Upon recommendation of the AOC Natural Resource Steering Committee, the AOC Legislative Committee unanimously supported House Bills 2520 and 3221, which further the association’s renewable energy development principles and give Oregon’s local governments pathways to support their community’s energy priorities.

Many of Oregon’s counties have passed resolutions championing increased renewable energy generation to minimize climate change impacts but local governments have limited options to realize their renewable energy goals. HB 2520 and HB 3221 create new opportunities for counties to support clean, reliable, and locally generated energy. Both bills passed out of their respective policy committees with do-pass recommendations to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means and are awaiting budget hearings. 

HB 2520- Relating to the Adoption of Energy Policies into Statewide Land Use Planning Goals

HB 2520 directs the the Land Conservation and Development Commission to adopt rules identifying reasons necessary for a county to justify an exception under Goal 2, Part II(c) regarding facilities generating electricity from renewable energy sources as described at ORS 469A.025, which may not otherwise be allowed under the applicable statewide planning goal or goals. If HB 2520 is enacted, the rulemaking will clarify when a renewable energy facility, subject to county jurisdiction, may be justified while ensuring the continued protection of natural resources and other important values. AOC worked closely with the Department of Land and Conservation Development (DLCD), the Oregon Farm Bureau, and 1,000 Friends of Oregon to develop an approach that works for counties and developers and maintains the integrity of our statewide land use system. 

HB 3221- Relating to Renewable Electricity

Oregon’s 36 county governments face complex tasks and varying demands of growing communities, differing economic drivers, diverse populations and regional needs and goals. HB 3221 would create a flexible, voluntary program to enable an interested county to set up a renewable energy mix that best serves their unique local needs. There are many barriers to the development of local, small-scale renewable energy projects, including low available power rates for electricity sold on the wholesale markets and high costs of interconnecting to the utility grid. 

HB 3221 creates a green tariff program for Oregon’s counties to achieve their clean energy goals and give local renewable energy developers a path to making clean energy projects viable. Local projects can deliver many important benefits to the communities in our state jobs, environmental improvements, energy resilience through backup power, and more. HB 3221 would provide many essential benefits to the residents and businesses in Oregon’s counties, including affordable electricity rates, local energy and economic development, and increased resilience of the electricity service to extreme events, all while retaining our existing relationships with Oregon’s investor-owned utilities.

Contributed by: Lauren Smith | Legislative Affairs Manager