Clean Air Protection Program

Portlanders breathe the dirtiest air in Oregon. Portland’s Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and low-income communities are most likely to suffer the greatest health impacts from this toxic air pollution, which can include increased incidence of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular damage, elevated cancer risk, and birth defects. 

To address this significant issue, Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) has proposed the creation of a Clean Air Protection Program that would use funds collected from the City’s largest stationary sources of air pollution to support community-based pollution reduction programs. BPS is currently seeking comments on its draft proposal—show your support to help smooth the passage of this important program. 

Below is a sample comment template you can cut and paste onto the testimony page. Please edit it as you see fit - testimony is always strongest when it includes your personal connection to the issue and your community!

TAKE ACTION

Sample Comment Template:  

Dear Bureau of Planning and Sustainability:

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Clean Air Protection Program. As you know, air pollution causes many preventable deaths in Portland, particularly in BIPOC and low-income communities. We have a responsibility to take action now. 

Our investments in reducing air pollution and its impacts on Portlanders need to match the scale of the problem. It’s more than fair to ask that Portland’s largest polluting facilities pay to address the problem they are causing. The City has been under-resourced in its efforts to address these significant air quality issues for a long time—which is why BPS should consider scaling up the fees charged to generate additional revenue for the program. Specifically, the following changes would generate an additional $1.18 million in revenue for the program: 

• Double emissions fee from $250/ton to $500/ton:
  • Annual revenue: $1.5 million (additional $750,000/year)
• Increase standard permit fees to $30,000:
  • Annual revenue: $750,000 (addtl. $250,000/year)
• Increase Title V fees to $30,000:
  • Annual revenue: $540,000 (addtl $180,000/year)

Communities need to be included in decisions that affect them; the Clean Air Advisory Committee will be critical to keeping this program and BPS staff responsive and connected to the most impacted communities and areas. The ordinance should be revised to give the Clean Air Advisory Committee oversight and input on data and access priorities—improved data and information access will help both City staff and impacted communities understand specific air toxics problems and develop solutions. 

I’m glad to see this proposal moving forward, and I encourage the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to continue to prioritize environmental justice concerns and community leadership as the proposal develops further. Thank you for your consideration and for your work towards cleaner air and healthier communities for all.

Sincerely,