AWS tells Umatilla council it has invested locally and will pilot $1.2M community-solar program

Umatilla — An AWS community-engagement representative told the city council that the company has made substantial local investments and will launch a community-solar pilot for local nonprofits.

Kaylee Davis, speaking for AWS, said that from 2012 to 2023 the company’s capital and operating investments in the county total "just over $12,500,000,000" and that AWS supports more than 2,800 local employees. She also said AWS contributed about $20,800,000 last year in property and business taxes to local jurisdictions.

Davis highlighted partnerships with local education and workforce programs, including a scholarship arrangement with Blue Mountain Community College and support for K–12 robotics and GoSTEM outreach. She said AWS is expanding a community-grant cycle by adding $50,000 and moving to two annual application rounds to improve access for small nonprofits.

On energy, Davis described a pilot with GRID Alternatives that will allocate $1,200,000 to install roughly 25-kilowatt systems at 10 nonprofits, "targeted for non-profit organizations," with no cost to the organizations and maintenance provided by GRID Alternatives. "All maintenance is provided by GRIN Alternatives and the solar systems are fully owned by the organizations," she said (verbatim as spoken; the presenter named GRID Alternatives as the implementation partner).

Council members thanked the presenter and asked a small number of follow-up questions about hiring events and workforce pathways. Davis also announced a public hiring event on Sept. 10 at the Hermiston Community Center.

The council did not take formal action on the AWS presentation; the item was an informational presentation and Q&A.