Climate Activists pack Bend City Council over Proposed Electrification Fee
The proposed fee will encourage developers to build new homes all-electric and pave the way for building decarbonization
Contact: Brennan Breen, brennan@energizebend.org, 303-618-7760
Date: February 20, 2026
Bend, Ore. - This week, the Bend City Council voted to move forward with developing a Climate Impact Fee targeting natural gas appliances installed in new homes. The policy is intended to incentivize developers to build with high-efficiency, all-electric appliances. The proposed fee — set at 20% of the maximum amount recommended by City staff — would represent a first step toward electrifying new homes in Bend.
According to Bend’s Community Climate Action Plan and the Oregon Department of Energy State Energy Strategy, strategic building electrification is a key pathway to affordable and equitable decarbonization. In the wake of EPA’s rescission of the Endangerment Finding, local governments are exploring new policy tools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"We see local governments as the only opportunity that we have to lead on climate," Energize Bend Campaign Coordinator Brennan Breen said. "I don't think we should diminish how much of an impact we can make here locally… If we can take this step, it makes it easier for everybody else to follow."
While supporters view the proposal as a meaningful first step, community members packed city hall and urged Council to adopt a stronger version of the policy.
Mikayla May, a high school student skipping Jiu Jitsu practice to attend the City Council meeting reminded councilors “we are running out of time to fight the climate crisis, our communities’ livelihoods are already being impacted”
Meanwhile, others emphasized that climate pollution is not the only reason to encourage all-electric new construction.
Sean Nolan, an engineer working in the Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Industry flagged that even when using natural gas alternatives like RNG, “health concerns in the home continue, and you are still burning off the same amount of carbon.”
Several homeowners also testified that they never wanted natural gas appliances but were not given a choice by their builders, a common experience shaped by the long-standing practice of gas utilities subsidizing the expansion of gas infrastructure. Oregon’s two other natural gas utilities, Avista and NW Natural, have already been ordered to phase out these subsidies.
The City will gather additional public comments before a final vote, currently scheduled for this Summer.
If you want to make sure Bend City Council stays on track to pass a Climate Impact Fee, sign our petition and sign up for our newsletter to get in the loop for all of the events we organize around this process.