By Brian Hoop
A City of Portland Hearings Officer ruled February 28 in favor of Portland General Electric’s request, against overwhelming opposition, to cut down 397 trees within Forest Park and permanently fill two existing wetlands to add a new quarter-mile section of transmission line to feed our region’s growing need for more electricity.
A guest speaker will be joining us at our April 2nd Linnton neighborhood meeting to discuss the outcome of this decision and next steps.
The Harborton Reliability Project is the 3rd phase of a five phase project to upgrade electrical transmission capacity across Portland. PGE argues the project will help prevent service interruptions, increase grid safety and mitigate wildfire risks. It is not clear if anyone will appeal the decision before a March 21 deadline.
The decision comes despite the city’s Permitting and Development office recommending that the city reject the plan. Opponents included Portland Parks & Recreation, numerous environmental organizations and neighborhood associations, including the Linnton Neighborhood Association.
PGE applauded the decision stating, “We appreciate that this decision weighed all evidence and found that the project is needed and meets the stringent requirements for work within an existing utility easement, including extensive plans to improve forest health and wildfire safety.”
The project includes shifting the location of one power pole and rewiring a segment of existing transmission line to that new pole location and installing two new poles to support a new, 1,400-foot-long segment of transmission lines. The poles will connect west to existing PGE lines within Forest Park and span east across Highway 30 to PGE’s existing Harborton Substation.
To mitigate impacts to the forest, wetlands and streams, PGE will pay in-lieu fees to Parks and Recreation to implement restoration projects. The plan includes planting a mixture of shorter-stature tree species, including Oregon white oaks. They will retain up to 10 percent of cut trees to place trunks onsite in a fire-safe manner and seed disturbed herbaceous areas with native seed mix that contains pollinator support species.
Opponents are wary of phases 4 and 5 that may include additional transmission line improvements within existing easements in Forest Park. The project will start in summer 2025 and go through the end of 2027, according to PGE.
To read the Hearings Officer’s decision: tinyurl.com/4a76ef2s