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Published on January 25, 2025
Portland Stands Against PGE's Controversial Power Line Plan Through Forest Park Over Environmental ConcernsSource: Google Street View

In the face of increasing resistance from the City of Portland and local environmental advocates, Portland General Electric (PGE)'s proposal to install new power lines through Forest Park continues to stir controversy. The city has recently aligned itself against PGE's plan, intended to bolster electricity capacity and prevent potential future blackouts. Citing significant environmental concerns, Portland's Permitting and Development office released a report urging the rejection of the project, as noted by OregonLive.

According to this report, the project does not comply with local environmental standards, primarily due to the proposed removal of more than 300 trees within Forest Park's expansive green space. A PGE spokesperson earlier indicated to KGW that while a total of three acres would be affected by their Harborton Reliability Project, it was a necessary trade-off for the growing energy needs of Portlanders. Yet, the city's stark opposition highlights a clash of values, choosing to prioritize the preservation of a public natural reserve, over, green-lighting infrastructure updates.

With concern regarding climate change on the rise, such environmental decisions are scrutinized closely, both by citizens and officials. PGE, on its end, maintains its stance on the necessity of the project for ensuring the reliability of power supply, stating that its land use application meets the approval criteria and promising a robust mitigation plan. "Our land use application meets the land use approval criteria, provides strong justification for these urgent transmission upgrades in Forest Park, and proposes a robust mitigation plan to enhance natural resources, improve biodiversity and habitat and help reduce the risk of wildfire in and beyond the project area, to improve the park and make it safer," Kristen Sheeran, PGE's vice president of policy and resource planning told KGW in a statement.

Local neighbors have voiced their own concerns, worried about the ecological impacts and the irreversible loss of trees. The update would involve not just the new power lines, but also the modification of existing lines that have long crossed the park. A city hearings officer has been recommended by Portland’s permitting and development office to deny the project, pointing out the proposal's inadequate consideration of alternative solutions, as highlighted by coverage from KPTV. This recommendation comes ahead of a city-organized land use hearing on the topic, slated for January 29 via a Zoom meeting.