April 30, 2018
DEQ Air Quality Permit Coordinator,
The Bridgeton Neighborhood Association Green Team asks DEQ to deny the application by ORRCO for air quality and solid waste permits. We believe that health of our neighbors in the Bridgeton community and the natural environment surrounding us will be negatively impacted by the uncontrolled emissions and from ORRCO burning waste oil as fuel to run their processing plant. We also think that they are not carefully handling potential PCB’s that contaminate their collected waste fuel. 
DEQ has not been able to verify for certain what ORRCO emits. We want the oil refinery emissions to be monitored real-time, as they come out of the stacks and we want the full-spectrum results to be fully-disclosed and transparent. ORRCO should be required to install both a thermal oxidizer for the VOC gases and a Scrubber to contain all the Particulate Matter.
 
ORRCO’s system that allows for emissions self-reporting is not substantial enough for this dangerous type of industry. We think real-time monitoring technology has become readily available to verify exactly how much and exactly what hazardous agents are being emitted. There is evidence that refineries underestimate and underreport their true VOC emissions (like benzene, xylene and toluene which can cause headaches, dizziness and cancer) by 10-12 times. We want DEQ to stop allowing oil re-refiners to self-report their emissions and instead rely on quantifiable facts. 
 
DEQ should not grant a “used oil burning“ exemption to these oil refiners. It’s been misapplied. The original intent was for small space heaters in sheds as an “incidental process,” it should not apply to larger scale oil refining operations. By definition, it is not used oil by the time it hits their boilers because it’s already been processed into fuel. On one hand, DEQ calls it ‘used oil’ but on the other hand DEQ calls it “fuel” (i.e. on the proposed permit) However the two products are not the same thing and are not interchangeable. This mis-applied exemption causes the whole problem! We want DEQ do stop allowing this loophole as part of the ORRCO permit. 
 
Sincerely,
 
BNA Green Team Members
Bridget Bayer
Laura Miller
Ann Howell
Jon Peterson

​March 18, 2019
 
Dear Committee on Energy and Environment,
 
We live in the Bridgeton neighborhood, a small but powerful community perched on the Northern edge of the city of Portland. We are the neighbors who live on the I-5 corridor and are directly affected by dirty diesel.
We strongly urge you to support the strongest possible Clean Energy Jobs bill, HB 2007 that will be introduced in the 2019 Oregon Legislative session.
We must put a declining cap on all greenhouse gases to ensure Oregon meets it Green House Gas (GHG) goals: to reduce all GHG emissions by 45% by 2035 against 1990 levels and to zero by 2050.
We need to make sure polluters pay and hold them accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis. A market-based approach will both ensure GHG reductions and level the playing field for clean energy.
We need to invest in climate solutions that will ensure a just and equitable transition to a clean energy economy.
In addition to achieving these three vital aims of climate legislation we also urge you to do all you can to make sure this legislation is as effective as it needs to be by:

• Advocating for an aggressive cap that ensures steep reductions in GHGs.
• Advocating for a maximum of 25% free allowances for regulated entities, and
• Advocating for a maximum of 4% offsets with at least half of that providing direct environmental benefit to Oregon.

We have an urgent need for action. Worldwide GHG emissions are now at an all-time high. And C02 emissions in U.S. rose a startling 3.4% in 2018. 
Oregon has often taken the lead in addressing major environmental problems by passing legislation like the Bottle Bill and Statewide Comprehensive Land Use Planning.  We need to once again be a leader in tackling the climate crisis. Please do all that you can to help us cap and reduce greenhouse gases.  We have the ingenuity, knowhow and workforce; you are a motivator of political will. Please make it happen, and soon.
Sincerely, 
Bridgeton Neighborhood Association Board of Directors
cc. Representative Tina Kotek & Senator Lew Frederick

​Report water pollution and environmental problems to the City of Portland Environmental Services 
Report Pollution 24 Hours a Day, Call 503-823-7180.The Environmental Services Spill Protection and Citizen Response section investigates pollution going to, threatening, or leaving Portland's sewer system. Someone washing paint down a storm drain, a strange looking discharge coming from a pipe on the river, or sewage coming out of a manhole are all things Spill Protection and Citizen Response investigates. 

To report pollution or ask a question about an environmental concern, call the spill hotline at 503-823-7180 or go online here (link)

BNA Green Team updated Metro's list to reduce garbage & increase recycling during the holidays.
 
START HERE >>> Reuse, re-gift and donate unwanted or unused items with a community collection event before or after Christmas.
Keep discarded electronics out of the garbage 1-888-5-ECYCLE (1-888-532-9253) http://www.oregon.gov/DEQ/ecycles/Pages/default.aspx
Divert decorations & gift wrap https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/index.cfm?&a=618111
 
Compost holiday trees https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/558502
 
 
Reuse in Portland
Freecycle
 https://groups.freecycle.org/group/PortlandOR/posts/all
A grassroots movement committed to a sharing economy and helping people give and gain cool free stuff. It promotes reuse and keeping usable items out of landfills.
 
Paying it Forward Store
 http://www.payingitforwardstore.org
The Paying it Forward Store helps those in immediate need of clothing, coats and shoes and connects to other like-minded organizations by collecting and distributing donated items.
 
PDX Free Store  https://www.facebook.com/groups/365603686842843/about/
The PDX Free Store is like a rummage sale except everything is free—clothes, housewares, music, toys and games. Bring clean, working items to donate—take home items you need.
 
Rooster
 (http://therooster.co/)
Rooster is a community of neighbors who share resources at no cost. It’s about borrowing things you need—and making rewarding connections in your community. Learn more about Rooster.
 
Nextdoor https://bridgeton.nextdoor.com/news_feed/
 Nextdoor is a tool for getting helpful recommendations and resources from neighbors in addition to borrowing, donating or selling items.  
 
Buy Nothing Project
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/185057795232149/
Buy Nothing Project members post anything you’d like to give away, lend or share. It is neighborhood- and Facebook-based, focused on items you’d like to borrow or acquire, at no cost, from neighbors.
 
Have unusable bulky items?

Your garbage and recycling company can remove large items that are not reusable or recyclable for an extra charge. Call your garbage & recycling company (https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/54938) a week in advance and they will give you a cost estimate. For a reasonable charge, they will pick up appliances, furniture, large branches, stumps and other big items. For curbside pickup, set bulky items at your curb on the day your garbage and recycling company has agreed to pick them up. 
 
For discarded items abandoned in your neighborhood contact the Metro Regional Illegal Dumping (RID) Patrol or call 503-234-3000
https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-living/garbage-and-recycling/rid-patrol

​BNA Green Team – WATER
 
Portland’s River Patrol is charged with maintaining safety and monitoring safe water use on all rivers and waterways in Portland. Based on new “limited use” rules created for all our benefit, they recently inventoried all seemingly abandoned boats and floating campers, tagging them for removal if they didn’t meet health and safety standards.
 
Oregon administrative rules, OAR 141-082-0255(43), are new, legal rules created for use by the Dept. of State Lands (DSL), River Patrol (RP) and Portland Police Dept. (PPD) to address camping and use on the water (on boats, rafts, floating homes or whatever).  Two sailboats north of Portland Yacht Club now have notices attached to the companion as a result of the inventory process. They likely tagged the camp west of the railroad bridge. The RP stated DSL had identified 10 vessels/locations that were "marked".

From OAR 141-082-0255(43):
"Limited Duration Use" means any temporary or infrequent use of state-owned waterways, with no long term or extended use intended.  Limited Duration Use includes any non-commercial use of state-owned submerged or submersible land which is not more than thirty (30) calendar days during any contiguous 12-mo time period, within a distance of 5 miles.  
 
The full text of the OAR 141-082-0255(43) is also available on the Green Team/Water Resources page or http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/pages/rules/oars_100/oar_141/141_082.html
 
 
If you have questions about this OAR, contact Dept. of State Lands Rules Coordinator Contact: ​Sabrina L. Foward, Department of State Lands, 503-986-5236, 775 Summer St. NE, Suite 100, Salem, OR 97301-1279.
Karen McCausland