Solar panels capture energy at the Neff Solar Farm near NE Neff and and Erickson roads, just east of Bend in 2023. 

What is the city of Bend going to do about the climate? What should it do?

The answers are embedded in the city’s community climate action plan, the city government’s plans for a climate action crusade.

The plan is just a plan, but when the city of Bend comes up with these planning documents it does then move as best it can to implement them. So what’s in the plan and what’s not matters.

The plan is getting a kind of a redo from the city’s Environment and Climate Committee. It is an update in the language to make the city’s priorities and actions more clear.

The city wants to work on providing 100% renewable electricity to the community. The reasons for that are fairly obvious. The costs to consumers are less so.

There are several goals pertaining to natural gas. The city wants to work to establish a natural gas offset program so residents can, if they choose, to offset their natural gas use.

Another proposal for natural gas is for the city to create incentives to increase the installation of renewable energy systems in residences and commercial buildings. That would be the city adopting a policy to effectively undermine existing natural gas providers.

The plan has many elements, food waste prevention, expanding the use of low-carbon concrete and more. These are the policies that are coming. Tell Bend City Councilors what you think. You can email them at: council@bendoregon.gov.