FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2009

CONTACT:

Derek Smith

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability

503-823-3932

derek.smith@ci.portland.or.us

City Council approves the establishment of Clean Energy Works Portland, advancing pilot to provide clean energy retrofits on 500 Portland homes.

Portland, Ore. — Today Mayor Sam Adams with City Council adopted a resolution to establish the Clean Energy Works Portland program to reduce carbon emissions, cut household energy use and create local jobs.

The City has a long history of effective action to reduce carbon emissions, the primary cause of global climate change, and this program will serve as a key strategy to help the City achieve its goal to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050. Clean energy retrofits to existing buildings are among the best strategies to strengthen the local economy while reducing carbon emissions; and a major barrier to retrofitting existing buildings is the up-front cost of the improvements.

Mayor Adams and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability have worked with the Energy Trust of Oregon, NW Natural, Pacific Power, Portland General Electric, Shorebank Enterprise Cascadia, Work Systems, Inc. and Multnomah County to establish a program to provide the initial financing for the clean energy retrofits with the funds repaid over time on the utility bill. During its pilot phase, the program aims to retrofit 500 homes in the first year.

"Energy efficiency is a fundamental piece of America's energy future," said Mayor Sam Adams. "This program is an unprecedented example of how we can bring the private and public sectors together to benefit Portlanders. There are no upfront costs, it’s hassle-free, the major hurdles have been removed.”

This program, Clean Energy Works Portland, is earning national recognition as a pioneering partnership linking local jobs, climate protection, and community benefits; and the City is proposing to dedicate a significant portion of its federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant allocation to the Clean Energy Works Portland pilot.

"NW Natural is pleased to be partnering with the City of Portland and Shorebank Enterprise Cascadia to offer our Portland customers the opportunity to repay their Clean Energy Works Portland loans on our bill," said Gregg Kantor, NW Natural President and CEO.

"As a not-for-profit community development financial institution, it is ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia's mission to provide equitable access to financial products that create positive environmental, social and economic impacts,” said John Berdes, the president and CEO of ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia. “We are pleased to provide the affordable, long-term financing that will enable Clean Energy Works Portland to reach qualifying participants, regardless of income and employment status."

“Energy Trust is committed to meeting the future energy needs of Oregonians in a way that lowers energy costs, adds comfort to homes, strengthens our economy and leaves our environment healthier for generations to come,” says Steve Lacey, director of operations, Energy Trust. “By serving the homeowners taking part in the Clean Energy Works program, we are helping develop innovative solutions to further those goals.”

“Portland is leading the way for cities across the nation on how to put the Recovery Act to work locally,” said Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All. “This is a model program because it was based on bringing everyone to the table to be part of the solution: community-based organizations, the labor movement, the business community, faith groups and government agencies. We are proud to have partnered with the City and this broad coalition to make sure that a local recovery in Portland is a win for the environment, a win for the economy, and a win for the workers.”

Clean Energy Works Portland supports building an inclusive green economy that benefits our neighborhoods, our families and our planet by creating contracting, subcontracting, training and employment policies that will strive to:

• Provide pathways to prosperity for all workers;
• Offer competitive wages that lead to a lasting career-track;
• Involve stakeholders and community members in developing and enacting policies and processes; and
• Drive accountability and continuously evaluate performance towards goals.

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