Committee hears how Portland's Climate Action Fund will be used to support projects and staffing

Director of Sustainability Troy Moon presented an overview of the Climate Action Fund and how proceeds may be used to advance local climate and resilience projects.

Moon said the fund, adopted by ordinance in 2024 and effective on July 1, 2025, will primarily receive proceeds from the sale of renewable energy credits (RECs) tied to city-participating solar projects. "The types of proceeds that go into the Climate Action Fund are the sale of those RECs," Moon said. The council may also appropriate voluntary contributions, fines related to sustainability ordinances, or proceeds from other city sales into the fund.

Eligible expenditures include staff costs for the sustainability office (capped at $125,000 per year), local match for grants, consultant work for energy projects and greenhouse-gas inventories, and microgrants for community-based projects. Moon emphasized that any expenditure from the fund must be appropriated by the full City Council, likely through the annual budget process.

Councilors pressed staff on prioritization and whether revenues from the proposed cruise-ship tariff could be directed to the fund; Moon said the committee could recommend amending the ordinance to add other eligible funding sources and staff agreed to follow up with more detail on any cruise-related revenues.

Separately, the meeting included the annual Landcare report (no public action). Staff said 32 licensed applicators submitted reports in the past year, seven waiver requests were filed and one was approved, and Parks planted 160 new trees in 2025 as part of neighborhood-focused efforts.

Next steps: staff will return with additional details if the committee requests changes to eligible funding sources or seeks a plan for directing specific revenue streams into the fund.