Protesters marched through downtown Bend Friday to demand action for efforts to protect the climate as well to oppose the GTN Xpress pipeline expansion.  

Climate activists, dismayed and apprehensive over a proposed expansion of a natural gas pipeline across Oregon, gathered Friday evening in front of Bend City Hall to pressure local and state officials to declare a climate emergency and to expand Bend’s use of renewable energy sources.

The demonstration was a part of an international climate strike organized by Fridays for Future, the youth climate movement made popular by Swedish activist, Greta Thunburg. Across the state, other demonstrations were scheduled in Portland, Florence, Salem and Eugene.

About 100 protesters petitioned the Bend City Council to adopt an “electrification plan” that would transition buildings off of polluting fossil fuels like methane gas. They also called upon Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and President Joe Biden’s administration to declare a climate emergency, which would grant state and federal officials additional authority and resources to meet aggressive emission reduction and policy goals.

“We care about the environment, and we really support these kids coming out and showing their support for our climate,” said Megan Norris, a member of Bend’s City Council who sits on the Environment and Climate Committee. “In terms of electrification, it’s something that we’re working on and that we’re open to.”

The proposed pipeline expansion project, also known as Gas Transmission Northwest’s Xpress Project, would travel over a thousand miles from the Canadian border through Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

Climate activists fear that the pipeline will only distract officials from pursuing

renewable energy infrastructure projects and strengthen the region’s reliance on fossil fuels.

“Ultimately, if we don’t save our planet, we don’t have a future,” said Amanda Uri, a student at Summit High School in Bend. “If we continue with these actions and keep doing the things we’re doing, we’re not going to have a planet someday.”

Natural gas has a uniquely fraught and controversial reputation among climate activists and policymakers in the Northwest.

Both Oregon and Washington state legislators have relied on natural gas to eliminate their states’ dependence on coal, a meaningful stepping stone toward decreasing carbon emissions. In 2022, Oregon’s only coal-fired power plant, in Boardman, was demolished, and Washington plans to rid itself of coal power plants by 2025.

But while natural gas emits almost 50% less carbon dioxide than burning coal, it’s still not a renewable source of energy and is a major contributor to climate change.

“It would be awesome if we did transition through natural gas to renewable energy. But the time for that would have been like 30 years ago. We don’t have time for that right now,” said Freddy Finney-Jordet, an organizer for Deschutes Youth Climate Coalition. “The fact of the matter is, while that would be great in terms of much easier policy, it’s just not what’s needed. It wouldn’t be enough. We might as well just go straight to renewable energy.”

At first blush, Oregon officials made marked improvements at removing carbon emissions from the state’s power grid this past decade. In 2007, only 2% of Oregon’s electricity needs were met by renewable energy sources, according to Oregon’s Energy Department. By 2021, hydroelectric power accounted for over 50% of Oregon’s electricity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Despite the increased popularity of renewable resources, Oregon residents consumed more power generated by natural gas than hydroelectric power in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, complicating the state’s goal towards a clean energy grid.

“Soon the sun will set on the last day of the era of fossil fuels, and in the morning the sun will rise on a world that has finally turned the tide against the climate crisis,” Finney-Jordet said. “It will be government action against the production, use and infrastructure of fossil fuels that allows for that morning. And it is our action today, next week, the week after, and every week that will deliver us that political action.”