Forecast newsletter

With the help of Blue Sky Habitat participants, local habitat restoration projects are receiving much needed funding. Blue Sky Habitat participants’ donations go directly to The Freshwater Trust (TFT) where they are matched with grant dollars to fund projects that restore and preserve habitats for Oregon native fish, including Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Winter Steelhead, and Cutthroat Trout. One such project is taking place at the Sandy River Basin.

Over the years, timber harvests, increased recreation and development, forest fires, and road construction have taken a toll on the Sandy River Basin, decreasing habitat diversity and threatening native fish populations, such as salmon and steelhead, which call the basin home.

To restore natural stream processes and fish habitats, The Freshwater Trust — as part of the Sandy Basin Partners — has been utilizing the Blue Sky Habitat Fund to fund large-scale restoration in the Basin.

By placing large wood directly in the river, side channels and floodplain habitat are created which restore high quality habitat and slow the river to support spawning season for Chinook and Steelhead.

Thanks to Blue Sky Habitat participants, habitat restoration projects like this one are possible, helping our native wildlife survive and thrive. 

La Casa Hogar is a nonprofit whose mission is to connect and educate Latina families, transforming lives in the Yakima Valley, Washington. The organization offers three core programs, adult education and early learning programs as well as citizenship classes and citizenship legal services.

La Escuelita (“The Little School”) project was conceived to provide a pre-school learning space for children who would not otherwise have access to early learning. While building the new school, La Casa Hogar looked for creative ways to fund its maintenance, particularly its energy costs.  Happily, a Blue Sky grant funded the installation of solar panels on the newly constructed La Escuelita. These panels will dramatically reduce the cost of electricity for the new learning space, freeing up much needed resources.

Thanks to Blue Sky participants, La Casa Hogar was able to make the shift to clean energy.  And with the addition of La Escuelita, this valued community resource is able to provide learning opportunities for both children and adults well into the future. 

Benton County will soon be generating more of its own clean, renewable power thanks to a funding grant from Blue Sky participants. The grant supports the installation of a 96.5 kilowatt (kW) solar array on its Law Enforcement Building in Corvallis.

“We are so excited that we were selected for this award and grateful to Pacific Power’s Blue Sky participants who made it possible,” said Paul Wallsinger, Benton County Facilities Manager. “This solar project will showcase Benton County’s commitment to expand its use of renewable energies as the County strives towards carbon neutrality. This project will reduce our reliance on the power grid, save money for the citizens of Benton County and help protect our planet for generations to come.”

The installation of solar panels on the Law Enforcement Building brings the County’s total renewable energy capacity to over 320 kW installed across five facilities and furthers its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The County plans to reduce its GHG emissions by 50% from 2010 levels by 2030 and be net zero by 2050.

Community Development Partners (CDP) and Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) will soon open a 56-unit affordable-housing community called Mamook Tokatee, translating to “make beautiful” in the Chinook Wawa language. At Mamook Tokatee, NAYA will provide cultural services within the building to keep residents connected to the Native community.  The building features rooftop solar panels funded by a grant from Blue Sky participants.

“One of our big goals is to really bring affordable housing opportunities to the Native community in a setting that is close to NAYA,” said Oscar Arana, NAYA’s director of community development.

The new development is located near NAYA’s 10-acre, two-building campus and community center; giving families easy access to cultural events, child care, educational services, an alternative high school and community support. Located in the Cully neighborhood, the housing community is close to K-12 public schools, Portland Community College’s Workforce Center, public transit and public parks.

In addition to the rooftop solar, the apartment building features studios, lofts, one, two and three-bedroom apartments to accomodate a diversity of households, workspaces for artists, a 750 square foot community art studio, landscaped courtyard, and permanent art installations by local Native American artists.

This summer, by joining Pacific Power’s Blue Sky and PGE’s Green Future programs, TriMet of the Portland metro area achieved its goal of moving to all renewable electricity to power the MAX light rail system and all TriMet-owned facilities, as well as their electric buses. That immediately reduced their carbon emissions by more than 25%.  By supporting renewable energy, TriMet is estimated to avoid more than 54 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions in a year’s time. That’s the equivalent of taking more than 5,300 cars off the road.

“At TriMet, we’re part of the solution to climate change, reducing the region’s carbon emissions through providing quality transit service and by taking important steps, such as supporting 100% renewable energy, that reduce our own carbon footprint,” said TriMet interim General Manager Sam Desue, Jr. “It’s a win-win for our environment.”

“Innovation around transportation electrification is picking up speed across Oregon,” said Pacific Power Vice President of Regulation, Customer and Community Solutions Etta Lockey. “Together, we are building infrastructure and programs that help cut vehicle emissions while supporting carbon reduction goals set by TriMet and other forward-thinking community partners. This work is giving communities across the state greater access to electric transportation.”

Did you know Blue Sky participants can enjoy more than $5,000 in savings from local businesses with full access to Chinook Book’s mobile coupons? Simply click the link below to download the Chinook Book app* and the 2021 code will automatically populate on your phone to activate your free coupon pack.

If you don’t have email on your phone, visit chinookbookmobile.com the next time you are on your phone, download the app and input the activation code: 11512-4204-6886-8431

Blue Sky window clings are also available for customers who want to proudly display their support of renewable energy. To request your free window cling, simply email  bluesky@pacificorp.com with your name, mailing address (no PO boxes, please) and phone number, or call us toll free at 1-800-769-3717.

*No smartphone?

Find out other ways to access these special deals.