Community Outreach and Rulemaking Meetings for ODOE's Energy Efficient Wildfire Rebuilding Incentive

Interested Oregonians can also submit comments about the program design through our online comment portal​.

The Oregon Department of Energy is holding a series of virtual public meetings focusing on Lincoln, Marion, Lane, and Jackson County, as well as a final wrap-up meeting, to help inform development of the Energy Efficient Wildfire Rebuilding Incentive. This new program was created by the legislature to support the energy efficient rebuilding of structures that were lost during the 2020 Labor Day fires. Department staff will provide information about legislation creating the program, share staff research on how the program could be designed, and seek feedback on questions like:  

  • How can the program be designed to best support wildfire survivors rebuilding in a way that saves energy and lowers their energy bills?  

  • How is energy efficiency being considered by wildfire victims as they seek to rebuild? Are residential and commercial structures being rebuilt to current building codes, or are people taking advantage of the ability to rebuild to the 2008 building code? 

  • Should the Department consider providing low-income wildfire victims a higher level of incentive to offer greater support for communities struggling to rebuild? 

  • If you are currently working towards rebuilding, would you consider building beyond current code to make your home more energy efficient and improve long term lower energy bills? 

  • How can the application process for a program like this be made convenient and accessible?  

Interested Oregonians can also submit comments about the program design through our online comment portal​.

M​eeting Schedule:

  • Wednesday October 27, 2021: Wildfire Recovery Community Outreach - Oregon Coast
    4-5 p.m. - Join via Webex (Event Password: Energy)

  • Thursday October 28, 2021: Wildfire Recovery Community Outreach - McKenzie Pass
    4-5 p.m. - Join via Webex (Event Password: Energy)

  • Tuesday November 2, 2021: Wildfire Recovery Community Outreach - ​Santiam Canyon
    8:30-9:30 a.m. - Join via Webex (Event Password: Energy)

  • Thursday November 4, 2021:  Wildfire Recovery Community Outreach - Southern Oregon
    4:30-5:30 p.m. - Join via Webex (Event Password: Energy)

  • Tuesday November 9, 2021: Wildfire Recovery Rulemaking Meeting
    4-5 p.m. - Join via Webex​​ (Event Password: Energy)

These public meetings will be held virtually via Webex. For individual meeting details, including how to participate, visit: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Get-Involved/Pages/EEWR-Rulemaking.aspx 

Background:

Oregon's Office of Emergency Management determined over 5,100 structures were destroyed and roughly 1.07 million acres burned in the twenty-one Labor Day 2020 fires. To support quick and affordable reconstruction, the Oregon legislature passed HB 2289, establishing guidelines and requirements for rebuilding properties affected by the 2020 wildfires. The Oregon Department of Energy is working with other agencies, utilities, local governments, community organizations, wildfire survivors, and the public to create an energy efficiency incentive program for wildfire survivors to rebuild structures lost in the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.

Sign up to receive email updates of the latest program information.​​ 

For more information or to provide comments, contact the wildfire rebuilding incentive team: Wildfire.Recovery@energy.oregon.gov

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