VISION STATEMENT
The Wallowa County Community Energy Plan is a living blueprint for energy self-reliance and security supporting community health and economic vitality. It advances energy conservation, efficiency, local generation, and resilience infrastructure as it protects water and other natural resources, reduces fossil fuel dependence and keeps more energy dollars local.
The CESP is now available for viewing!
Commissioners formally adopt energy plan.
What is a Strategic Energy Plan?
It’s a long-range dynamic blueprint to focus and guide actions toward creating a defined energy vision. It….
Sets out goals,
Creates a comprehensive prioritized list of local opportunities,
Creates short- and long-term strategies and funding to make projects really happen,
Coordinates with other local long-range planning to maximize impact.
In early 2022 Wallowa County launched a Community Energy Strategic Planning (CESP) process which is now involving local leaders, a wide range of community, business and Ag stakeholder groups, and interested citizens with planning to complete by early to mid-2023.
The CESP process is a collaboration between the Wallowa County Commission and Wallowa Resources with some funding from Energy Trust of Oregon. It is utilizing the U.S. Department of Energy’s Guide to Community Energy Strategic Planning
Community Review Panel
A 7-person Community Review Panel will be appointed by the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners to review the plan once every 6 months for the next 2 years. The panel will provide input and allow for transparency to the community of the plan and its component projects. Commissioners will proceed with the selection of the panel within the next 6 months and will publicize the selected panel members.
All meetings of the Community Review Panel shall be publicly noticed and open to the public.
If you are interested in applying for the panel, submit a letter of interest to Tera Elliott addressed to the commissioners.
A public forum was held on November 8th, 2023 at the Cloverleaf Hall to gain input from the community on the Energy Plan. See the Summary of Comments from the meeting.
Why Energy Strategic Planning?
Energy touches everything.
Wallowa County residents and businesses currently spend around $30-40 million every year (see pie charts) on various kinds of energy for heat, power and transportation. These costs can be significantly lowered and at the same time create other valuable Energy–Plus benefits such as:
Creating local jobs,
Greater energy security,
Saving precious water and wise stewardship of other local resources.
GET INVOLVED!
Informational Materials.
Learn more about Wallowa County’s Community Energy Strategic Plan.
OTHER ENERGY PLANNING RESOURCES
DOE Guide - Department of Energy Guide to Community Energy Strategic Planning
Get Involved in Energy Planning.
We want to hear from you! Are you interested in becoming involved in Wallowa County’s Community Energy Strategic Plan? Or do you have any comments and questions about the Plan? All questions, comments and ideas are welcome. Comments are received and reviewed by members of the Community Energy Planning team.
Be part of creating Wallowa County’s GOOD ENERGY future!
FILL OUT A SIMPLE FORM AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH.
News
Energy Plan News
Other Energy News
Oregon's public utilities have new power shut-off rules aimed at preventing wildfires - Article, May 11, 2022.
Mobile Solar+Storage for Emergency Management - Clean Energy Group Webinar, May 10, 2022 recording.
Resilience Hubs: Model Overview and Community Case Studies - Clean Energy Group Webinar, May 5, 2022 recording.
