The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub Policy Project will update Comprehensive Plan policies and development rules to address issues related to bulk liquid fuel facilities in the CEI Hub. These changes aim to regulate bulk liquid fuel facilities and make the existing facilities safer.
What is the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub?
The Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub is a six-mile stretch of industrial land in Northwest Portland along the Willamette River. The CEI Hub stores 90 percent of Oregon’s liquid fuel supply. It serves as a hub for storing and distributing liquid fuels.
There are several challenges associated with the CEI Hub:
- Location: the CEI Hub is vulnerable to earthquakes and wildfires. A natural disaster would have severe environmental and human health consequences.
- Safety: the bulk liquid fuel facilities are required to make improvements to minimize the damage from earthquakes.
- Relocation options: there are no safe and viable alternatives for relocation in Portland.
- Fuel Demand: Fossil fuels are an essential part of the state, regional, and local economies. The CEI Hub supplies 90 percent of Oregon’s liquid fuel. The need for liquid fuels and the safety issues associated with liquid fuel storage are both important considerations that need to be considered when discussing the future of the CEI Hub.
- Fuel Transition: Demand for liquid fuel is expected to decline over the next 25 years. The CEI Hub will be needed during this transition away from fossil fuels to reach our climate goals.
For more information about the CEI Hub safety and hazards, visit the project documents page.
Project purpose
The CEI Hub Policy Project will update Comprehensive Plan policies and City code to:
- Regulate bulk liquid fuel facilities
- Support making the existing facilities safer
There are many local, state and federal agencies addressing different components of the CEI Hub. This project will also convene these partners to develop a broad action plan for the CEI Hub.
Learn more about how this project fits into the work that other agencies do.
What are bulk liquid fuel facilities?
This project addresses the development and safety of bulk liquid fuel facilities. A bulk liquid fuel facility is defined as a facility that stores more than two million gallons of fossil fuels and serves to transfer fuel between modes of transportation for distribution.
What are the different types of liquid fuels?
There are different types of liquid fuels stored at the CEI Hub:
- Fossil fuels –petroleum products that are made from decayed plants and animals that lived millions of years ago and are used as a source of energy. These include crude oil, gasoline, coal, methanol, natural gas and propane.
- Renewable fuels –fuels are produced from non-petroleum, non-natural gas renewable resources and have less than 5 percent fossil fuel content. These include biodiesel, biomethane, and clean hydrogen.
- Non-fuel products – these are oils, lubricants and other materials with non-combustion uses.
Project steps and timeline:
- June - Aug. 2025 - Background research and preliminary concepts
- Staff will work with community members, community organizations, subject matter experts and business groups to develop preliminary concepts.
- Sept. 2025 - Release Discussion Draft for public feedback
- Staff will release a preliminary proposal, also known as a Discussion Draft. There will be opportunities to provide comments to staff.
- Nov. 2025 - Release Proposed Draft for Planning Commission review
- The Proposed Draft will reflect updates to the proposal based on public and technical feedback. There will be opportunities to give testimony at Planning Commission hearings.
- Winter - Spring 2026 - Release Recommended Draft for City Council review and adoption
- The Recommended Draft will reflect updates directed by the Planning Commission. There will be opportunities to give testimony at City Council hearings.
Get involved
There will be opportunities for the public to give feedback and testify on plan drafts before City Council adoption.