EPA: March Community Information Sessions scheduled to Provide More information About the Portland Harbor Cleanup

Beginning March 7, the EPA will host a series of community information sessions focused on the Portland Harbor Cleanup, as planning and design work gets underway for the cleanup of an approximately 10-mile stretch of the lower Willamette River. The public is encouraged to attend the session(s) that are most convenient for their schedules. The EPA will present the same information at each of these sessions on March 7, 8 and 9. There will also be a webinar on March 14, covering the same material, for those who are unable to attend the in-person sessions.

The lower Willamette River runs through the economic heart of Portland and is a treasured natural resource. Portland Harbor - or the section of the river between the Broadway Bridge and Sauvie Island - has many contaminants on the river bottom and river banks which are potentially harmful to people, fish and wildlife. In early January, 2017, the EPA signed the cleanup plan (the Record of Decision) for that section of the River: https://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/CLEANUP.NSF/ph/Portland+Harbor+Superfund+Site

EPA is currently formulating the initial baseline data collection plan with its government stakeholders, including DEQ, and PRPs interested in providing their ideas.

Aware that there are still many unanswered questions among residents along and around the River, the EPA community involvement specialists and project leaders have designed a series of informal information sessions to provide an opportunity to speak with project experts, ask questions and discuss the final cleanup plan (see the list below).

The public is encouraged to attend any of the EPA community information sessions to hear:

Background on the Portland Harbor Cleanup
Discuss why the cleanup is important to you, your family and your neighbors
Answer questions about what happens next and what you can expect to see, short and long-term.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION SESSIONS SCHEDULE FOR MARCH:

Tuesday, March 7: City of Portland Building, Room B (2nd Floor), 11:30 a.m. – 1:30pm

Location: 1120 SW 5th Avenue, Portland OR 97204

Schedule: Open House (11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.), EPA Presentation (12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.), Q&A Session (12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.)

Interpretation and Special Accommodations: Spanish interpretation will be available. If you have any other special accommodation needs, please contact Laura Knudsen (knudsen.laura@epa.gov or (206) 553-1838)).

Wednesday, March 8: Presentation at the Portland Harbor CAG Meeting (BES Water Pollution Control Lab), 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Location: 6543 N Burlington Avenue, Portland OR 97203 *Limited Space Available*

Schedule: The EPA Presentation will start at 6:35pm, followed by a Q&A Session

Thursday, March 9: Leaven Community Center, 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Location: 5431 NE 20th Avenue, Portland OR 97211

Schedule: Open House (5:30pm – 6:30pm), EPA Presentation (6:30pm – 7:00pm), Q&A Session (7:00pm – 8:00pm)

Tuesday, March 14: Community Information Webinar, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Location: Online - REGISTER NOW

Schedule: EPA Presentation (6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.), Q&A Session (7 p.m. – 8 p.m.)

Interpretation and Special Accommodations: Please contact Laura Knudsen (knudsen.laura@epa.gov or 206-553-1838) by March 1st to discuss accommodating language interpretation needs for this webinar. If you have any other special accommodation needs, please also contact Laura Knudsen.