PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 21, 2025
As a practicing physician assistant living near the Sprague and Global tank farms, I fear for health impacts from tank fumes. Daily, I question whether to open my windows or leave them closed. Absurdly, after many years of activism around the hazards of these “neighborhood tank farms,” Sprague remains a DEP licensed emitter of 49.9 tons of air pollution and Global pollutes us with 21.9 tons of yearly. EPA air pollution lawsuits against Global and Sprague did nothing. The complaints of many to City Hall and DEP no result. Since new neighborhoods are proposed near the tank farms, such neighborhoods will suffer for decades to come. South Portland’s unfortunate legacy of mixing petroleum hazards with people needs to end. ~ Robert Klotz, South Portland