I personally have been tracking air quality issues relating to our RCPNA area since coming onto the Board in 2008.  This is a passion of mine as I am asthmatic. I realize that the Arsenic Hot Spot in our neighborhood is making the news at 4xs the benchmark safety levels.  The reality is that the level of Benzene and Diesel are up to 10xs the allowable risk level in our neighborhood.  Our greatest risk is from the unregulated diesel vehicles and the congestion on I-84.  Here are some resources you might want to review:

>http://www.opb.org/news/blog/ecotrope/mapping-portlands-everyday-air-toxics/

>http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/toxics/docs/pats/15pollutantsAboveSummary.pdf

> Quick review of the PATs Report, see http://www.rcpna.org/12aq035patsreport

The hard reality is that our State Legislators cut funding for OR DEQ in 2011 under pressure by industry, see: http://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2012/feb/07/oregon-environmental-council-oregon-business-assoc/did-oregons-department-environmental-quality-take-/.  It is also a hard reality that the Oregon Land Use System defers air quality to DEQ and planners rarely use DEQ’s pollution data to make land use updates.  The only way to link the land use together with DEQ is to call for a Health Impact Analysis when land use plans are being reviewed.

At this point RCPNA has not heard about DEQ refining the data from the current moss-sample(s) or additional sampling of the moss in our area to better identify the Arsenic Hot Spot. But, we are continuing our pressure on the authorities and working with Central NE Neighbors Coalition in developing a public meeting on air quality in the near future.

Please continue to provide us information on possible locations for the source of the arsenic hot spot.  The Board has letters going out to all possible sources inquiring about their materials and production. Two members are serving as emissaries to follow up, where needed, to begin discussing a Good Neighbor Agreement.

Continue your emails and pressure on our elected officials.  As ours is arsenic, not cadmium, we are not the current priority.  I will post again as updates/new information is made available.

Please stay tuned.

Best,

 

Tamara DeRidder, AICP

Chair, RCPNA