January 10, 2025

Get involved! Support Electrify Bend.


Sign the Petition https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/bend-city-council-pass-mandatory-electrification-policy/Electrify Bend: Building a Cleaner, Healthier Future

Bend Council: Electrify Bend with a Just Transition

Our community is already feeling the severe impacts of climate change. From prolonged droughts to intense wildfires and hazardous air quality, the effects of a warming world are hurting Bend and its residents. The grim reality is that Bend has the highest fire risk in Oregon. The climate crisis can no longer be ignored. Longer, more deadly mega fires, driven by climate change extreme drought and extreme winds are creating a high risk environment. Our air quality is frequently toxic, harming our health and the local economy as people stay indoors.  We believe that the time for bold, transformative action is now, and we are calling on the Bend City Council to lead the way. Together, we can create a future where all residents have access to safe, clean, and sustainable energy—protecting both our health and our environment.

Protect our health and safety: People’s lives are in the balance. Like a stop sign controls behavior to avoid harm, we need guardrails, supportive incentives,  and requirements to foster timely uptake on electrification for the entire community. 

Gas is harmful to everyone, but especially small children and vulnerable communities. Indoor air quality becomes unhealthy from appliance use, as deadly benzene and formaldehyde leak into the room, even when appliances are off.  This contributes to lung and heart disease and asthma in children. 

To protect the health, safety and local economy from these deadly harms, we are asking the Bend City Council to take three critical actions: First, we urge the Council to set low nitrogen oxide (NOx) standards for all appliances in Bend. These should not be voluntary, allowing people and industry to continue polluting. Bend can reduce the harmful pollutants that lead to respiratory and heart issues and environmental degradation. This improves the quality of life for everyone in Central Oregon.

Second, we ask the Council to use its authority to stop new gas infrastructure in Bend., Bend can avoid locking itself into decades of reliance on polluting gas. Instead, we can move toward a future built on cleaner, lower cost electric energy. This aligns with our climate goals and supports the well-being of both present and  future generations.

Finally, we ask the City to create a Just Transition Fund. Lets make polluters pay for the damages they are causing. A Just transition fund will provide crucial support for low-income and underserved individuals, helping them transition to clean energy without financial hardship. By investing in a Just Transition, Bend can ensure that the benefits of electrification reach everyone in our community, fostering a more equitable and sustainable future.

Why Electrification Matters for Bend

Our community is at a pivotal moment. Bend should establish climate goals that aim for net zero emissions by 2050 and a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Achieving these targets requires urgent action to move away from fossil fuels and embrace clean energy solutions. Electrifying our buildings—one of the largest sources of emissions in the city—is essential to meeting these climate commitments. By setting policies that support building electrification, we can make significant progress toward reducing our collective impact on the environment.

Electrifying homes and buildings offers numerous benefits beyond emissions reductions. For one, Moving quickly to use incentives and tax credits for high-efficiency electric heat pumps and other appliances, will help residents benefit. Additionally, transitioning to all-electric buildings can reduce the energy burden on Bend residents. As gas prices are unstable and continue to rise, households that rely on fossil fuels for heating and cooking are seeing their energy bills increase. Electrifying buildings can offer long-term cost savings by avoiding these rising costs and taking advantage of the growing availability of affordable, efficient electric alternatives.

We call on Bend to set an example for other cities in Oregon and across the nation. By electrifying city-owned buildings, setting targets for community- building electrification, and implementing all-electric requirements for new construction, Bend can position itself as a leader in climate action. Cities like Eugene, Milwaukie, and Ashland have already taken similar steps, and Bend has the opportunity to join this growing movement.

Join Us in Electrifying Bend

Electrify Bend is a movement or more than 400 individuals, businesses and organizations who want a sustainable future for our community. We invite residents to join us in advocating for policies that will electrify Bend’s buildings, reduce pollutions, and promote public health. By working together, we can demonstrate the power of local action in protecting our air quality, addressing the worsening impacts from climate driven wildfires, drought and water insecurity.

Want to get involved? 

Sign our Electrify Bend petitions:

Sign the Petition https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/bend-city-council-pass-mandatory-electrification-policy/

 

 

Contact Nora Harren to:

    • Volunteer
    • Join our committee
    • Get involved and support the Electrify Bend movement
    • Learn more about how you can make a difference

Let’s make Bend a model of sustainability, equity, and climate resilience for communities everywhere.

Please support our important community work with a donation.