Do you notice strong odors outside your home, such as petroleum, natural gas, etc? Are you curious as to what it is you are breathing in and if there are possible health hazards? If so, the City invites you to learn about the City's air quality monitoring program in partnership with Maine DEP.
"Grab Canisters"
The Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) provided the City with a limited number of “grab canisters” each week to be distributed to residents so they can capture their own air samples, which will then be analyzed by DEP for certain Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs). This program ran from June 10, 2019 to September 9, 2019.
Permanent Air Quality Testing Fixtures
Beyond this, Maine DEP worked with the City of South Portland to install five permanent testing fixtures around the City (one in each voting district) to help monitor air quality.
Fixed 24-hour sampling site locations and status:
- District 1: Bug Light Park (first sample 8/13/2019)
- District 2: City Assessors Building (first sample 6/26/2019)
- District 3: South Portland High School (first sample 7/2/2019)
- District 4: School Administration Building (first sample 9/30/2019)
- District 5: Redbank Community Center (first sample 10/6/2019)
Results from Maine DEP website: South Portland Ambient VOC Air Quality Monitoring Project
CLEAN AIR ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAAC):
On September 10, 2019, the City Council passed ORDER #52 establishing the Clean Air Advisory Committee. The purpose of the ad hoc Clean Air Advisory Committee shall be to present the South Portland City Council with timely yet comprehensive recommendations on improving air quality throughout South Portland. Unless their charge is extended by the City Council, the committee shall be considered dissolved upon presentation of the recommendations at a meeting of the City Council.
South Portland Petroleum Storage Tanks - GIS Layer
The Planning Department has released a GIS layer to the City's GIS program containing information on each storage tank in South Portland. You can click on this link to be brought to the GIS page, where you can find pertinent information about the tanks (contents, year built, etc.)
HOW TO REPORT/RECORD STRONG ODORS:
SmellMyCity App
https://smellmycity.org/
Smell MyCity is a smartphone app designed to crowdsource reports of pollution odors travelling through our city. All smell reports submitted through the app are visible on the map, and this information is publicly available through the website (smellmycity.org). Local residents, organizations and regulators can use smell report data to help track down potential sources of pollution in the neighborhood.
If you smell fumes, or suspect a gas/oil leak or other hazard, call 911 (emergency) or the Fire Department (non-emergency).
RESOURCES, NOTICES & PRESS RELEASES
LD2033 - An Act To Ensure Proper Closure of Oil Terminal Facilities (March 26, 2020; Effective January 1, 2021)
Information about the Cumberland County Wood Stove Changeout Program & Application
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has issued a draft air emissions license for Global Companies LLC and is now accepting comments on it. This draft license incorporates the conditions from Global's recent consent decree with the EPA. The DEP will hold a public meeting on Monday, September 28 at 6 PM via Zoom to take comments from the public. Click here for more information.
Information from Maine DEP
South Portland / Portland 24 Hour Volatile Organic
Compounds Air Monitoring Results Analysis and
Summary Report - Analysis and Summary for Sampling Period
November 2019 – January 2020
- Follow up from November 26, 2019 (Q&A)
- April 1992 Hydrogeologic Investigation BP Getty Koch Fuel Terminals
Maine DEP Air & Environmental License Renewal/Amendment Notices
Portland Pipeline Corporation's DRAFT Oil Terminal Facility licenses for SECOND review. Comments must be submitted by May 6, 2022.
Final Air Emission License - Global Companies LLC (February 17, 2021)
South Portland Terminals LLC Marine Oil Terminal Facility Renewal License Application (February 11, 2021)
Global Partners Marine Oil Terminal Facility Renewal License Application (October 28, 2020)
ON Semiconductor Air Emission License (October 13, 2020)
South Portland Terminal (Buckeye) Air Emission License Application (June 8, 2020)
CITGO Marine Oil Terminal Facility Renewal License Application (May 22, 2020)
Global Companies LLC Air Emission License Application
Texas Instruments - Air Emission License (January 8, 2020)
Sprague - Air Emission License (January 2, 2020)
Sprague - Air License Amendment Application - New Boiler at 59 Main Street (November 12, 2019)
Citgo's Air Emission License Renewal Application (November 15, 2019)
Part 70 Air Emission License Renewal Application - Permit # A-460-70-G-R
Gulf Oil LP South Portland Terminal Air Emission License Renewal Application (September 8, 2022)
These applications (in full) are available at the City Clerk's office for public inspection and at Maine DEP website: https://www.maine.gov/dep/air/permits/index.html
On July 19, 2019, the City of South Portland received notice from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that it has issued a Letter of Warning to Global Partners for failing submit a compliance testing report to the DEP on time. The report, which was due on July 5, was received 7 days late; however, the reported results were found to be in compliance. DEP advises that this deadline violation will also be addressed in a consent decree being drafted in response to a Notice of Violation that was issued to Global on June 5 for a fuel sulfur content exceedance violation.
The DEP is required to notify the City of any new violation at any regulated industry under a newly enacted statute (38 M.R.S. § 589-A), a law which was passed after lawmakers listened to public comments from residents of South Portland about the failure of federal regulators to inform the City about alleged violations at two petroleum companies that were claimed to span nearly a decade.
Press Release: South Portland Partners with Maine DEP for Air Quality Monitoring (May 30, 2019)
Press Release: Two South Portland Facilities Cited for Separate Violations (Spague and Global) (June 7, 2019)
City's Response re: Global Partners Consent Decree Public Comment
60-day extension granted for public comment regarding EPA v. Global Partners Consent Decree