NW Natural is latest fossil fuel company running ballot measure, astroturf campaign in blue states, attempting to “buy” itself out of local, state climate policy.

Media Contact
Dylan Plummer, Sierra Club, 541.531.1858, dylan.plummer@sierraclub.org

Eugene, OR – On February 20, the Petition Committee “Eugene Residents for Energy Choice” reported their first contribution, a $51,401.31 in-kind contribution from NW Natural, confirming what many actual Eugene residents already knew: the Portland-registered Petition Committee is simply the latest front group for the investor-owned fossil fuel utility. 

The group was established by NW Natural in a first-in-the-nation attempt by the gas industry to roll back local climate policy via a ballot petition, following Eugene City Council’s vote to join cities around the country in passing a policy to restrict the use of methane gas in new residential buildings. Almost immediately after Eugene City Council’s passage of this policy in early February, NW Natural made clear its intention to collect signatures to send the policy to the ballot. While Eugene is the 97th community nationwide, it is the first Oregon community to adopt such a policy. 

Aya Cockram, Coalition Coordinator for the Fossil Free Eugene Coalition, and resident of the Jefferson Westside neighborhood of Eugene, said: 

“We are extremely concerned to see a multi-million dollar corporation with a state-guaranteed monopoly getting ready to spend untold amounts of money to roll back meaningful  climate policy in our town. Utilities have a duty to act in the public's interest, which is absolutely not being served by NW Natural’s aggressive campaign to attack our local leaders, run misleading advertisements, and undermine city policy.”

NW Natural’s astroturfing network includes contractors like Portland-based C&E Systems (to administer its electoral effort) and Newman Lake, Washington-based IRCMS (for paid signature gathers). One of the more notable local relationships is NW Natural’s purchase of services of Anne Marie Levis, of Funk/Levis & Associates, who has served as Eugene Residents for Energy Choice’s primary spokesperson. Levis, who serves on the board of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, is also listed as the Director of a separate Political Action Committee “Eugene for Energy Choice,” registered and administered by C&E Systems at the same time as the Petition Committee. Based on what is known publicly, advocates are questioning whether Levis’ business relationship with NW Natural and its front groups was disclosed to the local Chamber, and how it has influenced the Chamber’s participation in the coalition. 

Danny Noonan, Climate and Energy Strategist at Breach Collective, and resident of the Whiteaker neighborhood of Eugene, said: 

“NW Natural is engaging in textbook astroturfing: the deceptive practice of presenting a corporate driven public relations campaign in the guise of an organic community effort. This playbook has been employed time and time again by big corporations to undermine progressive policies that threaten their bottom-line, and local businesses ought to be ashamed of hitching their wagon to this effort. Actual Eugene residents deserve to know how many organizations participating in Eugene Residents for Energy Choice are doing so solely because of quid pro quo relationships.”

For over two years, NW Natural spent significant resources trying to undermine and delay climate action policy in Eugene and across its distribution area in Oregon and Washington. After extensive public process with strong support from Eugene residents, the City Council adopted an ordinance to require new single family and low-rise homes be constructed all electric by a vote of 5-3.

Bethany Cotton, Conservation Director at Cascadia Wildlands, and resident of the Whiteaker neighborhood of Eugene, said: 

“Despite 2.5 years of extensive discourse, testimony, public hearings, and media coverage, the fossil fuel corporation NW Natural is funding an astroturf campaign to overturn a common sense climate ordinance by claiming Eugene residents weren’t consulted… from Portland.”

In recent months, NW Natural came under fire in national and local media for its deceptive marketing practices and for downplaying the peer reviewed science linking indoor gas combustion and human health harms: 

• In August 2022, lawmakers and organizations across the state petitioned Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum for an investigation into NW Natural’s deceptive advertisements and spending thousands of dollars creating children’s workbooks to distribute to Oregon schools.

• In January 2023, Oregon students planned to protest a NW Natural sponsored teacher training in Portland, calling it “part of a broader misinformation campaign about NW Natural” (the training was abruptly canceled after scrutiny).  

• Later in January, the NY Times published an article about NW Natural hiring an industry scientist to cast doubt on the overwhelming scientific evidence that gas stoves pose a significant risk to human health. 

Dylan Plummer, Senior Campaign Representative at the Sierra Club, and resident of the Amazon neighborhood of Eugene, said: 

“NW Natural has a long record of deception and dishonesty in Eugene and across the States of Oregon and Washington. Apparently advertising to children and science denial weren’t enough, so now we have a fossil fuel corporation spending untold amounts of money to pose as an organization of Eugene residents to keep our city hooked on polluting methane gas.”

The residential electrification ordinance is part of Eugene’s efforts to achieve the climate goals and commitments set out in the City’s Climate Action Plan and Climate Recovery Ordinance, which are in turn informed by the state’s climate emissions reductions goals. Eugene’s Climate Recovery Ordinance includes a commitment to reducing the community’s fossil fuel emissions by 50% of 2010 levels by 2030. 

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