6/29/2021 Hillsboro Airport Advisory Committee Meeting

Miki Barnes
June 28, 2021

"Lead can remain in the soil for up to 2000 years and it is toxic to plants in a variety of ways. It strongly inhibits seed germination, root and plant growth, seedling development, transpiration and chlorophyll production and it negatively affects water and protein content." [PlantProbs.net]

The next on-line Zoom meeting of the Hillsboro Airport Advisory Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, June 29, 2021, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.

To register and review the agenda visit https://cdn.portofportland.com/pdfs/HACA_Meeting_07_Agenda.pdf.

The draft minutes from the March 23, 2021 meeting, which included a presentation on ongoing use of leaded aviation fuel at the Hillsboro Airport as well as Chat Box comments on leaded aviation fuel and other topics, are available at https://cdn.portofportland.com/pdfs/HACA_Notes_Meeting_06_Draft.pdf.

According to the EPA, "Lead does not break down over time, so lead deposited in the past can still be a problem today. Lead in soil can contribute to overall environmental lead exposure..." For over 90 years, the users of the Hillsboro Airport have released numerous tons of lead and other pollutants into the air and soil in Washington County, relentlessly blanketing prime farmland, homes, neighborhoods, schools, daycare centers, and recreational areas with their toxic residue as well as unwelcome noise disruptions.

According to the FAA, the Hillsboro Airport logged 253,847 operations in the 12 months ending on 7-13-2020, an average of 695 take-offs and landings per day. Most were training flights that stayed within the borders of Washington County, though some flew over Yamhill and Columbia Counties as well. This means that 695 times per day residents of this community were subjected to relentless noise intrusions while being simultaneously doused with lead, PM2.5, benzene and a host of other toxins.

While many U.S. residents are conscientiously reducing their reliance on fossil fuels, the Port of Portland and the FAA continue to promote environmentally irresponsible activities that increase global warming and contribute to extreme weather conditions, such as the record breaking, triple-digit heat wave currently enveloping the Pacific Northwest.

Given the mountains of evidence on the negative and potentially irreversible health impacts of lead emissions, not to mention the negative health effects of noise, benzene, PM2.5 and other toxins, it is nothing short of unbelievable that the Port of Portland refuses to put a stop to flight training, and its aggressive and hostile assault on this community.