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Lake County authorizes application for state energy‑resilience planning grant
Summary
The board approved applying for up to $50,000 from the Oregon Department of Energy and agreed to pass funds through to Lake County Resources Initiative (LCRI), which will add $25,000 in local match to produce a countywide energy‑resilience guidebook under HB 3630.
Lake County officials on Feb. 5 authorized staff to apply for a non‑competitive Oregon Department of Energy grant of up to $50,000 to fund a countywide energy‑resilience plan under guidelines in HB 3630.
Johnathan Van Roekel, development director for Lake County Resources Initiative (LCRI), told the board the project would function as a guidebook assessing the county's energy infrastructure — the grid, critical facilities and municipal buildings — and recommend how to respond to outages and provide warming or cooling centers. LCRI proposed combining $25,000 in restricted local funds with the state grant so the organization could use up to $75,000 to complete the plan.
Van Roekel said the plan would collect data from schools and the Lake County Courthouse to evaluate the ability of public facilities to operate independently using alternative energy sources during extended outages. He emphasized the plan would help justify future funding requests and quantify local economic impacts from outages. "The guidebook would include that narrative in identifying the needs of the County," Van Roekel said.
Commissioner James Williams moved to approve the application and pass the funds through the county to LCRI; Vice‑Chair Barry Shullanberger seconded and the motion carried 3–0. Williams volunteered to work with Commissioners Assistant Tina Burneikis to submit the application the same day.
Next steps: staff will submit the application and, if awarded, pass the funds to LCRI to begin the planning process. The guidebook will be used to support future grant requests and to inform county emergency‑planning partners.
