You might have heard about Portland General Electric’s (PGE) plans to upgrade and enhance their electrical grid which could require the cutting of acres of forest within Forest Park in the northern part of Forest Park off of Highway 30 and near the location of the Harborton frog crossing. Many park users and community members have expressed concerns about the impact of such a project in Forest Park, and so we would like to touch on the subject to keep our community informed about the project and to make our stance on the matter clear.
For full disclosure, PGE is a current Business Member who has supported our work in the past, both through donations and through their Project Zero program which has provided interns to FPC in the past. We are thankful to PGE for their support of our work, and as an entity dedicated to the wellbeing of Forest Park (among other places) our duty is to advocate on behalf of the wellbeing of Forest Park and its community.
Background:
In 2022, former FPC staff members met with PGE representatives to discuss the project when it was in early stages of development. From this discussion, we learned that the project could impact around 6 to 9 acres of forest. After this, we have waited for additional updates from PGE, including finalized details for the project’s scope, information on alternative options for the project, and an assessment of potential impacts, the latter two items being ones PGE was asked to produce and provide as part of their application process when initially submitting their project for pre-approval to the city. At this point, we have not been given confirmation in what ways the project details will be different from what was provided publicly in their Early Assistance Application.
Earlier this year, our staff toured the site and remarked upon the remarkable forest habitat in that region, as well as the existing blackberry cover underneath the already existing power lines owned by the Bonneville Power Administration that run through Forest Park. The area of the proposed project features rich plant diversity and streams frequented by native wildlife, all of which could be greatly disturbed, if not outright removed, by a project cutting acres of forest.
Images taken by FPC staff in the proposed site area.
Our Statement:
Our official organizational statement is as follows: “Forest Park Conservancy (FPC) is deeply concerned about the potential impact of PGE’s proposed work in the northeastern part of Forest Park near Highway 30/BPA trailhead slated to affect 9 acres of forest. This area is rich in wildlife diversity, larger trees, and has a stream running through it where the northern red-legged frog, an at-risk species as noted in the Special Status and At-Risk Species List 2022 Preliminary Update Report prepared by Environmental Services, has been observed.
FPC wants to see alternatives presented by PGE – where else can this work be done? Additionally, we would like to see why this site is being favored over these alternatives and how PGE proposes to minimize their impacts in Forest Park given the scale of the proposed project and its potential impacts on the park.”
Conclusion
We had an update meeting with PGE staff and we plan on keeping in contact with them as this project proposal progresses and to hopefully keep an open dialogue where we can voice our concerns and advocate for Forest Park, as well as discuss additional updates regarding site impact, and potential alternatives when PGE provides them.
We understand that a lot of our supporters and community members are concerned and want to make their voices heard regarding this project, and if that is you we encourage you to keep an eye on this project as it develops. We plan on providing updates on the state of the project as new developments occur. Additionally, if you haven’t already, we encourage you to read up on recent news stories covering the project and the early application PGE submitted (links below) and to subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop.
In the future, a public comment period will occur after the proposal is formally presented for approval during which time you will be able to voice your concerns and thoughts, and we will notify our community when that occurs.
News Stories:
- Hoodline: “Portland General Electric Explores Expansion in Forest Park Amidst Community Concerns”
- KGW8: “PGE considers cutting down trees in Forest Park to make room for more power lines”
- Willamette Week:
PGE’s Publically Submitted Initial Proposal:
- https://forestparkconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/EA-22-142445-SUBMITTAL17052022123355882-1-2.pdf
- Please note that this is not a final proposal. While we do not know the full extent of what the final application will entail, we have been told that details will change as PGE conducts further research and planning. We look forward to the final application and hope that it addresses our concerns and those of our community.