Updated July 2018

Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) conducted a public rulemaking in the spring of 2018 to update ENB-4.23, the administrative rules governing the BES Treebate Program. The Treebate Program provides a financial incentive to Portland residents to plant trees in their residential yards.

What were the goals of this rulemaking?

The City of Portland is committed to effective, efficient, and equitable service delivery. The Treebate Program provides a one-time utility bill credit for tree planting in residential yards. The changes to ENB-4.23 will make it easier for Portland residents to qualify for Treebate credit and will make the Treebate Program more straightforward to administer. The changes will slightly increase the incentive to plant trees, decrease the size of tree that must be planted to qualify for the Treebate credit, create a new category of trees eligible for credit (fruit trees), and establish a minimum tree width to decrease the number of applications for ineligible shrubs.

Were comments submitted on this rulemaking?

No comments were submitted during the 30-day public comment period, and a hearing was not requested. The new administrative rules were adopted on June 25, 2018. The new rules are identical to those proposed during the comment period. The complete administrative rules for Treebate will be available on the Portland Policy Documents website in August. The rules may be viewed here temporarily.

A fact sheet on the proposed rules that was circulated during the public comment period is available here.

How do I get more information about the Treebate Program or this rulemaking?

For more information or questions about these rules, please contact Rachele Altman by email at rachele.altman@portlandoregon.gov or by phone at 503-823-7767.