Related News
Related News
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You can’t predict the next disaster, but you can prepare
The earthquake lasted less than a minute. But now the power’s out. The tap runs dry. Cell service is spotty. Would you be ready?
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EWEB completes helicopter installation of salmon habitat features
EWEB adds downed trees and 2,000 tons of gravel to the Uupper McKenzie River below Tamolitch Falls to improve spawning habitat.
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Oregon’s New Utility Laws and How EWEB Customers Already Benefit from Fair, Transparent Rates
Oregon’s POWER Act and FAIR Energy Act target investor-owned utilities. Learn how EWEB’s local, community-owned model already meets these goals.
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Court rules in favor of EWEB in Carmen-Smith litigation
The U.S. District Court in Eugene has granted EWEB's motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought under the Endangered Species Act pertaining to fish passage at EWEB’s Trail Bridge Dam. The favorable ruling clears the way for EWEB to continue advancing towards implementation of permanent fish passage at the dam.
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EWEB proposes modified plan for permanent fish passage at Trail Bridge Dam
After eight months of extensive collaboration and analysis with scientific experts at two federal regulatory agencies, EWEB is proposing an improved plan to build permanent fish passage facilities at Trail Bridge Dam on the McKenzie River.
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Sustainability Snapshot - Ideal Steal July 2025
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EWEB Celebrates Operators on the 75th Anniversary of the Hayden Bridge Filtration Plant
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NASA partners with EWEB to assess wildfire impacts to drinking water
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EWEB prepares for wildfire season with risk mitigation measures
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Sustainability Snapshot - Homes for Good May 2025
Our first Sustainability Snapshop highlights a project where EWEB teamed up with longtime partner, Homes for Good, to deliver ductless heat pumps to income-eligible apartment rentals.
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EWEB environmental specialist wins prestigious awards for publication
Article recounting EWEB’s efforts to protect the McKenzie River after Holiday Farm Fire earns national recognition
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Last Call for EWEB/Lane County Septic Grants
Holiday Farm Fire recovery program now eligible for businesses, residential property owners who purchased post-fire, to cover inspection costs and new construction
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EWEB, Lane County host open house to gather feedback for “Leaburg Transportation Alternatives Analysis”
“What is the Future of the Leaburg Dam Bridge?” open house exhibit on display at Lloyd Knox Park Visitor Pavilion through July 25
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EWEB Pilots New Line Safety Program for 4th graders.
This year, EWEB is ramping up power line safety for children, specifically 4th graders.
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Improving habitat resiliency throughout the Upper McKenzie
Environmental Responsibility is a core guiding value for EWEB decision-making. This summer, EWEB continues its commitment to environmental stewardship with a robust slate of habitat enhancement updates throughout the upper McKenzie River, across the footprint of the Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project.
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Solar Energy Vision Thrives at Pearl Buck Center After Greenpower Grant Award
June 09, 2021
In 2018, the Eugene-based nonprofit made a plan to mount solar modules on a roof overhang of their preschool facility in West Eugene. The facility supports children whose parents have cognitive challenges. The organization received a $50,000 grant from EWEB's Greenpower program, and after a $10,000 discount from Advanced Energy Systems, the Pearl Buck Center was able to cover the remaining cost to install a 24-kilovolt solar array. Using solar energy has resulted in a 9% reduction in energy costs, and three years later the savings have exceeded the organization's $15,000 investment.
Greenpower Grants are funded through a voluntary subscription for EWEB customers who want to invest in local renewable energy projects. If you are an EWEB customer, you can assign up to 100% of your electricity use by paying a small premium on your electric bill. EWEB uses these Greenpower funds to support research, education, and projects that advance renewable energy, including our rooftop solar rebates.
At Pearl Buck, the preschool students got to participate in the solar panel installation, complete with a ribbon-cutting celebration when the project was complete. Children continue to learn about solar energy, and the energy data from the panels is on proud display at the entrance of the main office.
Students at the Pearl Buck Center preschool run through the ribbon at the celebration for their solar panel installation.
The clean energy vision at Pearl Buck Center doesn't end there. The success of the solar energy system has helped propel more ideas from Executive Director Margaret Theisen. She hopes to install enough panels in their parking lot area to generate a surplus of clean energy; hopefully enough energy to power the homes of the people they serve.
"We support families who are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their income level or because they live in neighborhoods without the resources to invest in the environment. So, we see generating solar energy as another way to support their health and their ability to thrive in our community," said Theisen.
Pearl Buck Center Executive Director Margaret Theisen has high hopes for clean energy after receiving a Greenpower Grant in 2018.
Another reason Theisen feels passionate about lowering the organization's carbon footprint is the interconnective relationship we all have to the global issue of climate change. "We all breathe the same air around the world," she continued. "Suspending climate change is better for the health of all our citizens. On top of all the good it does, clean energy also ultimately means the organization is spending less money on overhead, leaving more funding for services."
The Greenpower Grant program is open to tax-exempt 501(c)(3) and (4) nonprofit organizations, schools, and academic institutions, or government and other public agencies. Applications for the grant could include the installation of renewable energy systems, battery storage systems, research or studies centering on renewable energy, educational curriculum or workshop development, or carbon emission offsets. Other awardees include Friends of Trees, Eugene Science Center, and Buena Vista Elementary School. Applications for the 2021 Grant closed recently and we are excited to announce the winner(s) soon!
There's still time for you to become a Greenpower subscriber and vote on your favorite project!
For more information about Pearl Buck Center, visit pearlbuckcenter.com/