Eugene’s City Council is currently undertaking a crucially important task for our clean energy future — determining how to decrease emissions from “natural” gas use in fair and cost-effective ways. This is vital because gas use produces 28 percent of our total greenhouse gas emissions from energy, transportation, waste and refrigerants. Electricity accounts for 2.5 percent.
350 Eugene recommends that the City Council adopt the following options:
Transition from gas to electric as heaters and appliances need replacement.
Accelerate efficiency and conservation efforts for homes and businesses (electricity and gas). This would allow EWEB to partly increase demand from other solutions.
A moratorium on new gas customer accounts when the new Franchise Agreement is put in place in 2019, making a definitive move away from fossil fuel energy that doesn’t impact existing gas customers.
Require NW Natural customers to purchase offsets, beginning when the new FA is put in place. NWN’s SmartEnergy program costs about $5.50 a month per residential customer. The proceeds could go to local climate solutions programs for weatherization upgrades and rate payment support, prioritizing needs of low-income rate-payers.
Biogas is not recommended for pipeline; better as a vehicle fuel because of expense to pipe it in.
Robin Bloomgarden
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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