On September 23rd, community members had a firsthand experience of Portland’s working waterfront through a boat tour from downtown Portland to the tip of Sauvie Island, stopping at Swan Island Lagoon and Willamette Cove. Stakeholders from Portland’s houseless community and representatives from Right 2 Dream Too, Portland Harbor Community Coalition, Lower Willamette Group, Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group, the Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Health Authority, the Port of Portland, and many others came together to share perspectives about the lower Willamette River.
The lower Willamette River cleanup links the hopes and dreams of many people. Legacy contamination from past industrial practices prompted the listing of a stretch of the river as a federal Superfund site. A 15-year study process has left many people with questions about the project and concerns about environmental health.
The tour introduced community members to Superfund cleanup issues and future engagement processes. While the trip offered spectacular views, it was also a journey to new relationships and understanding between Superfund regulators, project managers and members of Portland’s houseless community and support organizations. While the boat meandered downstream, so did the conversations – as people exchanged ideas and information on an incredibly complex project.
Pausing at Willamette Cove, Port of Portland and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality staff shared information about the upcoming voluntary cleanup at the site to make it safer for people and wildlife. Owned by Metro, the area is just downstream from the railroad bridge on the east side of the river in North Portland. Historically, it hosted cooperage and ship repair facilities. Port of Portland briefly owned some of the area, and is pro-actively engaging in site cleanup with Metro.
Currently, the soil contains elevated concentrations of dioxins and heavy metals. The Port will be excavating and removing contaminated soil along the upland area above the shoreline in October and November 2015. The property is not open to the public, although use of the property for recreational purposes is known to occur. Metro has placed signs and fences to let people know about safety issues. After the cleanup are complete, Metro plans to preserve Willamette Cove as an urban natural area.
The Willamette Cove project is just one of many cleanups that will occur as the lower Willamette River Superfund project progresses. DEQ, working with lower Willamette River property owners, has identified numerous areas along banks and adjacent lands that should be remediated to prevent recontamination of the river bottom. The cleanup process is a journey that will navigate the waters of many perspectives that must come together to produce a vison for a healthier river that supports people, jobs and the environment.
Barbara Smith, from the Lower Willamette Group, shared “It was a great tour to introduce community members to the Superfund project. It brought people together who aren’t normally involved in the formal process, and it was wonderful to hear new perspectives on the river and exchange ideas.” You can learn more about the conversations at the Portland Harbor Community Boat Tour by listening to the radio show on KBOO. Additional project background is available by listening to the One River – Many Voices podcast series.