Customer Profile:  City of Gresham

The City of Gresham is the fourth largest city in Oregon and the second largest in the Portland metropolitan area. Gresham has a diverse population of more than 100,000 made up of long time residents, young professionals, families, and new immigrant communities.  Over the last 20 years, Gresham has experienced rapid growth from a rural, farming community to a burgeoning urban area that provides a high quality of life for its residents and business community.

Gresham Mayor Shane T. Bemis signed the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection agreement in 2007, confirming Gresham's commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.  Purchasing renewable energy through PGE's Clean Wind ^SM program is one significant and affordable means for doing so.

Why did the City of Gresham decide to purchase renewable energy?

“When a sustainable program such as buying renewable energy is made available at a cost a City government can afford – the potential future cost to our community’s health is too great not to participate,” says Erik Kvarsten, city manager.

What are some of the City of Gresham's other "green" initiatives?

The City of Gresham sets the standards for city involvement in green initiatives:

• The Wastewater Treatment Plant is powered by a cogeneration engine that uses methane gas produced from the plant digesters to generate both electrical power and heat used at the facility
• The City picked a green demolition process for  an old Fred Meyer store
• The City increased its fleet of hybrid vehicles
• The City's Public Works fleet is powered by biodiesel
• The City installed test traffic signals that reduce idle time and car exhaust
• The City holds an annual community Earth Day celebration
• The City’s successfully launched a food waste pilot program
• The Gresham City Council approved inaugural Green Street Standards and Green Development Practices
• The City provided new recycling carts and increased plastics recycling
• The City of Gresham and Boeing constructed a regional water quality improvement facility wetland complex
• The City's AmeriCorps Volunteers have planted 6,828 native trees and plants