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A community effort to stop PGE's construction of new 100' high voltage lines along Stafford Road
Destruction has started as of February 26. If you were ever going to call your representatives, NOW is the time. See below.
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Save Stafford Road (SSR) vs. PGE
Community Update – April 15, 2026
It has now been three years since many Stafford Road homeowners first received easement notices from Portland General Electric (PGE). Those notices, sent in April 2023, outlined plans for a high-voltage transmission line along Stafford Road from the Rosemont substation to Wilsonville—requiring new, significantly taller, industrial metal poles, the removal of more than 250 trees and many easements for the larger poles, that would need to be placed outside the existing right of way. In response, Save Stafford Road (SSR) was formed in September 2023. Since then, we have been actively challenging this project before Clackamas County, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC), the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) and the courts.
Where Things Stand
● March 2025: Clackamas County denied PGE’s Nonconforming Use application, finding the project incompatible with the area.
● Later in 2025: PGE reapplied under a different pathway—a Conditional Use permit—which the County approved.
● SSR Appeal: We immediately appealed that approval to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).
● March 19, 2026: LUBA remanded the permit back to the County, concluding that both PGE and the County failed to properly address required scenic road protections under the Comprehensive Plan. LUBA did not agree with three additional arguments we raised.
Why We Appealed to the Court of Appeals
Both SSR and PGE had 21 days to appeal LUBA’s decision. SSR chose to move forward with an appeal for two key reasons:
1. To pause part of the project. Under Oregon law, our appeal suspends the permit for the portion of the project south of Johnson Road, preventing construction there while the case is pending.
2. To challenge unresolved legal issues. We believe LUBA did not fully or correctly address several of our claims. A favorable ruling could strengthen our position when the case returns to the County.
Current Status (as of April 9, 2026)
● The permit is suspended south of Johnson Road — no construction can occur there during the appeal.
● Construction may continue between Childs Road and Johnson Road (EFU zone).
● The Court of Appeals process is expected to take approximately 4–6 months.
● After that, the case will return to Clackamas County for reconsideration.
What This Case Is Really About
At its core, this is about whether Clackamas County will enforce its own rules. Stafford Road is a designated scenic corridor, with clear policies requiring development to fit the rural setting and preserve its visual character. The question now is whether those protections will be meaningfully applied—or set aside to allow large-scale tree removal and installation of industrial infrastructure. The outcome here could set a precedent not just for Stafford Road, but for scenic roads throughout the county.
Where We Need Your Help
This has been a long and challenging effort. We are not backed by a corporation or agency—we are a community navigating complex legal processes. So far, we have raised over $300,000 to fund this fight. As we move into the Court of Appeals and likely back to LUBA, additional resources will be needed. If you are able, please consider contributing through this website to support this effort and help ensure that community voices—and local protections—are not ignored.
Thank you for your continued support. Ed Wagner
115kV power lines? PGE, we need answers!
115kV power lines? PGE, we need answers!
PGE is planning to construct a new 115kV high voltage power line from the Rosemont substation along Stafford Road to the new Tonquin substation (Rosemont-Wilsonville line). Their projected February 2024 date to break ground has been pushed back to 2025 due to our community's continuing efforts, but we will fight back until the project is moved or cancelled. The poles will be 100 feet tall and many trees will have to be removed or butchered in order for this plan to go forward. We, the community members of the Stafford Road area, are deeply opposed to this plan and are organizing our resources to fight the current plan and help find an alternative. We refuse to accept that the best way to provide power to a growing area is with outdated, hazardous technology.
Your neighbors need YOU:
Your neighbors need YOU:
PGE has only notified people with poles on their property. Many of your neighbors don't even know this is happening. Tell them!!!
Contact Representatives
Contact Representatives
Right now, our goal is to slow this down and get some answers. Please write to or call your elected representatives to make sure PGE is being held accountable to the public!
Fire Mitigation
Fire Mitigation
Overhead lines break in storms. Storms are getting more frequent. One broken high voltage line can ignite the whole hill and we won't be able to put it out. We need a comprehensive fire mitigation plan.
Line burial and alternate routes
Line burial and alternate routes
Re-routing the lines along I-205 and I-5 is a mere half mile longer. Burying lines is by PGE's own admission the way of the future. We are gathering facts daily and need expert (non-PGE) input. Please help with the research effort.
Our protected wildlife
Our protected wildlife
Many neighbors have nesting bald eagles and peregrine falcons, along with many other species that will be directly impacted by the proposed lines.
Check back often for updates, including our next neighborhood meeting dates.
We hope to have lots more information in the coming days and weeks. The earliest we've heard that any neighbor was contacted by PGE was in May 2023, and many of us didn't find out until August 2023. Much more to come (and please contact us via email!).
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