Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity Campaign

Comunidades volunteers and organizers have been working to pass three bills centering energy justice through the Oregon legislature. To learn more about Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity Campaign go to their webpage: https://cleanenergyoregon.org/

[Hood River, OR] -- On Thursday, May 13th, the Oregon Senate passed the Energy Affordability Act (House Bill 2475). The bill passed with a total of 18 bipartisan, senate votes. It now goes on to Governor Brown’s desk to be signed into law. Once signed into law the Energy Affordability Act will alleviate the energy burden experienced by families across Oregon, which is felt particularly heavily in rural communities like Hood River and Wasco County. Energy burdened Oregonians are considered those that are low-income and pay more than 6% of their monthly income on energy bills. 

The Energy Affordability Act (HB 2475) is one of three bills comprising the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign. The campaign is supported by BIPOC-led organizations in addition to rural community organizations, energy advocates, and labor unions. Comunidades has been organizing members of the Gorge to participate in the campaign. Throughout the legislative session, Comunidades and volunteers have been working on passing the bills which center on environmental justice legislation. 

Comunidades volunteers, Alma Gaeta and Luis Rivas both participated in a virtual lobby week in April. They were able to connect with one of their representatives and discuss the importance of environmental justice legislation.

During the pandemic, many Oregonians in our Latina/o/x community struggled to pay their energy bills as costs increased across the state. The Energy Affordability Act tackles the energy burden placed on low-income families by giving the Public Utility Commission (PUC) the authority to allow utilities to provide rate designs that help reduce energy burden.