9/1/2022 THURSDAY 11:39
a.m,
email N Hunt and N
Wayland
It's 9am and the attack begins--the raging roar of Portland International Raceway. I have to close windows and my balcony door which I like to leave open to let cool air circulate before the heat socks
in. I put down my book to write another complaint letter--not how I wanted to begin my day.
Today's invoice I'm subutting to the city is for $1000. Besides the ill ease and stress I now feel in my body, I'm charging for the time I'm taking to write this and to try and educate city, county, state
officials about this egregious source of pollution that North Portland gets to shoulder every summer, along with all of the other sources of pollution we deal with here: trains, planes, industry, freeway,
superfund site and PIR, giving us the distinction of having some of the dirtiest air in the nation.
Last week in a peak of pain I spoke with Mr. Ron Huegli, (503-823-5899) Portland parks and recreation's PIR General Manager, It was somewhat informative. The gist: What you're complaining about is
one of our big races--and you should have been notified of this. Yes, I was, but it doesn't make it any more bearable as I can't get in a car (don't own one) and drive away from it. I said Portland parks
and rec.'s PIR is exceeding legal decibel levels which I understand to be 65 (it's 40 in the WHO article below). He explained that the city gave itself a variance to run these cars at 102 (maybe he said
112?) decibel levels--so that's that. I complained about the leaded fuel emissions. His response--EPA sanctioned this pollution (in 1970?).and supposedly leaded fuel was only used during the vintage
car races. My response, but you're dumping that in an already challenged and unhealthy airshed inhabited by residents. He also said that the Kenton neighborhood loves the PIR!
Hmm, that's not what I hear. Experts say children and elders (me) are the most vulnerable to the noise and air pollution. This attack lasts from 9/2 - 9/4. The next
and hopefully last is 9/9 - 9/11--classic cars--leaded fuel pollution. What a way to commemorate 9-11!
I expect better leadership from officials--not the "look the other way" response, or "pretend it's not a risk" which the city excels at. The city could start by reimbursing us for this mental and physical
health risk--some ideas--people living near the track don't have to pay property taxes, or, before someone buys a home on the peninsula they have to read and sign a disclaimer that they are moving
into a very toxic watershed. I know this may sound crazy to you but moving further nto the climate nightmare with no meaningful leadership is so very crazy!
I've taken my time to do some cursory research for you, please take the time to click on the links below and read some of it.
I am stressed out by all that's going on, globally and locally. Would that PIR would be one of the city's Park and Rec's parks that provided refuge and increased contact with the the Columbia Slough.
Now that's crazy!
Part 2 of COMMENTS from complaint above of 9/1/2022 at 1:54 p.m. with the folllowing noted web links:https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/noise
Noise in Parks: ( no link found to share)
From the results obtained here, it can be proposed: a) That urban parks should be so planned as to exist sufficiently away from main city roads of intense traffic of vehicles, as these are the main
source of urban noise for parks. There should be urban planning strategies preserving the areas surrounding the parks from receiving undesirable noise sources. b) That street signals indicating the
proximity to green areas should be placed near the parks, with indication of speed limits and not allowing the use of horns. c) That the population visiting the parks should be informed about the sound
limits allowed in the parks, as well as about the meaning of measured sound levels and the potential risk they represent to their health.
9/1/2022 THURSDAY 1:54 p.m. email North Portland My experience as a 20+ year neighborhood activist is that this incredibly ill-conceived facility has been and continues to stir controversy in the north Portland community including Kenton. Negative
issues with it have come up regularly at the North Portland Chairs meetings over the years.
The noise pollution travels. Often the track can be heard as far away as St. Johns, and even on Sauvie Island where I work part time!
PIR doesn't belong anywhere near a residential neighborhood. It should never have been approved and it's shocking that Portland Parks would even be involved in such an unsustainable activity that
creates such intense noise and air pollution. It should be removed.
9/1/2022 THURSDAY 2:30 p.m. email N Houghton and N
Community member offers a link to a story titled ACOUSTIBLOK PROVIDES SOUND SOLUTION TO RACE RACK NOISE AT ATLANTA MOTORSPORTS PARK LINK:
https://www.prweb.com/releases/
There may possibly be other screen shots sent which do not properly show at our end.
9/2/2022 FRIDAY 4:44 p.m. TrackIT N Argyle and N
Washburne
Complainant describes PIR Noise as being weekly and lists the date for the Complaint as Friday July 2, 2022, from 9 AM to LATE. COMMENT: Ah, the sweet torture of others profiting from my pain.
The justification I often hear for having a loud, polluting racetrack disrupting residential areas is "it is an economic benefit." The racetrack noise limits my ability to heal from a costly and time-consuming
illness, prolonging my pain and costing me more money. No "economic benefit" is worth that. I can't enjoy things in my life because I don't feel well enough to. I am bone tired of others profiting at my
expense. The racetrack also harms people's health with noise and lead pollution. This is not acceptable.
9/3/2022 SATURDAY 9:53 a.m. TracklT N Argyle and N
Washburne
Complainant describes PIR Noise as being weekly and lists the date for the Complaint as Friday July 3, 2022, from 9 AM to LATE.
COMMENT: The misery of the racetrack continues... Because I got a condescending response to a sacred variance race day complaint,
to be clear, I am not saying that I think the noise exceeds this weekend's variance; I am saying that the experience of having to be unwillingly subjected to this continuous noise is unacceptable. Having
a racetrack in a residential area is short-sighted and cruel. Not to mention the short-sightedness of driving around and around in circles, burning fossil fuels, increasing atmospheric carbon, and
speeding the extinction of life on the planet for entertainment while we are dealing with the effects of a climate crisis (and fuel crisis, and economic crisis, and health crisis). Is this the best you can do,
9/3/2022 SATURDAY 7:12 p.m. email N Houghton and N
Hamlin
COMMENT: Yes this is a variance race however the website says 9-6pm. It is now after 7pm and clearly the race is still going. Does this count as a violation of the
agreement or application for the variance?
Also the neighborhood meter is down. (Community member included a screen capture of the Trackside meter at 103.3 dBA)
9/3/2022 SATURDAY 7:34 p.m. TracklT N Houghton and N
Complainant describes PIR noise is happening from 6 PM to 7:15 PM from the Indy Car Races
9/10/2022 SATURDAY 9:14 a.m. email ST John's Resident Hi there
Writing simply to say it's 9:05 am Saturday. I'm in St. John's on N Charleston, about 5 miles from the track
The awful noise from PIR is incredible - just started within the past few minutes, as always, when a big event occurs
I am so relieved I didn't get asked to join the taskforce b/c, as anticipated, it accomplishes nothing for those of us directly affected
I wish someone - anyone! - involved in the track would come stand in my backyard to hear the endless roar that unfolds for hours during these large events. At
9:00. On a weekend.
It's unconscionable
I learned years ago the city has no intention of actually doing anything to minimize this. Still, if any of you could just experience the impact once - JUST ONCE! - it would at least bypass the endless
circuitous arguments about decibel level, track improvements to reduce noise, etc. and allow you to see firsthand what residents experience.
Gonna go get my earplugs...thanks for ruining yet another weekend
9/10/2022 SATURDAY 9:33 a.m. TracklT N Argyle and N
Washburne
9 am is reliably announced by the torturous roar of the racetrack — like church bells in a European village, only without the community care and pleasant ring. The sound is penetrating, deafening, and
absurd. Hearing the cars buzzing around and around, burning fossil fuels under orange skies, is depressing. Every buzz yells, "We don't care about the climate, we don't care about the well-being of the
people in this neighborhood, we don't care about anything but ourselves. Me! Me! Me! Now! F everyone else. Me! Me! Me!"
9/10/2022 SATURDAY 4:42 p.m. Email N Hunt and N
Wayland
AIR POLLUTION RELATED COMMENTS: COMMENT: Due to the fires burning around Oregon, air quality in Portland became untenable for me yesterday. I experienced and have been experiencing
dizziness, sore throat and a tightness in my chest, symptoms described below. I haven't been able to leave my apartment. To top it all off , the PIR classics (old cars using leaded fuel) races kicked off
today. So on top of feeling physically uncomfortable and fearful, not just about my well. being but that of my community, and the Earth, I'm forced to listen to the threatening roar of the raceway which, I
cannot make sense of in this historical moment
of global warming--wildfires in Central, Northeast, and Southwest Oregon, glacier's melting, nuclear power plants being weaponized, etc.. Is this part of the city's
Climate Unaction Plan I wonder.