Our Current Priority: Advancing Strong Local Climate Policy
Climate change affects every aspect of life in Central Oregon — from the cost of living, to public health, to the resilience of our homes. Right now, our most urgent priority is helping Bend adopt a strong, effective climate policy that reduces pollution from buildings.
We are working closely with Energize Bend, a coalition of community partners advocating for the clean, modern, electric infrastructure Bend needs to meet its climate commitments.
What is The Climate Pollution Fee?
The Climate Pollution Fee is a proposed city policy that would place a fee on new buildings that install natural gas lines or gas appliances. It would apply only to new construction and is designed to encourage developers to build all-electric from the start — avoiding the fee entirely.
Bend City Council has already identified this approach as one of the preferred strategies for reducing climate pollution from buildings under the Community Climate Action Plan. The fee can be a powerful step forward — but only if it is designed with enough strength to meaningfully shift the market away from fossil fuels.
How it would work: Developers who choose gas appliances — such as gas stoves, furnaces, fireplaces, or water heaters — would pay a one-time fee based on the social cost of that appliance’s lifetime emissions. Revenue from the policy would be invested in programs that help low- and moderate-income households upgrade to clean, efficient technologies.
A strong Climate Pollution Fee would:
- Encourage all-electric construction using proven, efficient technologies like heat pumps and induction cooktops.
- Improve indoor air quality and health by eliminating toxic combustion in our homes and reducing the biggest source of climate pollution in Bend.
- Lower costs over time through highly efficient systems and clean, affordable electricity.
- Support a just transition by dedicating fee revenue to upgrades that support households most impacted by rising energy costs.
Why does this matter?
With limited federal climate action, local leadership is essential. Buildings in Oregon are responsible for roughly 30% of statewide emissions, and every new gas hookup locks in decades of unnecessary pollution, health risks, and long-term costs.
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure that the homes and neighborhoods built today will be clean, healthy, and cost-effective for decades to come — powered by renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
Why now?
Bend City Council is actively shaping the details of the Climate Pollution Fee right now — including how strong the fee should be. Council will soon direct a multi-committee working group (AHAC, BEDAB, and ECC) to refine the policy through winter 2025 and spring 2026. The final version will return to the Council for a vote in 2026.
This is a critical moment for community voices to be heard.
Make a Public Comment
City Council needs to hear from residents about the importance of bold, equitable climate action.
As a member of this community, you–yes, YOU!– provide the essential community perspective needed to advance policies that benefit everyone. How will the city know what we need if we don’t tell them?
We created an example email for you to send, along with all the contact info you need!
Message to Bend City Council & Staff - customize with your story for an even bigger impact
Send your message to: council@bendoregon.gov
Subject: Pass a Strong Climate Pollution Fee
Sample Message (customize for greater impact)
Dear Bend City Council and Staff,
I am a concerned resident of Bend, and I care deeply about our city’s climate, health, and affordability goals.
[Optional: Your neighborhood or reason for caring]
I urge you to direct staff, consultants, and advisors to develop a strong Climate Pollution Fee that both drives behavior change and creates a just transition fund. Bend is already falling behind on its Community Climate Action Plan commitments, and failure to act now will prolong our reliance on fossil fuels, create avoidable costs for our community, and jeopardize our future.
Buildings are Bend’s biggest source of climate pollution, and the only credible path to reducing these emissions is transitioning to all-electric infrastructure. Every new home with gas locks in an expensive, polluting system for decades.
All-electric homes support affordability and public health. Renewable energy like solar and wind are the cheapest and fastest-growing energy sources, and Oregon’s clean electricity laws protect ratepayers from rising costs. Heat pumps and induction cooktops are efficient, affordable, and help keep indoor air clean and healthy.
Please act now and stay on track for a strong Climate Pollution Fee that transitions our community off fossil fuels and ensures an affordable, livable future.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Natural Gas Quick Facts
What is Natural Gas?
Natural gas is a fossil fuel composed mostly of methane (CH₄), a greenhouse gas that traps heat far more effectively than carbon dioxide. It’s commonly burned in homes for space heating, water heating, and cooking, which, when combusted, releases carbon dioxide, and contributes to poor indoor air quality and climate change.
Why is Natural Gas bad for people?
Using gas appliances indoors releases pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM). These pollutants can:
- Irritate lungs
- Worsen asthma
- Harm children and older adults most,
- Sometimes exceed outdoor air-quality standards when ventilation is poor.
The health impacts are inequitable
Low-income and marginalized communities are more likely to live in older buildings with limited ventilation, aging appliances, and fewer options for upgrading, increasing exposure and risk.
Why is Natural Gas bad for the planet?
Methane leaks occur throughout the gas system — from drilling to pipelines to home appliances — and methane warms the planet 80 times more than CO₂ over a 20-year period. Even small leaks contribute significantly to climate change.
Burning natural gas also produces carbon dioxide, and 30% of Oregon’s total emissions come from homes and commercial buildings.
Coalition Partners
