In May 2006 Portland City Council adopted Resolution 36407 establishing the Peak Oil Task Force. In the resolution, City Council charged the Task Force with four key tasks:
1) Review information on the issues of peak oil and natural gas production and the related economic and social consequences;
2) Seek community and business input on the impacts and proposed solutions;
3) Develop recommendations to City Council on strategies the City of Portland can take to mitigate the impacts of declining energy supplies in areas including, but not limited to: transportation, business and home energy use, water, food security, health care, communications, land use planning, and wastewater treatment; and
4) Propose methods of educating the public about peak oil in order to create positive behavior change among businesses and residents that reduces dependence on fossil fuels.
The resolution also instructed the Offices of Sustainable Development, Transportation, and Emergency Management and the Bureau of Planning to provide staff support to the Task Force. In addition, the Oregon Department of Energy agreed to provide technical assistance on energy and policy issues.
Commissioner Dan Saltzman appointed 12 members to the Peak Oil Task Force in July 2006. At its first meeting, the Task Force established four subcommittees to examine peak oil from several perspectives, which, while o