic through at least December 31, but our services remain available. ODOE meetings are being held remotely. Keep an eye on our online calendar and sign up for emails to receive meeting notices and information on how to participate.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Oregon Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | November 18, 2020 | Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | November 19-20, 2020 | Via Webinar