Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about the Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group, the Portland Harbor Superfund Site, Portland Harbor, Willamette River etc.

Acronyms/Abbreviations/Jargon (6)

Definitions of commonly used acronyms, abbreviations and jargon relating to the Portland Harbor Superfund site.

RCRA = Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.  - Federal law that regulates hazardous and non-hazardous wastes.

CERCLA = Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act - Commonly known as Superfund.  This is the law which controls the site cleanup process.

FS = Feasiblity Study - The study of alternatives for cleaning up pollutants identified in the Remedial Investigation.

RM = River Mile.  On the Willamette this is the distance up river from the confluence with the Columbia River.

RI = Remedial Investigation - The study of the current state of the Portland Harbor identifying the nature and extent of pollutants as well as physical characteristics of the river and the Ecological and Human Health Risks.

CAG is short for Community Advisory Group, which refers to the Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group.  See the About page.

General Questions (3)

Questions that don't fit one of the more specific categories.

The Portland Harbor Superfund Site study area is the Willamette River between Sauvies Island (River Mile 1.9) and the Broadway Bridge (River Mile 11.8).

The Lower Willamette Group (LWG) is composed of the ten parties who signed a legal agreement with EPA to conduct the remedial investigation and feasibility study of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site and four other parties who have contributed financially to teh project.  The LWG is a small subset of potentially responsible parties identified by EPA.
The LWG has paid the costs of the Remedial Investigation and is conducting the development of the Feasibility Study.
Members of the LWG are:

  1. Arkema Inc.
  2. Bayer CropScience, Inc.
  3. BNSF Railway Company
  4. Chevron USA Inc.
  5. City of Portland
  6. ConocoPhillips Company
  7. Gunderson LLC
  8. Kinder Morgan Liquids Terminals
  9. NW Natural
  10. Evraz Inc. NA, dba Evraz Oregon Steel
  11. Port of Portland
  12. Siltronic Coproration
  13. TOC Holdings Co.
  14. Union Pacific Railroad Company

CAG is short for Community Advisory Group, which refers to the Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group.  See the About page.

Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group (1)

Questions about the Community Advisory Group.

CAG is short for Community Advisory Group, which refers to the Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group.  See the About page.

Portland Harbor Superfund (2)

Questions about the Portland Harbor Superfund Site.

The Portland Harbor Superfund Site study area is the Willamette River between Sauvies Island (River Mile 1.9) and the Broadway Bridge (River Mile 11.8).

The Lower Willamette Group (LWG) is composed of the ten parties who signed a legal agreement with EPA to conduct the remedial investigation and feasibility study of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site and four other parties who have contributed financially to teh project.  The LWG is a small subset of potentially responsible parties identified by EPA.
The LWG has paid the costs of the Remedial Investigation and is conducting the development of the Feasibility Study.
Members of the LWG are:

  1. Arkema Inc.
  2. Bayer CropScience, Inc.
  3. BNSF Railway Company
  4. Chevron USA Inc.
  5. City of Portland
  6. ConocoPhillips Company
  7. Gunderson LLC
  8. Kinder Morgan Liquids Terminals
  9. NW Natural
  10. Evraz Inc. NA, dba Evraz Oregon Steel
  11. Port of Portland
  12. Siltronic Coproration
  13. TOC Holdings Co.
  14. Union Pacific Railroad Company
Specific sites (1)

Questions about specific sites in the Portland Harbor.

Net neutrality gets close to ending with Google-Verizon deal There is no favoritism on the internet with net neutrality. Net neutrality is something that needs to end for big businesses to succeed more. Verizon and Google are preparing to work together to get information out faster, with a bigger price. Net neutrality crusaders want the Federal Communications Commission to nix the Google/Verizon axis. But the FCC's hands were tied in court last April by the Comcast decision saying the FCC has no authority to enforce net neutrality.Article resource - Google-Verizon deal marks beginning of the end for net neutrality by Personal Money Store.

Net neutrality talks seek compromise

Net neutrality has been a topic being discussed by Internet stakeholders and FCC officials. Internet stakeholders consist of Google, Verizon, AT and T, Skype, cable companies and the Open Internet Coalition. The New York Times reports the discussions involve the FCC's legal authority to regulate Internet service. Many of the cable and telephone companies really hope a premium could be made for higher bandwidths. Wireless companies want no regulation whatsoever on wireless broadband. Content providers prefer the thought of favoritism. The FCC wants a level playing field, but because of the FCC Comcast decision, it cannot impose one as long as its authority is in legal doubt.

Every little thing argued by Google and Verizon

Net neutrality is the big topic for the FCC and Internet stakeholders, although Google and Verizon on the side are working on a deal. Bloomberg explains that both Google and Verizon have always been against net neutrality. Of course a company wants to make as much money as possible as it is with Verizon who hopes to charge more for their services. Google has wanted regulations to prevent companies like Verizon from offering content from partners that pay for higher speed. Google realizes net neutrality is dying off. Before things become a free for all, Google may be wanting to make this deal with Verizon.

A corporate takeover within the near future

The internet is intended to be something free where consumers pick which companies are doing well, although some are afraid the Google-Verizon deal will change that. Save the Internet shows how Google could make commercial deals with companies. The best browser to use would be Chrome. Google Buzz would work better than Twitter. YouTube would get more bandwidth than competing video websites. Google's blogger would be number one over WordPress. Google's GChat would work better than Sykpe ... and the list goes on.

Those who win and lose with Google/Verizon's deal

The Google/Verizon deal may lead to an Internet where there are winners and losers among media giants, telecom firms and Internet users, according to the Wall Street Journal. It is inevitable that content could be prioritized on the Internet into different streams. Content that is prioritized can have much higher prices than anything else. The FCC will no longer have control on the internet. Competition won't be a problem for big media corporations anymore. Surfing the Internet will become like trying to find something that isn't total garbage to look at on cable television.The only thing standing within the way is the FCC and the courts.

More on this topic

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/05/technology/05secret.html?_r=1

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-04/google-verizon-are-said-to-have-reached-deal-on-how-to-handle-web-traffic.html

Save the Internet

savetheinternet.com/blog/10/08/06/about-verizongoogle-deal-net-neutrality

Wall Street Journal

blogs.wsj.com/source/2010/08/09/winners-losers-from-the-new-net-neutrality/

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