City Approves More than $31K to Help PSU Research Heavy Metal Pollution

The City of Portland will spend more than $31,000 on a new air and soil monitoring program to be carried out by researchers at Portland State University, the Portland City Council decided this morning.

As part of its twice-annual budget monitoring process (BMP or “bump”) the council allocated $65 million from various city funds, $3.8 million of it from the all-purpose general fund. Among that outlay was $31,250, added to the emergency ordinance late at the request of Commissioner Steve Novick.

Novick announced this morning the money will go to study the “dispersion of metals in Portland soil and air,” in the wake of revelations that Portland glass companies have been emitting chemicals like cadmium and arsenic for decades.

“I think that we’ve heard a lot of concerns about Portland’s air quality in the past couple of months,” Novick said before approving the total spending package. “A lot of citizens have been following this issue and raising concerns for years.”

Novick, Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury, and other officials—including PSU Environmental Sciences and Management professor Linda George—will release more information about the new research effort early this afternoon. That announcement is expected to unveil a partnership between the university, county (which is also kicking in money), and city, and detail the use of technology to better track heavy metals throughout the city.

Outcomes from the research likely wouldn’t have regulatory heft, and wouldn’t be as forceful as a local air quality authority officials have mulled in recent months. Still, the studies should be able to increase understanding about where metals are present in the area.

Stay tuned for more details.

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