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Commission approves 'Clean and Reliable Backup Energy' memo after edits following public comments
Summary
The Sustainability Commission's Clean and Reliable Backup Energy Systems memo prompted letters from local industry groups and utilities; commissioners debated phrasing and agreed to edit the memo (change 'many' to 'some' and add an EPA-certified wood-stove link) before circulating the document.
Two written public comments objecting to wording in a draft memo from the Sustainability Commission's Clean and Reliable Backup Energy Committee prompted a brief discussion and a motion to amend and circulate the committee's handout.
What was submitted: the commission heard two written letters. One, from Harvey Gale representing the Oregon Park Patio and Barbecue Association, argued the memo's flyer contained factual errors about gas fireplaces and asked the commission to list specific tax-credit links and to correct statements about appliances that operate without electricity. A second letter from David Vanderhagen, Community and Government Affairs Manager at Northwest Natural, urged more technical review and described customer accounts of using natural-gas fireplaces and appliances during previous outages.
Committee and staff response: Alexi, who chairs the Clean and Reliable Backup Energy Committee, reiterated the committee’s stated purpose: the memo is intended to present options for backup energy systems that are alternatives to fossil-fuel backups. Alexi said the committee can review the draft for factual errors at the committee level.
Key debate: commissioners and staff discussed whether the memo should more clearly state it focuses on "non-fossil fuel" backup systems and whether the sentence that read "many gas appliances do not work without electricity" should be revised. Some speakers said the sentence is factually defensible as written; others and the letter writers said it was misleading because certain gas appliances do work with battery ignition or other measures.
Decision and action: the commission voted to approve the committee memo for distribution with three edits: (1) change the word "many" to "some" in the sentence about gas appliances; (2) add a link to the EPA page for certified wood stoves (committee chair said staff will supply the correct URL); and (3) clarify the preamble to make clear the memo’s focus on non-fossil-fuel backup options. The motion was made and seconded during the meeting and approved by the commission; the meeting record reflects a voice vote and no roll-call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.
Ending: committee chair Alexi offered to review the memo for any remaining factual corrections and to add the requested technical link. Commissioners asked staff to include the memo in the meeting packet once edits are complete so the final version is available to the public.
