The City of Portland releases preliminary alternatives for regulating development at bulk fuel terminals in northwest Portland
Summary
The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub in northwest Portland stores 90% of Oregon’s liquid fuel. The City of Portland invites public comments on preliminary alternatives for regulating the development and supporting safety upgrades at these facilities. Comments are welcome through Friday, Oct. 17.
About the CEI Hub Policy Project
The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub Policy Project aims to further regulate bulk fuel facilities and support safety upgrades to reduce risks in the event of an accident or earthquake. This will be accomplished by updating policies in the Comprehensive Plan as well as amending regulations in the Portland Zoning Code. The project will also support convening local, state, and federal agencies to strengthen coordination needs to improve risk mitigation and response efforts among various agencies regulating the CEI Hub.
Preliminary alternatives
The Discussion Draft for the CEI Hub Policy Project includes four alternatives for policy and zoning code amendments. Each alternative includes increasing levels of safety requirements and storage expansion restrictions, ranging from unlimited expansions for aviation and renewable fuels to a requirement to reduce storage capacity by 2035.
The project team has met with environmental organizations, neighborhood groups, subject matter experts, and labor and industry representatives and has developed these alternatives based on this broad array of feedback. Learn more about these alternatives.
Learn more and give feedback
We want to hear from you! Each of these alternatives strikes a different balance between risk mitigation and economic impacts and the project team will rely on public feedback to refine these alternatives. There are many opportunities to learn more about the project and provide feedback:
Learn more
Learn more about the project at one of the following virtual events:
- Information Session #1, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 12-1:30 p.m.
- Rumble on the River panel, Thursday, Sept. 25, 5-8 p.m.
- Information Session #2, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 5:30-7 p.m.
- Willamette Riverkeeper webinar, Thursday, Oct. 2, 6-8 p.m.
Give feedback
- Submit written comments using the project’s Map App.
- Give feedback at an in-person open house on Monday, Sept. 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Next steps
Following the public comment phase, project staff will propose one alternative to the Planning Commission. There will be future opportunities to give testimony to the Planning Commission and then to City Council – the final decision-making body.
Sign up to stay updated about future project milestones and opportunities to give testimony.