 Councilor Green visiting The eBike Store, one of the local shops making the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) e-bike rebate program happen
There’s a lot to share today. It feels like I’m urging an action alert for you to testify again to help me fight against data centers and fossil fuel companies by amending our legislation to include conditions that increase transparency and accountability. No backroom deals. No greenwashing. No rushed decisions. This is about our safety, our health, our public dollars, and our local democracy. We can’t always count on the local media to report on these issues accurately or fairly either.
In District 4, especially at Forest Park and the CEI Hub, we have serious safety concerns about the dangers of massive fuel storage and the real threat of explosions, fires and oil spills. Council has to be thoughtful and deliberate about our every move and vote. I’ll tell you more about the legislative package I’m working on for the CEI Hub soon, and it involves many community members, neighborhood leaders, and environmental experts. The best part is having this collaboration and shared urgency. This is what I meant by inviting people to join my office to design policies and legislation together. You bring your ideas and I’ll carry them forward with you. This is movement building in action at City Hall.
 Councilor Green at the Linnton neighborhood picnic on August 29
 Linnton neighbors advocating for CEI Hub safety
Our resolution to ban Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) for data centers passed unanimously out of the Housing and Permitting Committee and will move to the full Council for a vote on Wednesday morning (click here to register to testify and to submit testimony in writing). Our resolution urges Portland’s City Administrator and City leadership to approach decisions related to data centers without using or signing NDAs for siting, evaluating permits, assessing fees, and setting utility rates, and to keep every decision about data centers in the open where Portlanders can see it. We deserve to know what’s being decided regarding our power grid, water, and neighborhoods.
Thank you to the Portlanders who came out and shared your voice. You helped make this possible.
Banning NDAs is only the first step. We heard Portlanders testify about the threats data centers pose to our climate goals, energy bills, and water resources. This is why Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane and I added an amendment to the resolution that declares the City Council intends to pursue a moratorium or zoning restrictions on all hyperscale data centers at the earliest time and to consider additional approaches for large load data centers.
Recent news coverage:
Portland City Council Will Consider Resolution Opposing NDAs in Data Center Talks
 Forest Park Neighborhood Association 50th Anniversary
After hearing testimony and receiving hundreds of emails from concerned constituents and Portlanders, Councilor Angelita Morillo and I introduced amendments to strengthen enforcement and accountability for safety and compliance as part of the transfer agreement. The amendment allows affected residents to ask the courts to enforce the franchise if ISQ Springer Holdings, LLC (ISQ) violates its terms or the law, and the City fails to act.
The vote now heads to the full City Council on Wednesday and we hope you will give public comment (either written or verbal) sharing your support for amendment. It may also be helpful to email your representatives to share support for this amendment.
Affordability is a top issue for Portlanders. In May, I voted no on the Bull Run revenue bond knowing that water rates on household bills will go up about 10% for several years, putting us on track to double Portlanders water bill over the next decade. Portlanders can’t afford that. I will continue to fight for oversight and cost control so that everyone can have safe and affordable water.
Recent news coverage:
Portland Water Rates Will Climb as the City’s Largest Wholesale Customers Disconnect from Bull Run Reservoir
Last month, Portland City Council voted 8-4 to approve a term sheet for renovating the Moda Center. The Mayor’s negotiators and Rip City Management will work toward a finalized agreement that is expected to come back to Council later this year.
In the City’s press release after the Council vote, it characterized the term sheet as “reasonable” and “fair.” Four councilors, including me, disagreed. These terms favored the transfer of our public dollars to a private owner without making a solid case that Portlanders were getting a fair deal. Many questions were not answered about the local economic benefits.
With the City's draft term sheet, Portlanders are on the hook for $400 million before interest, not just $120 million. Last month, I proposed an amendment with Councilor Candace Avalos to limit the City of Portland’s contribution to $120 million by not pre-committing an additional $275 million after the renovation, but it failed. Nobody among the negotiating team or my colleagues could justify why we need to tie up $275 million now in some new and unnamed upgrades. I voted no because I couldn’t support this level of public subsidy while the City is still emerging from a $170 million budget deficit that caused us to cut core services and many jobs.
While the term sheet improved slightly from earlier versions thanks to my colleagues who authored some amendments, our work isn’t done. Let’s continue asking questions and pushing for transparency about the real costs to Portlanders, especially to those who voted in favor of this commitment to funding this project. What they’re not saying is approving this deal means we will have to give up a lot and make more cuts to our basic services. Let’s be clear about that.
Contact your Mayor and councilors who approved this deal to ensure that your voice is not forgotten in the negotiations happening now.
 Bus riders walked with protest signs along the transit mall on August 23 when TriMet's cuts took effect
Last month I joined more than 50 people at an 8 a.m. meetup at Salmon Street Springs with Oregon Walks. I shared a bit more about the Parks effort to reimagine the waterfront in a new planning and engagement process, while also reminding everyone that PBOT is moving forward with more intersection safety improvements through “daylighting” and “vision clearance” for pedestrians. They’re also lowering speeds from 25 to 20 in some neighborhoods. I used some of my unspent office budget to transfer resources to PBOT to swiftly complete more locations over the summer and they’re doing just that.
On a sadder note, I’m frustrated like many of you who are experiencing the negative impacts of TriMet’s deep cuts into our transit system. TriMet made cuts to 34 lines (including the MAX Green Line) with two lines eliminated completely due to low ridership, according to their website announcing service changes that took effect on August 23.
We don’t have to accept this. We need transit investments now. Urge your state legislators to take action in the upcoming legislative session to prioritize transit service in the Portland metro area. I included this as a top priority in my legislative agenda for our House, Senate, and governor to address in Salem.
 District 4 Councilors, their staff, Oregon Walks, and their members
Beginning September 11, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is closing all lanes of I-5 southbound through the Rose Quarter by the Moda Center. All lanes of I-5 southbound between I-84 and I-405 will be closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for up to five weeks.
All Portlanders are advised to Shift Your Trip: if possible, drive less or drive only during non-peak times, it also means less congestion for people without that flexibility. Please share the travel advice and information on the Shift Your Trip website with your networks.
If you need additional resources to help you get around during major closures or to communicate information with your network, visit our Closure Travel Resources or I-5 Closures Toolkit pages.
To stay informed about upcoming construction and travel impacts, sign up for travel alerts or visit TripCheck to get real-time travel information in the project area. For information on traffic impacts associated with other ODOT construction projects visit TripCheck.
In Solidarity,
Councilor Mitch Green
 
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