Process and Public Engagement
Process
Phase 1: Technical Analysis
The technical analysis (the focus of Phase 1) involved numerous opportunities to provide input and evaluate the assumptions that went into the energy pathways modeling, to tailor the alternatives analyzed by the pathways modeling to provide the most useful insights to inform policy discussions, and to shape the complementary analyses. Phase 1 started in May 2024 and culminated with the presentation of the modeling results in a public informational session on January 31, 2025. The modeling results were further evaluated and discussed in the Policy Working Groups in Phase 2.
Phase 2: Policy Discussions
During the policy discussions (the focus of Phase 2) ODOE held 17 Policy Working Group meetings, four Advisory Group meetings, four Inter-Agency Steering Group meetings, three public forums, and three information sessions to share technical modeling results and inform ODOE’s policy drafting. Phase 2 policy discussions built on key findings from the modeling and data on current trends. Materials and recordings of these meetings are available on ODOE’s website.
Engagement
Public engagement informed the design and focus of the technical analyses. Conversations with interested parties supported policy discussions, including evaluation of current progress, barriers, and options to advancing Oregon’s energy policy objectives. Dialogue and feedback helped define priorities in the Equity and Justice Framework. Partner and public input considered the merits of proposed legislative and policy actions and contributed to the recommendations and organization of this report.
ODOE heard interest throughout the strategy’s development that partner perspectives be considered critically and that dissenting voices be visible in the report. ODOE is committed to presenting an evenhanded, realistic view of the direction Oregon needs to follow to meet its energy policy objectives, and has incorporated information about barriers and challenges to the section on Pathways and Policies – consistent with where Phase 2 organized meetings to discuss these barriers. The written comment summary is a compilation of Phase 2 discussions and written comments, structured to match the organization of this report to facilitate review of what ODOE heard around each report section. This approach highlights where and how the Energy Strategy reflects partner input and where partners and members of the public expressed dissenting opinions.
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ODOE also reached out to the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon through formal government-to-government letters, staff-to-staff discussion, individual in-person or virtual meetings with Tribal leaders and staff, and presentations through the Legislative Commission on Indian Services and cluster groups.
While ODOE continues government-to-government outreach and requests for consultation, where appropriate, ODOE has heard important themes that include: advancing Tribal energy sovereignty and self-determination, ensuring equitable access to decision-making processes, ensuring energy affordability and energy access for Tribal members, securing stable and culturally responsive funding mechanisms, including dedicated Tribal set-asides in state funding programs, and integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into energy and climate planning.
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Group of experts that advised ODOE throughout the process and helped inform decisions. The group represented diverse perspectives and lived experiences across the state.
Learn more about the Advisory Group.
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Eight Focus Area Working Groups informed early development of the strategy, and particularly key assumptions and scenarios for the model.
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Five Policy Working Groups included subject matter experts to dive into specific topics and identify gaps and needs to inform policy recommendations that built on previous analysis.
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Representatives from the Oregon Departments of Energy, Land Conservation and Development, Transportation, Environmental Quality, and State Lands; Oregon Public Utility Commission; Business Oregon; the Governor’s office; and other agencies provided agency perspectives and guidance to develop a statewide energy strategy.
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Public forums held to provide updates on the process and gather broad views from across the state to inform the strategy.
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ODOE published a draft of this energy strategy report on August 14, 2025 and accepted written comments through September 22, 2025.
In total, ODOE received 115 submissions through this period. Based on this input, ODOE made multiple revisions to the strategy; in particular, ODOE has supplemented the definitions and glossary, added narrative discussion and additional detail in several places, drafted a section on implementing the strategy to highlight actions that advance near-term priorities, and updated and reorganized several of the recommended legislative and policy actions.
ODOE has published the written comments received in full.
“The Oregon Energy Strategy has been a major undertaking and wouldn’t have been possible without the expertise and guidance from our consulting partners, the Clean Energy Transition Institute and Kearns & West; government-to-government engagement with Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes; our partner state agencies; members of our Advisory Group; several policy and technical working groups; and the Oregonians who joined us for webinars and information sessions. ”