The recent Portland City Council's rejection of Portland General Electric's (PGE) proposal to cut down nearly 400 trees in Forest Park highlights a significant conflict over transmission upgrades. Approved by a hearing officer, the plan aims to support an increase in energy demand due to cleaner energy transitions, but it faces strong opposition from community organizations. Critics argue that PGE misrepresented its project and ignored critical environmental criteria, emphasizing the necessity for careful stewardship of local resources as city energy needs evolve.
Both organizations say the hearings officer ignored key criteria in the Forest Park Natural Resources Management Plan that is intended to guide oversight of the park.
PGE's plan represents the third phase of its Harborton Reliability Project, which seeks to bolster electricity transmission from the Harborton substation.
PGE claims the project is necessary to ensure Portland's power grid can handle increased energy demand as the city transitions away from fossil fuels.
While there's widespread agreement that Portland needs to support a clean energy transition, many Portlanders disagree with PGE's justifications for cutting down trees.
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