By Amanda Krzyzanowski | Contributing Writer
As we navigate life after the Labor Day Fires of 2020, our community is facing an increasingly concerned power company (PGE in Concordia) balanced against a real need for street tree canopies whose shade decreases reliance on AC as summers get hotter.
Navigating our responsibility in creating neighborhood tree canopy leads us down two distinct paths: before trees are planted and after. Before a tree is planted, consider the mature height and canopy spread of what you plant, and where you plant it. We need trees in our neighborhoods. We also need thoughtful planting choices that protect those trees long-term, keeping them out of conflict with the lines overhead. But where do we go with existing canopies that must coexist with power lines?
We are stuck in a tangle of bureaucratic regulations and enforcement. Vegetation management requirements around power lines are split between federal and state regulations, with the city and the power company owning the objects. The city owns the street trees; the power company owns the poles. This is a textbook example of a difficult case in civic engagement.
The federal government oversees higher-voltage transmission lines, but gives the state jurisdiction over the lower-voltage distribution lines that run through neighborhoods and into our homes. In Oregon the specific minimum clearance requirements vary based on line voltage (OAR 860-024-0016.) Portland steps in only to protect its assets, the trees.
The power company is ultimately responsible for meeting state requirements and does the actual work and they outsource to tree trimming companies who are supposed to have an arborist on staff . Complaints can be filed with the City of Portland, Pacific Power, and the Oregon Public Utility Commission, all of whom have forms you can fill out, based on a specific tree issue.
But there’s a bigger, umbrella issue here: navigating these systems isn’t easy. How would you know without following a weeks-long path of redirection, like Kary faced? Our laws and regulations were written by lawyers for lawyers.
There are often avenues for citizen access, we just have to find them. They require understanding layers of government jurisdiction and knowing which agencies hold which authority. The text of the law isn’t usually navigable, but the agencies and stakeholders are our avenue to access. This knowledge gap shouldn’t be a barrier to civic participation.
What we need are accessible civics courses in Oregon. The tangle of enforcement and responsibility around our power lines is just one example of why this education matters.
Amanda Krzyzanowski, PhD, is an educator, lifelong learner, and board member of the Concordia Neighborhood Association, where she serves as Chair of the Land Use Committee. With a background in higher education and community organizing, she enjoys exploring politics and shared experiences that shape our neighborhood.