The hydrogen blending controversy in Oregon first surfaced in West Eugene, where strong community outcry successfully halted a utility’s blending project. NW Natural, Oregon’s largest natural gas company, sought to begin blending hydrogen into residential pipelines in 2022. Soon after, residents in Southeast Portland discovered that NW Natural had begun blending hydrogen into their home gas pipelines without any public notification.

SB 685 was a very basic bill — simply requiring public notice — yet it became a heavier lift than expected. As the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported, NW Natural pushed back hard, warning that requiring notice could slow down projects and “cost our customers additional time and money” to clean energy adoption. Industry and labor argued they were already under pressure to adopt clean energy and should not face new “barriers.” Members of both parties accepted this framing.

There was sharp division among constituents over safety concerns. Labor and industry claimed there was no proof of safety risks, while community members and scientists emphasized that hydrogen blending had not been adequately studied in the Oregon context. Advocates raised particular concerns about aging pipes in residential systems, noting that utilities are only responsible up to the property line. Beyond that point, pipe quality varies widely, especially in older homes. Blending hydrogen into such systems could disproportionately endanger vulnerable residents, including grandparents, children, and those living in low-income housing. Hydrogen’s explosiveness and potential to worsen indoor air pollution added urgency to the call for oversight.

Authored by Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons.