Committee hears extensions and changes to Oregon heat‑pump rebate programs after strong uptake

A public hearing on House Bill 2567 on Feb. 11 covered proposed changes to Oregon’s state heat‑pump incentive programs and featured testimony from Oregon Department of Energy staff, program administrators and contractors who have implemented installations statewide.

What the bill would do House Bill 2567 would make a series of changes to the Community Heat Pump Deployment program (CHIPDIP) and the Oregon Rental Heat Pump Program. Key provisions presented to the committee include: - Extend the rental program sunset to Jan. 2, 2032, giving more time for tribes and low‑income rental households to access funding. - Change prioritization language from "environmental justice communities" to a broader "disadvantaged communities" definition that includes socioeconomic and environmental burdens and rural/coastal communities. - Remove the statutory 15% cap on administrative and marketing expenses for program administrators and let the Oregon Department of Energy set the cap by rule to better compensate community partners and outreach. - Require the department to report on the residential heat‑pump…