76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2011 Regular Session
Enrolled
Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board, Oregon’s largest consumer-owned utility, will celebrate its 100th year of operations on March 11, 2011; and
Whereas in 1908 Eugene voters approved $300,000 in bonds to purchase and reform the local private water utility following a typhoid fever epidemic; and
Whereas the Walterville Hydroelectric Plant on the McKenzie River was constructed in 1911 to power pumps and ensure adequate water pressure, leading to the sale of surplus power to Eugene and the subsequent acquisition of the local private electric utility; and
Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board has invested in clean, affordable and reliable electricity through projects such as Leaburg Dam, the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project, the Federal Columbia River Power System, and the Foote Creek, Stateline, Klondike and Harvest Wind Farms; and
Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board made an early commitment to energy conservation in 1976, having weatherized over 42,000 homes since then and annually investing five percent of retail revenues in conservation programs; and
Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board has saved its customers almost 500 million kilowatt hours of power usage through its robust conservation efforts; and
Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board has earned several local, regional and national awards for best-tasting and cleanest water from the McKenzie River; and
Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board adopted a “Customer Care” program in 1986 to provide a wide range of assistance to low-income customers having difficulty paying their utility bills, helping on average 4,000 customers annually; and
Whereas the Eugene Water & Electric Board in 2009 and 2010 invested more than $10 million back into the community to help customers affected by the economic downturn pay their utility bills; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:
That we, the members of the Seventy-sixth Legislative Assembly, in legislative session assembled, recognize, honor and celebrate on behalf of all Oregonians the 100 years of dedicated service of the Eugene Water & Electric Board to the customers to whom it provides safe, clean and reliable water and electricity; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution shall be presented to the Eugene Water & Electric Board of Commissioners.
Adopted by Senate March 14, 2011
Robert Taylor, Secretary of Senate
Robert Taylor, Secretary of Senate
Peter Courtney, President of Senate
Adopted by House May 5, 2011
Bruce Hanna, Speaker of House
Arnie Roblan, Speaker of House
Bruce Hanna, Speaker of House
Arnie Roblan, Speaker of House
