Latest news with #KristenSheeran
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
PGE disputes city's rejection of its Forest Park transmission line project
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Portland General Electric is disputing the city's decision to strike down the next phase of a project that would remove several acres of trees from Forest Park. As first reported by , the Land Use Board of Appeals received the utility company's notice of intent to appeal on Wednesday. The notice is the latest update in the involving PGE's Harborton Reliability Project. Portland has the worst housing crisis outlook, LendingTree finds The project aims to install a new quarter-mile transmission line and upgrade a pre-existing line in Forest Park by cutting 376 trees from five acres of the 5,200-acre site. A Portland hearings officer approved the plan in March, despite testimony from several environmental advocates with concerns that the proposal would harm the urban park and its plant and animal communities. But city councilors tentatively granted Forest Park Conservancy's appeal against the project in April, before earlier this month. The most recent appeal from the utility company 'introduces the possibility of mediation in pursuit of our shared interests in serving Portlanders,' according to PGE Vice President of Policy and Resource Planning Kristen Sheeran. 'This project is urgently needed and the least impactful — affecting about one-tenth of one percent of Forest Park when stacked against alternatives that would condemn private property, affect Forest Park and additionally impact other environmentally and culturally sensitive areas, all while increasing the cost of the project that all customers would bear,' Sheeran added in a statement. 'We need the City to work with us on this project that is crucial to maintain reliable power for Portlanders.' Estacada man's arrest marks largest drug bust in Multnomah County history have argued it conflicts with Portland's 1995 management plan focused on preserving Forest Park's natural resources. Members of the Urban Forestry Commission have also highlighted the potential wildfire risks associated with the addition of transmission lines. However, PGE has contended the proposed tree removal would actually prevent safety hazards. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City councilors strike down PGE's plan to axe portion of Forest Park trees
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Portland General Electric is no longer permitted to go forward with its plans to remove five acres of trees from a treasured urban park. During a meeting on Wednesday, Portland City Council voted to reverse a . Under one phase of the project, PGE planned to cut 376 Forest Park trees to make way for a new quarter-mile transmission line and upgrades on a pre-existing line. Chefs behind Portland's Cafe Olli tapped for Taste America series A Portland hearings officer approved the proposal in mid-March, despite the that it could negatively impact the park's plant and animal communities and it could increase wildfire risks. Forest Park Conservancy challenged the decision with an appeal it submitted to Portland Permitting & Development later in the month. City councilors in April, but their recent vote finalizes the move. In a statement to KOIN 6, PGE Vice President of Policy and Resource Planning Kristen Sheeran said the utility is considering an appeal of its own. 'The hard truth is that the need for the Harborton Reliability Project is unchanged, and the evidence is clear that this is the least impactful of all options to the environment, landowners, and costs ultimately borne by customers,' Sheeran added. 'We should expect City Council to share our commitment to providing reliable electricity to Portlanders, but no critical infrastructure process can be seriously addressed in only 15 minutes of testimony. The Council's process deserves serious reconsideration.' PHOTOS: Laurelhust Park tree goes up in flames early Thursday morning Although conservationists have argued the project will negatively impact Forest Park, the utility has contended that it would only prevent safety hazards from occurring. PGE has also claimed that the proposal ensures only a necessary amount of trees would be removed. But the utility failed to show data on how they would provide a 'material carbon reduction,' according to District 3 Councilor Angelita Morillo. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Forest Park conservationists challenge Portland's approval of PGE project
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Less than two weeks after city leaders to remove a portion of trees from Forest Park, an organization has challenged the decision. submitted its appeal to Portland Permitting & Development on March 20, one day ahead of the deadline. The conservation nonprofit has alleged that phase three of PGE's — which would cut 376 trees from five acres of the city park — fails to comply with the natural resources management plan established in 1995. Moms march to Oregon Capitol over childcare The the site's natural resources amid an uptick in factors like the number of visitors, spread of English ivy and the homeless population. PGE has stated that its ongoing project only entails the removal of trees that pose safety hazards for the park, as the utility works to renew the aging infrastructure that brings electricity to its customers. But Forest Park Conservancy claimed the utility company's proposal is unnecessary. 'PGE cannot fully mitigate the damage from the proposed project, there are alternatives to their proposal, and this proposed project disrupts the forest's trajectory to becoming an ancient forest,' FPC said in a . 'Little bandwidth': Portland's small businesses outline economic struggles in new survey The company's proposal received support from several people who weighed in at the . One individual said the project appears to be the 'least-impact solution' in offering reliable power to the area, while another said it could actually benefit the environment. This was after Permitting and Development issued a staff report that opposed the proposal, expressing concerns on whether it would minimize impacts to Forest Park. The City of Portland's Hearings Office proceeded to approve the electric utility's land use review application on March 7. The decision 'reflected the most substantial analysis of the evidence against the permitting criteria,' according to PGE's Vice President of Policy and Resource Planning Kristen Sheeran. Mayor Wilson pauses demolition of Columbia Pool to explore funding options '…in other words: the process working as it should,' Sheeran added in a statement to KOIN 6 News. 'PGE urges the Council to exercise the same careful review of facts and evidence to similarly find that the project is needed, meets the stringent requirements for work within an existing utility easement, and includes extensive plans to improve forest health and wildfire safety.' Portland City Council is slated to review the appeal at a later date. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
