A former demolition landfill near Northeast 82nd Avenue is being redeveloped as a community solar site, with an accompanying plan to restore habitat and establish a wildlife sanctuary in East Portland. Construction began in late summer on a roughly two-acre solar array at the 12.5-acre property, across from McDaniel High School and west of Rocky Butte Natural Area. The panels are expected to supply power for about 140 low-income households and begin operating around the start of 2027, project leaders say. The project is designed to help residents who may not be able to install rooftop panels because they rent or cannot afford the upfront cost. Electricity from the array will enter Pacific Power’s grid, and participating customers are expected to receive credits on their utility bills that could reduce costs by as much as 50 percent. The Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund awarded a grant for the installation. APANO, an Asian advocacy organization, is leading the project with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and Bird Alliance of Oregon. APANO says the effort is part of a broader goal to expand renewable energy access for underserved and cost-burdened East Portland households. The land has a complicated history. Rose City Sand and Gravel operated a quarry there until the 1970s, leaving an excavation about 80 feet deep. The pit was later used for roughly a decade as a demolition landfill, taking construction debris and other waste. A clay cap now covers the filled area, but environmental concerns and neighborhood opposition have made commercial development difficult. Bird Alliance bought its portion of the property in 2024. Dharma Rain Zen Center owns the other half and has worked for more than a decade to improve the land. Bird Alliance plans to continue that work by restoring wildlife habitat and moving its wildlife care center from its headquarters near Forest Park to the 82nd Avenue site. The project also links clean-energy construction to workforce development. Imagine Energy is building the array and worked with Portland nonprofit Leaders Become Legends to recruit crew members. The nonprofit supports formerly incarcerated people as they enter and remain in the workforce. Leaders Become Legends co-founder Bretto Jackson said the organization helps participants address mental health challenges and build careers after incarceration. He described the jobs as opportunities to build long-term financial stability, not simply short-term employment. Bird Alliance, APANO, PCEF and other project partners gathered at the site in September to discuss the work. PCEF program manager Sam Baraso said the project brings together renewable energy, workforce development and restoration of neglected open space. The solar work is ongoing. People interested in enrolling in the community solar program can find information through APANO or the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.