Agency launches informational "Full Court Press" to help Portland-Metro communities prepare to review on the suggested Portland Harbor cleanup project
Residents of the greater Portland area interested in learning more about the why, when and how, of the approaching Portland Harbor Superfund cleanup will have many opportunities to do just that beginning the 1st week of February, say E.P.A. officials.
The Agency's ambitious schedule of presentations, information sessions and webinars will offer Portlanders - and everyone interested in improving the health of the lower Willamette River - a sense of what intensive research has revealed about what lies on the bottom of this urban, working waterway. People will also learn about how Superfund cleanups are designed, marshalled and paid for.
This spring, E.P.A. will release a Suggested Project for the cleanup and seek formal public comments for 2 months. The Suggested Project will offer a detailed picture of EPA's preferred cleanup methods for recovering the Lower Willamette and making it a cleaner, healthier place to live, work and play. The Record-of-Decision, or final plan, will be released at the end of this year.
According to Dennis McLerran, E.P.A. Regional Administrator, hearing from the community about how the cleanup should move ahead is a fundamental part of the E.P.A. Superfund program.
"An informed and engaged community will help the Agency craft a smart, successful cleanup that protects people and the environment," said EPA's McLerran. "EPA cleanups must be driven by the best science accessible and by the Superfund law. Using those tools and community input, we will tailor a final River cleanup Project that protects people, the environment and Portland's working waterfront. We cordially invite everyone to join us and take an active role in helping chart the future of this beautiful river."
E.P.A. is hosting the following Information sessions around the City of Portland:
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Thursday, February four
Open House: 11:30-12 noon
Information & Discussion Session: 12noon-1:30 pm
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Portland City Building Auditorium
1120 SW Fifth Ave, Portland
Portland Building, twond Floor Auditorium
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Thursday, February eleven
Open House: 6:30pm-7:30pm
Information & Discussion Session: 7:00pm- 8:30pm
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Matt Dishman Community Center
77 Nebraska Knott St, Portland
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Thursday, February 18
Open House: 6:00-6:30 pm
Information & Discussion Session: 6:30-8pm
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Woodrow Wilson High School Cafeteria
1151 SW Vermont St, Portland, Oregon
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Thursday, March three
Webinar - Live online information session
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More information to follow
Visit E.P.A. website
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Saturday, March 19
Open House: 12:30-1pm
Information & Discussion Session: 1-2:30pm
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Matt Dishman Community Center
77 Nebraska Knott St, Portland
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Wednesday, March 16
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SE Portland, Location and time TBD
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In addition to these larger-scale gatherings, E.P.A. is also either hosting or participating in many smaller meetings with elected officials, industry leaders, non-governmental organizations, civic groups, neighborhood associations and river users. Go to EPA's Portland Harbor website for a growing list of opportunities and events you can attend. For more information about these community information sessions, please contact Alanna Conley at 503-326-6831 or
[email protected].
When the Suggested Project is released in the spring, everyone -- residents, elected officials, tribes, business and industry leaders and state and local governments -- will then have an opportunity to review and provide formal comments on the plan. During the two-month public review period, E.P.A. will schedule another series of meetings to describe the cleanup Project and accept public comments. E.P.A. will then consider all comments and prepare the final Record of Decision by the end of 2016.
For more information and documents about the Portland Harbor Cleanup, please visit:
http://go.usa.gov/3Wf2B.
