Portland has many good plans, produced by thoughtful citizens and staff in public processes, and adopted by Council. Then often, the plan sits on a shelf and gathers dust.... sometimes while the Council funds staff and citizen outreach time to develop another plan.

We cannot wait to act on reducing our dependency on fossil fuels. Here are some implementation actions I will push the City to consider, in response to goals (in bold, copied verbatim) in the Peak Oil Report:

Proposal: Encourage energy-efficient and renewable transportation choices

Amanda's Action Agenda:

* Provide basic street infrastructure in all neighborhoods
* Every child should be able to walk on sidewalks from home to school
* Every commuter should have a safe route to walk/bicycle/use transit to work
* Every citizen should have easy access to rapid, reliable, frequent bus service

The City should prioritize transportation spending, staff time, and collaborative work with other jurisdictions to achieve these standards.

Proposal: Design infrastructure to promote transportation options and facilitate efficient movement of freight, and prevent infrastructure investments that would not be prudent given fuel shortages and higher prices.

Amanda's Action Agenda:

* Question how the proposed $4.2 billion 12-lane bridge on I-5 crossing the Columbia will filter to six lanes on either side of the bridge, and whether other alternatives such as an arterial bridge plus a renovated/new I-5 bridge with no increase in auto lanes, or a tunnel, might be more effective in the long term to ensure interstate freight trucks are not tied up by local traffic
* Encourage rail infrastructure improvements, to restore rail to its early role as the primary transportation mode for movement of freight and people around the region
* Require freight sidings at new industrial and distribution facilities
* Discourage removal of existing rail facilities
* Implement safety improvements for freight routes on Portland streets

Proposal: Expand building energy-efficiency programs and incentives for all new and existing structures.

Amanda's Action Agenda:

I would go further than expanding "incentives". Over the lifetime of the building, energy-efficiency saves money as well as fuel, helping the people who live in the homes and use commercial buildings for businesses. The City should conduct an inclusive, open public process to decide what the standards should be, and require all new construction to meet them.

The City must also revise Codes to make it easier (allowed, even) to build Green. As a land use enthusiast who served on the Planning Commission for seven years, I know how to get that done. I will provide leadership so it happens sooner rather than later.

Proposal: Preserve farmland and expand local food production and processing.

Amanda's Action Agenda:

* Expand the Community Gardens program
* Provide free water to community garden plots
* Allow an exemption from summer water use surcharges for urban farmers growing food
* Provide support under the Office of Neighborhood Involvement network for Portland Parks & Recreation, and community groups like Growing Gardens and other non-profits, to help people establish gardens, learn canning, etc.
* Use and promote local fresh food at City functions

I will also press for the Council to appoint an independent Citizens Task Force with a balance of skeptics and enthusiasts, to re-examine the pros and cons of biofuels, and determine whether encouraging the production and use of various kinds is good long term public policy. I believe it is unethical to promote the production and use of ethanol from edible crops, given that doing so is having the effect of drastically increasing the cost and availability of food to millions of people.

Proposal: Prepare emergency plans for sudden and severe shortages.

Amanda's Action Agenda:

* Detailed plans with well-thought out priorities should be in place
* Work collaboratively with fuel suppliers, transporters, and public safety agencies to ensure that fuel vendors are secure and know what their obligations are in those situations
* Make plans for emergency authorization of van pools and jitneys, with fuel allocated to them
* Prepare standby plans to use school bus fleets to supplement TriMet

Follow-through (not in report):

Re-reading the Peak Oil Task Force Report and Recommendations will be a required component of annual evaluations for my staff.

In my jobs in hospitals for 26 years, every year I am required to read manuals on infection control, electrical safety, fire response, etc., even though the content doesn't change. Similarly, I will ask every staff member in my office and my bureaus to read this report annually. And yes, there will be a test.

To discuss policies and implementation actions related to re-thinking our energy use, come to the Portland Peak Oil meeting tomorrow evening, 1/30/08. I will be there, mostly listening. I expect I may have some additions and/or amendments to this preliminary list, after that meeting.