Oregon House Bills Push Utility Companies to Get Certified and Pay for Homes Lost in Wildfires

Two House Bills have been introduced in Oregon. The first would create a fund paid for by public utility companies to assist those who lose their homes to wildfires, and the second requires utility companies to apply for a wildfire safety certification.

Introduced by Representative Pam Marsh on Tuesday, HB3917 would allow utilities companies to create a $800 million fund managed by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to pay property damage claims from wildfires caused by their equipment.

The bill would not interfere with the ability to pursue civil action against a utility commission but instead creates the caveat that if an award is made following a claim against the new fund, the claimant would be barred from pursuing action against the utility provider.

A second bill introduced by Marsh, HB3666, deals with utility companies’ roles in fire and would require them to apply for a wildfire safety certification. However, the specific requirements are not yet set. The PUC would award companies that meet the standard a wildfire safety certificate.