<description>ODOE’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan is out now, and our guests walk us through the plan, sharing their hopes of how it will strengthen the agency’s efficiency and effectiveness as we work as a cohesive unit to address our greatest energy challenges. 

Guests: ODOE Director Janine Benner and Associate Director for Strategic Engagement Ruchi Sadhir
Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources:
ODOE’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/about-us/Pages/Strategic-Plan.aspx 
About ODOE: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/about-us/Pages/default.aspx 
Oregon Energy Strategy: https://energystrategy.oregon.gov/ 

</description>

ODOE’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan is out now, and o…

ODOE’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan is out now, and our guests walk us through the plan, sharing their hopes of how it will strengthen the agency’s efficiency and effectiveness as we work as a cohesive unit to address our greatest energy challenges. 

Guests: ODOE Director Janine Benner and Associate Director for Strategic Engagement Ruchi Sadhir
Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources:
ODOE’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/about-us/Pages/Strategic-Plan.aspx 
About ODOE: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/about-us/Pages/default.aspx 
Oregon Energy Strategy: https://energystrategy.oregon.gov/ 



Episode 56: Pillars for ODOE’s future

<description>All around us, natural and working lands – from forests, to crops, to wetlands, and parks – are putting in work to benefit Oregonians. 

Dig into natural and working lands and natural climate solutions on this episode of grounded.
 
Guests: ODOE’s Elizabeth Ruther, Senior Natural &amp; Working Lands Policy Analyst, and Jason Sauer, Natural &amp; Working Lands Analyst

Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources
Land-based Net Carbon Inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Documents/2025-Land-Based-Net-Carbon-Inventory-Report.pdf

Study on workforce development and training needs for natural climate solutions: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Documents/2025-NCS-Workforce-Needs-Report.pdf 
What are Natural Climate Solutions? What are Natural Climate Solutions?

DEQ's sector-based emissions inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ghgp/Pages/GHG-Inventory.aspx 
DEQ's consumption-based emissions inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/mm/Pages/Consumption-based-GHG.aspx 

Natural and working lands fund report: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Reports/2025-Natural-Working-Lands-Annual-Fund-Report.pdf 

Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission: https://www.oregon.gov/highered/Pages/default.aspx 

Natural and Working Lands Advisory Committee: https://climate.oregon.gov/committee-meetings 
</description>

All around us, natural and working lands – from f…

All around us, natural and working lands – from forests, to crops, to wetlands, and parks – are putting in work to benefit Oregonians. 

Dig into natural and working lands and natural climate solutions on this episode of grounded.
 
Guests: ODOE’s Elizabeth Ruther, Senior Natural & Working Lands Policy Analyst, and Jason Sauer, Natural & Working Lands Analyst

Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources
Land-based Net Carbon Inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Documents/2025-Land-Based-Net-Carbon-Inventory-Report.pdf

Study on workforce development and training needs for natural climate solutions: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Documents/2025-NCS-Workforce-Needs-Report.pdf 
What are Natural Climate Solutions? What are Natural Climate Solutions?

DEQ's sector-based emissions inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ghgp/Pages/GHG-Inventory.aspx 
DEQ's consumption-based emissions inventory: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/mm/Pages/Consumption-based-GHG.aspx 

Natural and working lands fund report: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Reports/2025-Natural-Working-Lands-Annual-Fund-Report.pdf 

Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission: https://www.oregon.gov/highered/Pages/default.aspx 

Natural and Working Lands Advisory Committee: https://climate.oregon.gov/committee-meetings 


Episode 55: Putting soil & plants to work

<description>The Olympic Pipeline brings 90 percent of our transportation fuels from Washington into Oregon. In November 2025, the pipeline was shut down to repair a leak, causing a fuel emergency declaration. In this episode, we’re reflecting on Oregon's response to the incident. 

Guests: ODOE’s Energy Security Manager Traci Naile, and Mike Freese, of Romain and Freese representing the Oregon Fuels Association

Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources:
•	Episode 52: Hoping for blue skies, planning for black skies: https://on.soundcloud.com/ia3ikp2SjkODtJOOzd 
•	Oregon Fuels Association: www.wpma.com/oregon
•	Fueling Up in Oregon: Supply &amp; Pricing: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog/2026/3/23/fueling-up-in-oregon-supply-amp-pricing
•	Olympic Pipeline partially restarts as Oregon remains under fuel emergency declaration: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/25/olympic-pipeline-oregon-fuel-emergency-gas-prices/</description>

The Olympic Pipeline brings 90 percent of our tra…

The Olympic Pipeline brings 90 percent of our transportation fuels from Washington into Oregon. In November 2025, the pipeline was shut down to repair a leak, causing a fuel emergency declaration. In this episode, we’re reflecting on Oregon's response to the incident. 

Guests: ODOE’s Energy Security Manager Traci Naile, and Mike Freese, of Romain and Freese representing the Oregon Fuels Association

Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources:
•	Episode 52: Hoping for blue skies, planning for black skies: https://on.soundcloud.com/ia3ikp2SjkODtJOOzd 
•	Oregon Fuels Association: www.wpma.com/oregon
•	Fueling Up in Oregon: Supply & Pricing: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/blog/2026/3/23/fueling-up-in-oregon-supply-amp-pricing
•	Olympic Pipeline partially restarts as Oregon remains under fuel emergency declaration: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/25/olympic-pipeline-oregon-fuel-emergency-gas-prices/

Episode 54: Reflecting on fuel pipeline shutdowns (bonus)

<description>Fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are powered by electricity, so they need to “fuel up” at charging stations. While as much as 80 percent of charging happens at home, public chargers allow those without access to home charging and those traveling farther distances to recharge their batteries.
On this episode, we discuss EV charger availability and reliability and get a first-person perspective of EVs in rural Oregon.

Guests: Jillian DiMedio, ODOE Senior Energy Policy Analyst; Steve Gutmann, co-founder of EVmath; and Robert Wallace, executive director Wy’East RC&amp;D

Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources
•	Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report : https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/BIZEV.aspx 
•	EVmath.org: https://www.evmath.org/ 
•	Wy'East RC&amp;D: https://www.wyeast-rcd.org/ 
•	Oregon Electric Vehicle Dashboard: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Pages/Oregon-Electric-Vehicle-Dashboard.aspx 
•	ODOT’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/climate/Pages/NEVI.aspx  
•	DEQ’s Zero-Emission Fueling Infrastructure Grant: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/Pages/OZEF.aspx 
</description>

Fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are po…

Fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are powered by electricity, so they need to “fuel up” at charging stations. While as much as 80 percent of charging happens at home, public chargers allow those without access to home charging and those traveling farther distances to recharge their batteries.
On this episode, we discuss EV charger availability and reliability and get a first-person perspective of EVs in rural Oregon.

Guests: Jillian DiMedio, ODOE Senior Energy Policy Analyst; Steve Gutmann, co-founder of EVmath; and Robert Wallace, executive director Wy’East RC&D

Grounded music by PaulYudin
Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

Resources
•	Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report : https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/BIZEV.aspx 
•	EVmath.org: https://www.evmath.org/ 
•	Wy'East RC&D: https://www.wyeast-rcd.org/ 
•	Oregon Electric Vehicle Dashboard: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Pages/Oregon-Electric-Vehicle-Dashboard.aspx 
•	ODOT’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/climate/Pages/NEVI.aspx  
•	DEQ’s Zero-Emission Fueling Infrastructure Grant: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/Pages/OZEF.aspx 


Episode 53: Fueling EVs in rural Oregon

<description>Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Geothermal

Guest: Rob Del Mar, ODOE senior policy analyst

Resources:
•	Geothermal Energy in Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Geothermal.aspx 
•	Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries’ interactive map of geothermal springs and wells in Oregon: https://gis.dogami.oregon.gov/maps/gtilo/
•	Newberry Volcano Project: https://mazamaenergy.com/newberry/ 
•	Neal Hot Springs: https://www.enbridge.com/about-us/renewable-energy/geothermal 
•	Oregon Institute of Technology's Geo-Heat Center: https://www.oit.edu/library/about/collections/archives/all-collections/geo-heat 
</description>

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our mini…

Get grounded in energy fundamentals with our mini-episode series: Getting Grounded. We're breaking down Oregon's energy sources. Up next: Geothermal

Guest: Rob Del Mar, ODOE senior policy analyst

Resources:
•	Geothermal Energy in Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/energy-oregon/Pages/Geothermal.aspx 
•	Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries’ interactive map of geothermal springs and wells in Oregon: https://gis.dogami.oregon.gov/maps/gtilo/
•	Newberry Volcano Project: https://mazamaenergy.com/newberry/ 
•	Neal Hot Springs: https://www.enbridge.com/about-us/renewable-energy/geothermal 
•	Oregon Institute of Technology's Geo-Heat Center: https://www.oit.edu/library/about/collections/archives/all-collections/geo-heat 


Getting Grounded:  Volcanoes and electricity (geothermal)

Grounded is a podcast by the Oregon Department of Energy. Here on Grounded, we're talking energy – from renewable energy and the history of nuclear power… to utilities, businesses, nonprofits, schools, and Oregon families going green and making a difference.

Grounded: a Podcast by the Oregon Department of Energy

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