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Document title: Consent to franchise transfer from Zenith Energy Terminals Holdings LLC to ISQ Springer Holdings, LLC (amend Ordinance 188554)
Written testimony is not read out loud into the record during the meeting. Testimony is archived as a part of the record after Council acts on the item.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 58 written testimonies
| Name | Position | Comments and attachments |
|---|---|---|
| mb | Oppose | I vehemently opposed the Zenith energy transfer along with any more plans to invest in this pipeline at all. Zenith has a history of breaking the law and deceiving the public, its imperative that this dangerous transfer NOT BE APPROVED without thorough review, transparency and and community input (none of this has happened so far). ISquared also has a record of violations-I don’t think we should… Read more |
| Edith gillis | Oppose | Because each party involved has been dishonest, secretive, unsafe, unethical, and unlawful, with each decision in increasing the danger and financial risk to the City Of Portland and the people of Portland, they should not be trusted, and they should not be rewarded for their crimes and harm to the city. |
| Mel | You are voting on six foreclosures in different areas of Portland and these could have been avoided with mqking financialisation public such as a true Portlander public bank with a newly constructed charter. The public should own more land, streets, and buildings in Portland. End the privatisation of everything that leads to eviction and foreclosure. | |
| M | This new name and ownership does not fix the issues related to hazard for Portlanders. The permit should have been revoked and was given breathe behind closed doors after promises of a moratorium. Portland has pollution and a Super Fund site and is not earthquake ready or any other climate breakdown ready. It's long overdue to do the right thing regarding Zenith and this consent to change… Read more | |
| Anonymous | Oppose | These petro companies endanger Portland in an earthquake |
| Suzanne Thorson | Support | Please support this important amendment. |
| Nick Caleb, Breach Collective | Support with changes | Attached, please find a memorandum about the Green-Morillo 1 'Citizen Suit' amendment to the Zenith franchise transfer ordinance.
Green-Morillo 1 constitutes a reasonably appropriate technical or legal condition and a reasonable regulation in the public interest. The franchise agreement explicitly allows the inclusion of conditions related to the technical, legal, and financial… Read more
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| Eddie Barnhart, 350PDX | Support with changes | I strongly support the Green-Morillo amendment to this resolution. Zenith’s history operating in Portland is deeply concerning. They modified and operated their facility without the required authorization for years and made backroom deals to sidestep accountability with the help of city hall insiders. This breach of trust requires stronger protections for citizens when now considering this… Read more |
| Babs Vanelli | Oppose | I am a 78 year old life long Portlander, currently in District 2. CEI HUB just a heartbeat away from St. John’s neighborhood in North Portland. Zenith has an abysmal record of law suits resulting from their disregard for Climate Issues. AND Now, they want to transfer their franchise to ISQ. Țhis company also has an abysmal record of protecting the Environment PLEASE DO NOT A!LOW THIS… Read more |
| Mary King | Oppose | I strongly oppose the transfer of Zenith’s franchise to ISQ Springer Holdings, without 1) a full reckoning with the ways in which Zenith has flouted the legal constraints and agreements on their operations, and 2) an enforced agreement with Springer that holds them to much higher standards, public scrutiny and alignment with the strong desire of many Portlanders to lower the health and… Read more |
| Jennifer Robinson | Support | In addition to my previous comments: after listening to the 9/2 council meeting. Let’s look zoom out and big picture this political strategy. Two councilors who are up for reelection in November have drafted an amendment to appease a particular set of people and organizations who reside in district three and four. They need votes.. This is why it is a “now “ issue. The D3 trained lawyer… Read more |
| L. Mcfarlane | Oppose | VOTE yes on Green-Morillo 1 amendment. Here's why: I closely watched yesterday's 9/2/2026 Council meeting in which my district 3 rep, Councilor Steve Novick, voiced support for I Squared Capital, a "global infrastructure investor and private equity firm" (ISQ), with a history of aggressive infrastructure expansion, including data centers. ICYMI, City Admin/Zenith/ISQ's… Read more |
| Helena Birecki | Oppose | I am a resident and voter in Portland City Council District 4. While I oppose this franchise agreement transfer generally, I am adding testimony to Strongly encourage the adoption of the Green-Morillo 1 Amendment. The clause in the Green-Morillo 1 amendment "ISQ is not relieved of potential liability for actions committed by its predecessor" is 100% key to public accountability. If… Read more |
| I Squared Capital |
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| Edith Gillis | Oppose | Zenith has repeatedly broken laws and promises, and the existence of any oils sands, oil, or bitumen or chemicals involved, their transfer and storage by rail, pipe, and ship endangers the safety, existence, and economy of Portland and the surrounding ecosystems and public health, as well as democracy and any trust in local city decision-makers, thereby increasing the costs of insurance and… Read more |
| Brice Suprenant | Oppose | |
| Babs Vanelli | Oppose | As a 78 year old life long Portlander, I cannot believe this is even being considered!! Imagining Governor Tom McCall being furious, horrified, and heartbroken about the sequence of event's that have led to this discussion. From what I have researched, ISQ is even worse than Zenith. PLEASE! I implore all of you to oppose this proposal. I am currently in District 2 and in… Read more |
| Erik Domenighini | Support | I believe that we should approve this measure. They’re keeping all the same facilities, same operating conditions, and workers. They already have been fined! The mayor has given them a pass already. We must stop putting business ahead of the people that live there. The new owners are a literal shell company and they would only oppose an amendment if they didn’t think it was a risk for… Read more |
| Laura E Feldman | Oppose | 2026-263 - Consent to franchise transfer from Zenith Energy Terminals Holdings LLC to ISQ Springer Holdings, LLC (amend Ordinance 188554) Portlanders deserve more information, transparency, and a thorough investigation of this business deal, specifically the transfer of Zenith’s “franchise agreement” (a legal contract that grants a license to operate in a public right of way) to I Squared. As… Read more |
| Diane Meisenhelter | Oppose | I am on the verbal testimony list but did not receive email for virtual testimony connection. I wrote to council clerk and have yet to hear back. As such, I'm submitting my comments in written form here as I'm not sure what else to do. From the documents finally released by the City after a very non-transparent and somewhat shady process, we know that ISQ has not operated a bulk… Read more |
| Kip Silverman | Oppose | This cannot go through presently. Between the lack of transparency and accountability of the private equity firm and Portland's lack of a viable plan to contain and sort of minor, much less catastrophic event at the cei, any potential expansion puts all of Portland, especially north Portland in an unreasonable about of danger |
| Sarah Foster | Oppose | Unable to attend for verbal testimony: My name is Sarah Rosalind Foster, from district 3. Thank you for this opportunity to speak on the unglamorous issues of accountability and transparency for the CEI hub. Accountability is vital for a functional market economy, for good-faith investment in Portland, and for the maintenance of democracy. It's unfortunate that 7 councilors, including… Read more |
| Wendell Berry | Oppose | "Questionnaire” by Wendell Berry 1. How much poison are you willing to eat for the success of the free market and global trade? Please name your preferred poisons. 2. For the sake of goodness, how much evil are you willing to do? Fill in the following blanks with the names of your favorite evils and acts of hatred. 3. What sacrifices are you… Read more |
| Becky Hawkins | Oppose | The public needs more information and more promise of accountability before the city considers this transfer. Frankly, we don't currently have a reason to trust Mayor Wilson and the city to prioritize our safety and our climate over fossil fuel profits. Zenith Energy has a years-long record of committing violations and facing no consequences. The ordinance says that I Squared “intends to… Read more |
| Jan Zuckerman | Oppose | Please do not rush the process on the transfer of the franchise agreement, make sure the rules are fairly enforced and that the public is informed. I am asking you to protect the integrity of our city government and the people by simply following the set rules laid out regarding the franchise transfer from Zenith Energy to I Squared. Changing the rules mid-process from 9 council votes to a… Read more |
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