Portland committee previews annual update to Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund plan

Portland city staff on Thursday gave the Climate Resilience and Land Use Committee a preview of the annual review process for the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund’s Climate Investment Plan, outlining current program status, funding areas and the timeline for committee and council consideration.

The Climate Investment Plan (CIP) is a five-year framework that guides how the city administers the voter-approved fund. “This is our 5 year road map for our community climate investments,” said Sam Barrasso, program manager for the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund, explaining the plan’s role in setting allocations for community grants and strategic programs.

The plan divides work into seven funding areas including energy efficiency and renewable energy, transportation decarbonization, green infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, capacity building, climate jobs/workforce and a category for other greenhouse-gas-reducing projects. Staff said the renewable energy and energy-efficiency portfolio is the largest single share of funding, receiving about 51 percent of the plan’s five‑year allocations.

Presenters — Eric Engstrom (director, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability), Barrasso, and James Valdez (strategic partnerships and policy manager for the Clean Energy Fund) — walked committee members through program examples and…