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County endorses planning grant application for community energy resiliency
Summary
Community development staff got approval to submit a planning grant application to the Oregon Department of Energy to develop a community renewable energy resiliency plan; staff emphasized the planning tier can be 100% grant‑funded and would strengthen later construction applications.
The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners voted to send a letter of support allowing county staff to apply for an Oregon Department of Energy community renewable energy planning grant.
Community Development Director Derek Payne recommended pursuing the planning tier rather than jumping straight to construction because "it ups our chances by a significant margin when we go to apply for construction grants because we've shown that we've done the leg work." He said planning grants can be fully funded, while construction awards typically require matching funds.
Commissioners discussed focusing the planning effort on county properties and critical facilities — for example, microgrids or strategically located solar + battery systems to support emergency operations centers. Payne said the planning application closes in mid‑September and award notifications would come in January.
