May 2024 Newsletter

ODOE Launches New County Energy Resilience Grant Program

The Oregon Department of Energy has launched a new grant program that will bolster energy resilience in communities across the state. Through ODOE’s County Energy Resilience Program, Oregon counties can apply for up to $50,000 to support development of an energy resilience plan.

Energy resilience plans – and the actions to implement them – will strengthen the ability of a community to maintain or quickly recover the energy systems needed to support critical public services during disruptions to the state’s larger energy systems. Strengthening local energy resilience is fast becoming a priority as Oregon has experienced more extreme weather events in recent years like ice storms and extreme heat, as well as public power safety shutoffs during potential wildfire conditions. Local energy resilience will also support communities in the event of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.

Counties will receive funding for developing plans that outline current energy infrastructure, identify resilience needs, and map out a path for implementation. Plans are also expected to reflect engagement with environmental justice communities to identify communities more vulnerable to energy disruptions.

Each Oregon county government is eligible for a grant, and counties may pool their funds and work together in cohorts. ODOE will accept and review applications on a rolling basis through February 28, 2025, and counties must provide a copy of their developed plans by August 1, 2025. More information about the program, application requirements, and eligibility is available on ODOE’s website.

Second Round of Funding Available for Local Governments through Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

The Oregon Department of Energy is now accepting applications for a second round of funding through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. ODOE has $1,099,611 million remaining in the program for grants to eligible local governments for energy efficiency, renewable energy, or transportation-related projects. The funding is available thanks to the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.

Local governments are eligible to apply for grants to support projects that reduce fossil fuel emissions, lower a community’s total energy use, improve energy efficiency, and build a clean and equitable energy economy. The program is also designed to advance equity, environmental, and energy justice priorities in support of federal Justice40 Initiative goals to deliver benefits to disadvantaged communities.

Eligible applicants include Oregon units of local government that are not otherwise eligible to receive a direct Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. In Oregon, several larger cities and some counties are receiving grants directly from the U.S. DOE.

An Opportunity Announcement and application materials are available on ODOE’s website, including additional details and program requirements. ODOE will fund eligible projects on a rolling basis. This opportunity will remain open until the earlier of July 8, 2024 or until funds have been fully allocated.

Oregon Climate Action Commission Recruits New Members and Launches New Website

The Oregon Climate Action Commission is seeking new members to support its work. Interested Oregonians with experience in environmental justice, manufacturing, or the fishing industry are encouraged to apply for one of the commission's vacant voting positions. The commission is also seeking a youth member, aged 16-24, to serve a two-year voting member term.

The Oregon Climate Action Commission makes recommendations on statutory and administrative changes, policy measures, and other actions that should be carried out to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon consistent with the state’s emissions reduction and sequestration goals, as well as preparing communities for the effects of climate change.

Originally created in 2007 as the Oregon Global Warming Commission, the commission was modernized and renamed the Oregon Climate Action Commission in 2024. The commission's website has been refreshed, with a new URL to more accurately reflect its work: https://climate.oregon.gov.

Learn more about the member recruitment and how to apply on the commission's blog.

Celebrating the First Anniversary of ODOE's Community Navigator Program

On our blog this month, ODOE Community Navigator Sarah Moehrke reflects on the first anniversary of the agency's Community Navigator Program.

As we've shared in past newsletters and in an On the Road in Oregon blog series, the Community Navigator Program’s vision is to empower and support environmental justice communities throughout Oregon so that they can better understand and engage with energy programs, policies, and opportunities. Through this lens, Sarah has been able to foster meaningful partnerships throughout the state and enhance communities' access to programs, technical assistance, and information. Traveling over 10,000 miles in the last year, Sarah has enjoyed meeting with tribal leaders, nonprofits, city managers, community colleges, irrigation districts, utilities, and many others.

As Sarah writes on the blog, "Here’s to many more years of collaboration, empowerment, and progress." Read more in her own words on ODOE's blog.

Join ODOE for June 3 Virtual Open House on the Oregon Energy Strategy

The Oregon Department of Energy is developing the Oregon Energy Strategy, and we invite you to hear an update on the project and learn about ways to get involved!

The Oregon Energy Strategy will evaluate potential pathways to shape an equitable clean energy transition that meets the diverse needs of Oregonians. Strategy development will consider a range of factors, including impacts to the environment, public health, affordability, the economy, and jobs.

Join ODOE on June 3 at 1 p.m. to hear an overview of the project, meet the project team, and learn about ways to get involved. Log-in information is available on ODOE's website.

Reports from Around the Agency

Join our team! Keep an eye on ODOE's website for open recruitments and please share with your networks.
Applications for ODOE's Grid Resilience Grant Program are due June 14, 2024! ODOE's team will hold a webinar on June 7 to provide support for potential applicants. Learn more on ODOE's website.
ODOE's Rental Home Heat Pump Program funding has been fully reserved as of May 2024, and ODOE is no longer accepting applications. The Oregon Legislature allocated an additional $4 million to the program during the 2024 legislative session, and we expect that funding to be available for new reservations in July. Please sign up to receive program emails to receive updates.
ODOE's Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program funding has also been fully reserved as of May 2024, and ODOE is no longer accepting applications. Please sign up to receive program emails to receive future program updates.
ODOE was pleased to join federal and local partners on April 30 to celebrate Oregon's award of $86.6 million for the federal Solar for All program. ODOE Director Janine Benner shared about the program's many benefits to Oregon during a roundtable discussion with federal, regional, and local partners. Learn more on our blog.
The Oregon Department of Energy has received an Innovation Award from the U.S. Department of Energy for successfully incorporating local government Home Energy Score programs in our statewide partnership. On the award, U.S. DOE says Oregon serves "as an examplary model of a state program that provides an easy pathway for local governments to implement their Home Energy Score policies."
ODOE was pleased to join the House Interim Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment on May 29 to provide an overview of the energy facility siting process in Oregon. You can watch the presentation on the Legislature's website. We may be back in front of the committee this fall to discuss more!
In last month's newsletter, we mentioned a series of public meetings across the state for Oregon's Energy Security Plan. Couldn't make it? Recordings of the meetings are available on ODOE's website.
Following the FEMA-graded emergency exercise for the Columbia Generating Station nuclear power plant in late March, ODOE once again activated its Agency Operations Center on May 16 to practice our emergency response in the event of an incident at the Hanford Nuclear Site. ODOE staff were on hand in Salem's AOC as well as in Richland, WA for the emergency exercise. Learn more about our emergency preparedness work on our website.
As ODOE's new Building Performance Standards Program gets up and running, the agency will be hosting public meetings as administrative rules are developed. Learn more and see upcoming meeting dates on our website.
Did you know ODOE's Energy Facility Siting Team is currently reviewing more than a dozen proposed or amended energy facilities? From wind to solar facilities – to combined wind, solar, and storage facilities – you can learn more about the state's process and how to get involved on our website. You can also sign up to receive a monthly facility siting update showing the latest and greatest.
ODOE has several incentive programs up and running. Learn more about our energy incentives on ODOE's website.