As we wade into the murky world of remediation of brownfield-contaminated land regarding the Yard South proposals for the Bug Light buildout, we should think back to the earlier Protect South Portland efforts to forestall tar sands coming through our port. Those efforts remain ongoing.

Biological weapon agents have caused harm and death to many soldiers. Compare the air quality issues present in South Portland, VOCs present in fossil fuels, and the numbers of tanks here (adjacent to Bug Light Park). The former ship-building industry left a multitude of hazardous materials in this soil. A March 3, 2023, NPR article about East Palestine, Ohio’s train wreck titled “Here’s why it’s hard to clean up toxic waste from the East Palestine train derailment” provides reference. I know the exposures to people living next door will likely, unavoidably, cause airborne hazardous materials.

Bug Light Park’s air quality monitor was removed some time ago. VOC measurements are subjective; further deterioration of state and federal environmental regulations raised the allowable limits of all deadly chemicals, especially benzene, which has exceeded safe limits in South Portland.

Government statutes exist that protect soldiers regarding such exposures; added VA benefits provide continuing medical help. No such benefits exist for citizens living in an area already heavily contaminated because of fossil fuel tanks and activities. There is no way to protect citizens here from exposures during such a cleanup.

The brownfield remediation of land on this plot will never provide low-income housing; the cost of cleanup alone will be enormous. Can next-door neighbors and adjacent properties avoid airborne exposure to contaminated soils? A lookup provided me with a statistic that there are over 86,481 acres of land elsewhere, available for building in the state of Maine (landwatch.com). Think this out, please. Protect South Portland.

Ellen Fraser
South Portland

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