SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Residents of South Portland will soon learn the results of an air monitoring program that many participated in this summer.
South Portland city council is scheduled to hold an informational workshop on the topic of air quality Tuesday night. According to the city's website, members of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection will be there to present data on the early findings of the air quality reports.
In June when the program launched, more than 40 residents initially volunteered to take part. In addition to volunteers collecting air samples with single-use canisters, the DEP also set up six air quality monitoring devices across the city.
The air samples collected were analyzed by the DEP at its Air Lab in Augusta, according to the city. There, they tested for more than 50 different types of Hazardous Air Pollutants.
South Portland residents, like Eva Goetz, say they are concerned about the odors from nearby industrial emissions.
The city council will not take any action on the first results of the air quality program at Tuesday's meeting. The meeting is open to the public.
The city says the findings will help local leaders and the DEP to determine what needs to happen next, including plans for longer-term monitoring efforts.
