Representatives from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Maine CDC met with South Portland residents Tuesday night to discuss findings from a six-year air monitoring study prompted by concerns about dozens of oil tanks.
The DEP study follows years of complaints from residents over strong smells, nose and throat irritation and other health concerns for those living near the oil tank facilities.
The results show slightly elevated levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen, near at least two of the monitoring sites in the city. Other sites showed levels below the state-recommended thresholds. The World Health Organization states there is no safe level of benzene exposure.
State officials said they plan to undertake another yearlong air monitoring study to zero in on some of the results.
But many residents have lost patience with state officials, with oil companies that own the tanks, and for some, even with the city council.
Pamela Cragin is a member of the group Protect South Portland.
"The solution is always the same. The solution is we need more testing... We need more testing. We're seven years into more testing, and we still have bad air," she said at the meeting.
The Maine CDC said that based on the monitoring data, cancer risk for residents is low: between one and two and a half people in 100,000.
But some residents said they doubt the study's methodology. Many, such as Julia Dawson, said they still feel unsafe living near the oil tanks.
"I would invite anyone doing testing on the fence line to actually come to my home, and try and sit outside," Dawson said at the meeting. "We all get headaches. We all feel nauseous, dizziness, you name it, we've got it."
Nearly half the residents of the city of South Portland live within one mile of oil storage tanks, which are scattered throughout the city.
Cragin and others are asking for improved safety measures at the facilities.
Several city counselors said they believe the study results and the current data available is enough to start looking at regulatory changes or other measures to improve air quality.
"We clearly have two terminals where we have significant benzene problems. We need to face up to that. We need to do something about it," said City Councilman Misha Pride. "I think that we should figure out some strategy, which could possibly be legislation, that if a terminal is within so many feet of homes...That terminals have got to use either best available technology or lowest achievable admission rate."
Near midnight, the South Portland City Council ended the session, opting to continue the discussion at a future workshop.
Following the meeting, CITGO has announced a plan to accelerate tank upgrades aimed at reducing emissions at its South Portland Terminal.
“We hear the community’s concerns about the study findings, and we take those concerns seriously,” said Karl Schmidt, vice president of supply and marketing at CITGO, in a statement. “We are not waiting for additional monitoring to take action. We are moving forward with emissions-reduction measures, investing in expanded community monitoring and working with the City and Maine DEP as this effort progresses.”
There are over 100 petroleum storage tanks in eleven facilities throughout South Portland. Other owners of the facilities include Sprague, Buckseye Partners, Suncor, and Global Partners.
