November 2021 Newsletter
Fall is a Great Time to Assess Energy Use Through Our Rural & Agricultural Energy Audit Program
With Oregon’s fall harvest wrapping up and planning underway for next year, now is the perfect time to learn about the Oregon Department of Energy’s Rural & Agricultural Energy Audit Program.
ODOE was awarded a $100,000 grant earlier this year from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which we will use to help pay for up to 75 percent of the cost of an energy audit for Oregon agricultural producers and rural small businesses. An energy audit may include inspection of buildings, processes, and/or equipment to analyze energy consumption and identify efficiency improvements to reduce a business’s energy use and costs. Energy audits can help prioritize potential improvement projects based on energy savings, payback period, and other factors. An energy audit is required for some incentive applications (such as USDA’s REAP programs), and is helpful in funding and investment planning.
Rural small businesses and agricultural producers can fill out our online interest form, and one of our program staff will follow up! More information about the program is available on our website and in our FAQ document.
2021 Federal Infrastructure Bill: What Does it Mean for Oregon?
On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. On ODOE's blog this month, we shared an overview of the funding Oregon expects to receive over the next five years, including millions for energy efficiency, weatherization, electric vehicle infrastructure, grid resilience, and more.
We expect to learn more about the funding and when it will be allocated in the New Year. The Oregon Department of Energy is committed to ensuring our state is well-positioned to leverage these dollars in support of a safe, equitable, clean, and sustainable energy future. Learn more on our blog.
Fueling Up Oregon in Emergencies
Here in Oregon, we talk a lot about being prepared for emergencies. We know the “Big One,” a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake, is on the horizon someday. But we also know other emergencies – such as pandemics, wildfires, ice storms, or flooding – can also affect the way Oregonians live, work, and travel.
In the event of an emergency, the Oregon Department of Energy is a responding agency, tasked with coordinating distribution of petroleum fuels for critical services. Our Oregon Fuel Action Plan, first published in 2017, outlines the steps we would take following an emergency – from assessing damage and needs to sharing public information and coordinating distribution of fuel. The plan can be scaled up for a significant emergency like an earthquake or scaled down for a smaller or more localized issue. ODOE has implemented parts of the plan over the last several years for fueling concerns during the 2017 total solar eclipse, as well as during frequent winter storms and wildfires.
Summer 2021 presented a new fuel challenge: jet fuel delivery. Deanna Henry, ODOE’s Emergency Preparedness Manager, responded over the summer to requests for additional jet fuel deliveries to small airports in southern and northeast Oregon to support firefighting missions. While there was no shortage of jet fuel in Oregon, there were logistical challenges connecting available supplies with fuel haul trucks and drivers to get the much-needed fuel to the local airports supporting firefighting efforts. Deanna worked with state, local, and federal partners, as well as with the private sector, to ensure firefighters had the fuel they need to continue to fight wildfires.
With the ongoing effects of climate change, it’s likely we’ll have challenging wildfire seasons each year. ODOE will continue working with partners to ensure Oregon’s emergency responders have the fuel they need. Learn more about the Oregon Department of Energy’s emergency preparedness program on our website.
Grounded Podcast: 2021 BiZEV and EV Extravaganza
In the latest episode of ODOE's Grounded podcast, host Erica Hertzsch sits down with Jessica Reichers, ODOE's Energy Technology & Policy Manager and resident EV aficionado, to discuss our 2021 Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report. Jessica dives into EV trends and data, including the positive effect making the switch to electric transportation options can have on Oregon’s climate change goals. Listen to the episode on ODOE's blog or through your favorite podcast app. Pictured below: Jessica and her all-electric Tesla on a roadtrip this summer.
Energy Facility Siting Council Welcomes New Members in 2021
The Energy Facility Siting Council welcomed two new members, both confirmed by the Oregon Senate, this year.
Perry Chocktoot started his term in March. He joins the Council with a strong background in cultural and heritage expertise – serving as the Klamath Tribes’ Culture and Heritage Department Director, in addition to time on the Klamath Tribes Tribal Council and on the Governor’s Task Force on Cultural Resource Identification. Perry lives in Klamath Falls, and is a lifelong fisherman and hunter as well as a traditional arts and crafts practitioner.
Phil Stenbeck lives in Prineville and joined the Council in November. Phil has been an Oregon land use planner for 25 years, and currently serves as the Jefferson County Community Development Director. He also spent time as the Eastern Oregon Field Representative for the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, in addition to serving as a Crook County Assistant Planning Director.
As the Council welcomes Perry and Phil, we also thank Mary Winters for her service as her term on the Council comes to an end. Learn more about the Council and how to participate in the facility siting process on our website.
Reports from Around the Agency
Oregon Department of Energy staff were well-represented during November Legislative Days, discussing our work with the Senate Interim Committee on Energy & Environment. ODOE Senior Climate Policy Analyst Maya Buchanan joined Oregon Global Warming Commission Chair Catherine Macdonald to present the Commission's Natural & Working Lands Proposal, ODOE Technology & Policy Manager Jessica Reichers shared information about our 2021 Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report, and ODOE's Emergency Preparedness Manager, Deanna Henry, joined a discussion on the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub.
ODOE Senior Policy Analyst Rob Del Mar presented on battery storage technology for Oregon communities at the Oregon Solar + Storage Energy Conference earlier this month.
The Oregon Department of Energy is hosting two virtual public meetings on December 7 and 8, 2021 from 9:30 – 11 a.m. to help inform development of the Oregon Global Warming Commission’s Transformational Integrated Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan. Ultimately, the Plan will include a list of actions to form a “Roadmap to 2035” and will serve as recommendations for consideration by the Governor, Legislature, and other policy makers to help meet Oregon’s 2035 GHG emissions reduction and carbon sequestration targets.
The Oregon Legislature assigned ODOE several new studies to complete over the next year. Visit ODOE's website to learn more about the studies – including regional transmission organizations, floating offshore wind, small-scale renewable energy, and renewable hydrogen – and sign up for email updates on study progress, public meetings, and opportunities to weigh in.
As ODOE stands up our new financial incentive programs, we are holding public workshops and rulemaking meetings over the next few months. Learn more about these incentive programs on our website, and sign up for email updates to receive updates, meeting notices, and opportunities to weigh in on program development.
ODOE is working on several administrative rulemakings this fall and winter, including for our incentive programs, radioactive waste materials, the public purpose charge program, and others. View upcoming meetings and more information on our website.
We're hiring! We are recruiting for a Senior Siting Analyst (Utility & Energy Analyst 3) for our Energy Facility Siting Division. Learn more and apply by December 15.
ODOE submitted comments this month on the Northwest Power & Conservation Council's Draft 2021 Northwest Power Plan. The plans are developed every five years to “ensure an adequate, efficient, economical, and reliable power supply for the region.” View the Council's draft plan on the Council’s website.
Earlier this month, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced that the Environmental Quality Commission approved the Clean Trucks Rule, which will reduce pollution on the state’s roadways by requiring manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to sell a certain percentage of zero emission electric vehicles starting with the 2025 model year. Read more on our Go Electric Oregon website.
Volunteers are currently being recruited to serve on the Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board. The 20-member board provides input to the U.S. Department of Energy and its regulators on the Hanford Nuclear Site cleanup. Learn More.
The Energy Facility Siting Council, a governor-appointed volunteer council responsible for the review and oversight of large-scale energy facilities, is also recruiting potential new members. Contact Todd Cornett, ODOE's Assistant Director for Siting and the Council Secretary, with questions.
ODOE is partnering with SEI in supporting a Climate Corps Fellows program in Oregon by providing technical assistance, energy education opportunities, and collaborating with partners in providing a network of mentors to support professional development for the fellows that participate in Climate Corps. Do you know someone interested in people-centered transportation system reform and accelerating transportation electrification to support coalition building, transportation policy research, and transportation electrification advocacy projects in Oregon? Our friends at Forth, the Oregon Environmental Council, Verde and Climate Solutions have teamed up to recruit for a Climate Corps Fellow for 2022.
Trying to reach an ODOE team member? Emails to ODOE staff should be directed to @energy.oregon.gov (replacing @oregon.gov). Old email addresses will continue to redirect for a while, but please update your address books with the new version. Some ODOE team members' phone numbers have also changed – check out our Contact Us webpage for updated information.
COVID-19 continues to influence how Oregonians live their daily lives. ODOE's Salem office remains closed to public walk-in traffic, but our services are 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
Community Renewable Energy Grant Program Advisory Committee | December 1, 2021 | Via Webinar
Small-Scale Renewable Projects Study Workgroup | December 3, 2021 | Via Webinar
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan Meetings | December 7-8, 2021 | Via Webinar
Energy Code Stakeholder Panel | December 14, 2021 | Via Webinar
Energy Facility Siting Council | December 16-17, 2021 | Via Webinar
Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)
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