Building Resilience

Yesterday, Governor Tina Kotek issued Executive Order 25-29. The directive will accelerate Oregon’s transition to clean, affordable energy, and ramp up efforts to address the climate crisis head-on.

Thank you Governor Kotek for exemplifying what meaningful climate progress can look like!

Latest Kotek climate order aims to speed up Oregon’s clean energy transition - oregonlive.com The executive order seeks to accelerate wind and solar energy and energy storage, energy efficiency and the transition to clean fuels in Oregon.

We can and must achieve Oregon's 100% clean electricity goals. Gov. Kotek's new executive order on climate provides the momentum and focus needed to get there, says Climate Solutions' Nora Apter

Governor Kotek Signs Bills to Lower Energy Costs for Oregonians

"Republicans are making matters worse by pushing legislation that will only drive monthly power bills even further."

Thank you @pallone.house.gov for leading opposition to this fossil fuel giveaway and making clear how expanded LNG exports hurt working families 👇

Editorial: Oregon has a roadmap to divorce from fossil fuels The Oregon energy strategy is a playbook of strategies for legislators and state officials to transform Oregon's energy profile.

Inaction isn't an option, because doing nothing increases the costs to Oregonians, families, and businesses.
The answer to energy affordability, after two years of research: cut down energy waste as quickly as possible and electrify everything. Let's get to work!

Voters’ anger at high electricity bills and data centers looms over 2026 midterms Voter anger over rising electricity costs is shaping next year's midterm elections. Communities with fast-rising electric bills or debates over who pays for Big Tech's energy needs are pivotal.

Clean energy, like wind + solar, is the cheapest, fastest solution to the power we need to thrive and get utility bills under control.
By propping up fossil fuels like coal and methane "natural" gas, Congress and the President are making things more expensive.
States must step up leadership.

This morning, I stood with Democratic Members of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition to sound the alarm on America’s absence from COP30.

As the world confronts the climate crisis, the United States must lead.

We owe our children a commitment to be good stewards of God’s creation.

Massachusetts considers expanding effort to ban gas in new buildings Lawmakers are weighing a bill that would allow 10 more cities and towns to prohibit the use of fossil fuels in new construction through an existing pilot…

Massachusetts may let another 10 cities adopt a groundbreaking gas ban that advocates say is already lowering emissions and energy bills in several communities.

Low or no-cost comfort: Portland program helps families save on energy The Community Energy Project helps Oregonians cut energy bills, stay safe at home

"my electricity bill went down significantly and I was happy about that because being on fixed income that really helped me." -- Sammie, after receiving help with home upgrades.

We must continue as a state to invest in affordability and resilience for homes.

Climate Stress and AI Collide With many municipalities already stretched to the brink by climate impacts, the rise of data centers poses a new threat.

With many municipalities already stretched to the brink by climate impacts, the rise of data centers poses a new threat.

Fueling Sickness: The Hidden Health Costs of Fossil Fuel Pollution | Physicians for Social Responsibility Fueling Sickness The Hidden Health Costs of Fossil Fuel Pollution A collaborative report on the direct health impacts of fossil fuel pollution across every system of the body and every stage of fossil fuel use. Full Report "Fueling Sickness: The Hidden ...

Fossil fuels aren't just bad for the climate tomorrow — they're bad for human health today. A new report shows how coal, oil & methane gas harm every system of the body at every stage of life. Learn more and read the report at: psr.org/fuelingsickness

What to watch on energy in Tuesday’s elections Rising utility bills have catapulted energy into the top tier of campaign issues.

Power bills are up. Clean energy jobs are down. Today is the first test of Trump’s failed energy agenda.
https://www.eenews.net/articles/what-to-watch-on-energy-in-tuesdays-elections/

Strengthening America's energy sector means building & making more clean energy here. And yet...the federal government has been steering companies in the opposite direction.

Manufacturing projects accounts for nearly all of the investment and jobs lost so far in 2025 ($19.8 billion and 20,500 jobs)

According to Enverus, capital costs for new natural gas power plants now average $2,200/kW to $3,000/kW. An analysis by GridLab adds another $1,500/kW levelized for the 20-year cost of fuel and $500/kW for pipeline infrastructure, putting the cost of new gas generation at $4,000/kW to $4,500/kW. Kevin Smith, CEO of Arevon Energy, spent years working on natural gas projects alongside nuclear and renewables before transitioning to focus on renewables exclusively. He suggested there was a ceiling to how much gas could be built to meet near-term demand given the prices, pipeline constraints and interconnection queues. “Tens of gigawatts of new generation from natural gas is likely at least five years away, if not more,” Smith said.

Table: Comparison of typical cost and flexibility characteristics for various gas generation technologies: Natural Gas Combined Cycle, Natural Gas Combustion Turbine, NGCT Aeroderivative, and Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine plants. From Ascend Analytics’ report on thermal generation.

Cost estimates for new gas power plants just keep rising! www.utilitydive.com/news/gas-pow... 🔌💡

‘A devastating global audit’ shows how climate change is undermining the health of millions Extreme heat now kills one person every minute, according to a sweeping new report by the British medical journal The Lancet.

‘A devastating global audit’ shows how climate change is undermining the health of millions.

Extreme heat now kills one person every minute, according to a sweeping new report by the British medical journal The Lancet.

grist.org/health/lance...

#Climate #Heat #Health

A decision today by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit protects furnace standards set to reduce heating costs for many households-- saving households replacing an inefficient furnace with a new model an average of $350 over the life of the furnace.

appliance-standards.org/document/cou...

Significant Savings from 120-Volt Heat Pump Water Heaters - CleanTechnica Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. Some interesting data crossed our desk this week out of California. The Tech Clean California program, which provides heat pu...

We all need hot water at home or in our buildings. We don't want to pay more than we need to for it.
Heat Pump Water Heaters are 3x to 5x more energy efficient than other models and they don't pollute the neighborhood.
Now, there's a HP water heater that plugs right into a normal wall socket!

With the federal government shut down, states aren’t getting the funds they need to help low-income families pay rising utility bills. Power shut-offs during extreme weather can be deadly.

We’re calling on utilities to keep the lights on during the shutdown. ⚡️

Meet the coal miner who just started a geothermal drilling business A Colorado entrepreneur is going all in on a renewable energy source that will keep him digging — and could be a model for other miners looking beyond…

Fascinating story about a family of coal-miners who pivoted to drilling for geothermal amid the ongoing transition to renewables.

www.canarymedia.com/articles/geo...

New report examines fossil fuel ties of dozens of Trump administration hires Public Citizen and the Revolving Door Project found 43 fossil-fuel industry insiders among nominees and appointees to agencies charged with enforcing energy and environmental policy.

New report examines fossil fuel ties of dozens of Trump administration hires.

grist.org/accountabili...

#Oil #Solar #Energy #Environment #Climate

As SNAP Benefits Dry Up, Trump States to Pay Bigger Price The impact is going to be felt by millions of Americans

Starting tomorrow, SNAP will end, home heating assistance will run out, and health premiums will soar. Trump’s cruelty is hitting home just as winter begins. https://time.com/7329733/snap-benefits-food-stamps-shutdown/

Trump killed a crucial disaster database. This nonprofit just saved it. Climate Central revived the federal list of billion-dollar disasters, another example of nonprofits providing data the government deletes.

Trump killed a crucial disaster database. This nonprofit just saved it.

Climate Central revived the federal list of billion-dollar disasters, another example of nonprofits providing data the government deletes.

grist.org/extreme-weat...

#Climate #Disaster #Weather #Data #Nonprofit

Climate change hits low-income Oregonians first and worst. Weatherizing homes saves energy, lowers bills, and saves lives. Federal & state funds make it possible, and Oregon lawmakers must keep investing in resilient, affordable housing for all. Read more: buff.ly/f53fPXF #Weatherization

Massachusetts heat-pump owners are about to get cheaper electricity The state’s innovative winter heat-pump rates go into effect this weekend and should make the tech more accessible. Deeper discounts could come next year.

Massachusetts just made clean heating cheaper 💡❄️ — new winter discounts for heat-pump owners cut bills by up to $140/month! ⚡
A big win for energy equity + sustainability. 🌍
#CleanEnergy #HeatPumps #SustainableInvesting #EGEASRI
www.canarymedia.com/articles/hea...

Oregon to miss its 2035 greenhouse gas reduction benchmark by 2 years, report says The Oregon Climate Action Commission’s updated report says the state is delayed in meeting its 2035 carbon reduction goals by two years. The commission is seeking public input through the end of the m...

We're wasting energy in our homes & buildings if we're not hitting our targets for cutting climate pollution. That means we're paying more on our utility bills than we should be.
Our state must do more to help us achieve energy efficient homes that run on clean energy. Lower bills + cut pollution.

Rolling back appliance efficiency rules could imperil the US manufacturing boom The Trump administration’s onshoring ambitions are on their way to being compromised by its anti-efficiency policies.

Just what everyone wants, refrigerators that burn MORE energy! Rolling back appliance efficiency standards will raise energy bills & slow innovation. Weak rules proposed by the Trump administration mean higher costs for families & fewer opportunities for U.S. workers to compete globally.

Most coal-fired power plants will delay retirement to feed AI boom, energy secretary says The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump expects most of the nation's coal-fired power plants to delay retirement to help deliver the vast amount of electricity needed to fuel artificial intelligence, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Reuters on Thursday.

Trump admin wants to keep expensive coal plants online to power AI

If you're wondering why electricity bills are going up....
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Today! Health Benefits of Electrification + Resources to Make Your Home Climate Resilient Webinar 6pm

¡HOY! Beneficios para la Salud de la Electrificación + Recursos para Mantener tu Hogar Resiliente al Clima – Seminario Web 6 p.m.

🌱 Free! Healthy homes = healthy communities
✨ TODAY (9/9) • 6 p.m. • Zoom
🗣️ Free bilingual webinar (English & Spanish)
buff.ly/Qri2gga
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🌱 ¡Gratis! Hogares sanos = comunidades fuertes
✨ HOY (9 de septiembre) • 6 p.m. • Zoom
🗣️ Seminario web gratuito y bilingüe (inglés y español)
buff.ly/Qri2gga

Electrify Portland! The Electrify Portland! Home Electrification Fair is a free, festive, one-day event for homeowners and renters on September 15th, 2024

Electrify your curiosity first. ⚡ The rest will follow.
If you're in or around Portland Sept. 27th: Electrify Portland! Home Electrification Fair!
Meet reliable local contractors, check out heat pumps, ebikes, EVs, and electric lawn tools. Free tix.
Visit ElectrifyPortland.org

Your guide to using the home energy tax credits before they're gone Save on better appliances before the year ends. Help for all your tax credit and installation questions.

Thinking about upgrading your heating, cooling, or water heating? There are federal tax credits that can help you save big on projects like these, but they’re expiring soon.

Find out how you can get started with @rewiringamerica.bsky.social's "Save on Better Appliances" resource hub: