Climate impact fee

A retired minister coordinating ten churches, urged a strong fee and invoked his grandson's climate worries.

Spoke against natural gas promotion, citing health harms like asthma from gas appliances.

President of CoEnergy, urged delay to 2030 or a pilot, citing grid constraints and tier-two power costs.

Supported the fee as a step toward the city's climate goals, citing his grandchildren's future.

Called for immediate climate action, no exemptions, and criticized prior council decisions weakening climate tools.

For COBA, backed a pilot program and exemptions for housing up to 120 percent of area median income.

Supported the fee and using revenue to help lower-income households electrify.

For Cascade Natural Gas, argued electric isn't yet clean and asked for renewable natural gas and dual-fuel exemptions.

For the Bend Chamber, backed a data-driven pilot, exemptions for workforce housing and new technologies, citing affordability.

Net-zero homeowner urged a strong fee with an April 2027 start.

Young electrical design engineer with Energize Bend asked for April 2027 implementation and no exemptions.

A 17-year-old Caldera High junior urged the council to treat the climate crisis like a crisis.

A mechanical engineer supporting the fee without exemptions, waivers, or delay.

Supported the fee, no exemptions, and an April 2027 date, framing it as protection for vulnerable residents.

For Cascades East Association of Realtors, warned about grid strain and utility costs, asked for a pilot and a three-year sunset.

Argued heat pumps fail below 40 degrees and the grid isn't ready for all-electric homes.

Representing UA Local 290, delivered 1,300 letters of opposition, citing housing costs and grid reliability.

Of Rogue Climate, urged Bend to follow Ashland's lead and adopt the fee.

Countered claims the fee would cost trades jobs, citing steady demand for plumbers and pipe fitters.

Supported an April 2027 start and no exemptions, and criticized the council's fee level as too weak.

Argued a $1,000–2,000 fee won't move Bend's already unaffordable housing market.

For the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board, said the fee protects utility customers from gas system costs.

Asked for no exemptions and an April 2027 start, saying new residential buildings are Bend's best climate opportunity.

Urged a strong climate impact fee now, saying the current proposal has been watered down and a 20% fee isn't enough.

Urged no exemptions for renewable natural gas and implementation starting April 2027, aligned with the building code update.

A Caldera High junior testified in support of a strong climate fee, citing Hoodoo's snow-closure announcement and asking council to weigh who interests are behind testimony.

Cited seven-generation thinking and Oregon's 47th-place renewable energy ranking in supporting the climate impact fee.

A mechanical engineer with Electrify Oregon supported the fee as a small but important first step in a 50-100 year clean energy transition.

A grandfather argued the grid is protected by Oregon's Power Act while the aging gas grid relies on Canadian supply, and supported the fee.

A 30-year UA Local 290 member opposed the fee, saying it will raise housing costs and cost construction jobs in an already unaffordable market.

A first-time commenter and soup kitchen worker supported the fee, citing youth asthma linked to gas and housing affordability's human toll.

Supported a pollution fee on new builds, but urged that revenues fund a just-transition fund for existing lower-income households rather than new construction.

A Sierra Club Oregon organizer urged a strong climate impact fee with a just transition fund, citing record heat and cleaner-grid data.

A young Bend resident urged strong action on the climate pollution fee at the February 11 session, tying electrification to affordability and health.

A lifelong Bend resident urged a strong climate fee based on science, arguing electrification of new construction is the lowest-cost moment to act.