NOVEMBER 2020.VOL. 20, NO. 11. PORTLAND, MAINE.
COVID-19 MEMORIAL
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!
CLIMATE JUSTICE FEATURE
Toxic Stench in the West End
West End residents plan a temporary memorial for Cumberland County residents who have died from Covid-19. Turn to Page 7 for details.
Tanker offloading oil at South Portland tank farm (view from Harbor View Park). Residents report smelling fumes from as far away as Portland's West End neighborhood. -Photo by Tony Zeli
Author Espahbad Dodd lives on State Street in the West End. He is a member of the Portland Climate Action Team.
By Espahbad Dodd The air smells like petroleum or burning rubber. Is it safe to breathe? That’s what people in South Portland and Portland’s West End want to know.
Above, an example of the temporary Covid-19 memorial planned for Longfellow Square. The public may leave small remembrances like flowers, stones, shells, or poems. More on Page 7.
INSIDE THIS EDITION Page 3 Munjoy Hill residents team up to build housing Page 5 Reader opinion on Portland ReCode
The smells may contain VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) coming from the South Portland tank farms – including those of Global and Sprague. Among the toxic, airborne chemicals emitted are Benzene, Ethylbenzene, Toluene, and Xylene, all of which irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and skin to varying degrees. Headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, and vomiting are common reactions. Benzene, odorless, can be cancer-causing. Such fumes can be especially dangerous to the health of children, the elderly, and those living in close proximity. Several schools, daycare facilities, and housing for the elderly are nearby.
Zuckerman of Protect South Portland told the South Portland City Council last year. “Can we look them in the eyes and tell them that it doesn’t matter? Their health is the price we expect them to pay to support the status quo of doing business? Don’t we all have the basic right to breathe healthy air?”
Fumes Reach West End
to bed at night, so that she can close her windows if necessary. Some of the tanks may be emitting as much as twice the amount of dangerous emissions than their licenses allow. In fact, the EPA has found that the heated tanks have the potential to emit more than 50 tons of VOCs, in violation of Global’s existing permit, which allows for only 21.9 tons. Both Global and Sprague have been fined for underreporting emissions. Global has agreed to minor modifications, and a draft consent decree with Sprague calls for the same.
As one of the largest volume oil ports on the Eastern Seaboard, South Portland is the home of 120 tanks which store petroleum products including asphalt and bunker fuel (a thick, sludge-like kind of oil) which has to be heated to keep from Emissions Monitoring hardening. Depending on wind directions, Since an emission monitoring profumes from tanks carry over the river into gram began more than a year ago, Protect Portland’s West End. South Portland wants to see Global’s facilI find the smell overwhelming some- ity reclassified as a “major source emitter.” times when I walk through West End That would subject it to more rigorous “More than 1,500 of our children Cemetery. And West End resident Pame- regulations and stricter pollution stanattending schools near the tank farms la Shaw takes the added precaution of dards. CONT'D ON PG. 17 are being exposed every day,” Roberta checking wind directions before she goes
Page 8 Wine suggestions for your Virtual Thanksgiving Page 10 Dining out for Thanksgiving? What’s open and what’s not Page 20 Thanksgiving Trivia, Crossword, Sudoku & more!
Page 4… What a piece of trash! Ideas for re-using campaign litter
Page 17… Is it big enough to make the BIG Trees List?
Page 18… Learn how sauna use decreases risk of heart attack