Letter from the Chair: Call to Action

Posted on by Jere Fitterman

As we return from summer vacations or hanging out in the park, beach or backyard, to the routines of our lives and responsibilities, I want to focus on the appalling condition of the air we breathe here in Portland, and more specifically in Eliot.

You’ll read in Greg Bouchet’s article, on the cover page of this issue, that Eliot is in the bullseye of diesel pollution. We breathe air with significantly higher concentrations of diesel particulates than 99% of other communities in America. Not a good statistic and very bad for our health. In fact, this is potentially life-threatening. “Diesel exhaust is 100 times more toxic than gasoline engine exhaust,” according to a 2008 study in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. “Diesel exhaust is 80%-95% ultra-fine particles of carbon ‘soot’ with cancer-causing chemical riders that evade our natural defenses, reach the lungs, pass into the blood-stream, and circulate to our vital organs including the heart and brain.”

This past August, Oregon’s Legislature passed HB 2007 to limit the diesel particulates emitted from diesel engines, but not until 2029. Do we want to continue to breathe this bad air for another 10 years, while the polluters figure out how to comply? Or more realistically, until the economic impact is lessened by the attrition of dirty diesel trucks and construction engines?

The Volkswagen settlement money ($50,000,000) and the money from the Legislature (also millions of dollars) are available to businesses NOW for filtering these dirty engines. Why can’t the cleanup begin NOW?

Eliot Neighborhood Association is joining local neighborhood and advocacy group efforts to take action. For this effort, we need committed people of any skill level. We are looking for residents or anyone working in Eliot. Our Board needs you to help us form a strong, inclusive, passionate team to advocate for stronger, sooner regulations. Also we need to help local businesses gain access to the $50,000,000 ODOT, which is available for small under-represented trucking owners. Eliot Neighborhood Association has created a new committee, eACT, Eliot Advocacy for Clean-air Team. If you want to join us contact me at chair@eliotneighborhood.org

Eliot Neighborhood Association’s Eliot Advocacy for Clean Air Team, eACT, needs YOU!

The Eliot Neighborhood Association general meeting on October 21 will host Portland Clean Air. Come hear more about this problem, weigh in with your thoughts and find out how you can help make the air we breathe cleaner and less dangerous.

Also, at the October meeting, we will hold the annual elections of board members for the 2020 term. We hope to see you there and that you consider signing up to help with eACT or becoming a board member or simply get involved with other neighborhood association activities and events.

Letter from the Chair – A Call to Action

Posted on by Jere Fitterman

Hello Neighbors,

Eliot is in the bullseye of diesel particulate pollution. This is due partly to our proximity to I-5 and I-84, but also to MLK, which is a truck route, and the N Williams/N Vancouver corridor. All these roads carry dirty diesel trucks every day. Oregon allows unfiltered diesel trucks on our roads. This is dangerous for us because the National Institute of Health says “the health effects of diesel exhaust emissions… acute effects of diesel exhaust exposure include irritation of the nose and eyes, lung function changes, respiratory changes, headache, fatigue, and nausea. Chronic exposures are associated with cough, sputum production, and lung function decrements.” And… “Continuous exposure to diesel exhaust fumes can cause long term, or chronic, respiratory ill health with symptoms including coughing and feeling breathless. At worst, if people are exposed to diesel engine exhaust fumes regularly and over a long period, there is an increased risk of getting lung cancer.” ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/11401072/

Since Eliot has LONG been affected by diesel AND has tried several times to get legislation or regulation on pollution, long term neighbors wonder what’s different this time.

Well, a few factors have changed. The Oregon Legislature is finally taking up this issue this term. Our neighbors to the east have all converged to focus the legislature’s attention because of new data from the lichen study, PSU scientists, the ODOT I-5 expansion proposal, the Willamette Superfund recent movement toward resolution, the Volkswagen settlement and, yes, opening of Harriett Tubman Middle School. See HB 2007 “The Diesel Bill”.  

(https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1dBPerjxQcmUHVpZXk1UXFUemsycEFnV3dIZmMwcEpob0dR)

The Eliot Neighborhood Association is joining local neighborhood and advocacy group efforts to take action. For this effort, we need committed people of any skill level. We are looking for residents or anyone working in Eliot.  Our Board needs you to help us form a strong, inclusive, passionate team to advocate for stronger, sooner regulations, and also to help local businesses gain access to the $50,000,000 ODOT funds, which are available for small under-represented trucking owners. ENA has created a new committee, eACT, Eliot Advocacy for Clean-air Team. This Team will meet the 2nd or 3rd week of July. If you want to join us contact me at chair at eliotneighborhood dot org

See Environmental Advocacy for Clean-Air Team: Eliot eACT. 

Letter from the Chair

Posted on by Jere Fitterman

Hey, Neighbor!

What has your Eliot Neighborhood Association, ENA, Board been up to in the last year?

In this time when folks are questioning the form and function of City government, neighborhoods continue with the work of bringing neighbors together around plans, issues, and events that influence their quality of life. The current Board is action oriented. We work to protect the aesthetic, cultural values and diversity of the neighborhood and promote projects, programs, and activities to improve the general wellbeing and viability at the heart of the community (from the ENA Bylaws).

Continue reading Letter from the Chair

Say Goodbye to 2018 and Welcome to 2019

Posted on by Jere Fitterman

Change is the only constant in life” (Heraclitus, c. 535 BC – 475 BC)

We are changing, it’s a fact. We always have been changing. Our neighborhood is one of the six fastest-growing neighborhoods in Portland and we continue to evolve demographically as well as architecturally. A quick search on the web will enlighten all our new Eliot residents. (Check out the list of web pages at the end of this letter)

Continue reading Say Goodbye to 2018 and Welcome to 2019

Important Contact Information

Posted on by Jere Fitterman

Our Eliot Livability Team has been busy working with businesses, residents and the city to clean up our neighborhood. Here are a list of some helpful phone numbers and websites to contact the city about issues you may have around your property or that you notice in the neighborhood. Save this for future reference and thanks for helping keep Eliot clean and safe.

Continue reading Important Contact Information

Letter from the Chair Winter 2018

Posted on by Jere Fitterman

Our Eliot Neighborhood Association, ENA, Board has been busy this past year with traditional activities and on clean-up. However, the Board is evolving, as is our neighborhood, to be more diverse and more action oriented. This fall four new members joined the Board (see Board profiles in this issue). We have set our sights on 2018 to address issues brought up during our Community Conversations (safety and parking) issues brought to us from groups (air pollution and traffic).

Continue reading Letter from the Chair Winter 2018