Portland air pollution activists expanded their campaign statewide Monday, submitting roughly 2,200 signatures in Salem asking the Legislature and Gov. John Kitzhaber to curb industrial emissions.
The activists, led by Neighbors for Clean Air, worked out a voluntary “good neighbor agreement” last year with ESCO to cut pollution from its foundries in Northwest Portland.
But they discovered along the way that Oregon’s industrial pollution limits are high, and there’s little built in protection for neighbors with industry next door.
Their petition aims to change that. It asks that the state require large industries emitting toxic pollution to pay for an independent audit of pollution control systems when they apply for or renew air pollution permits. The state should then require specific toxic reduction strategies, the petition says.
