We are committed to keeping the community up to date on our operations in South Portland, we recently mailed this letter to our neighbors. This spring, we were able to complete the final phase of construction and installation of the enhanced odor control equipment for our heated tanks. We are happy to report the equipment is now up and running. Emissions from our heated tanks will be tested, measured and reported to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in the coming months and posted on this website. As part of this community and an integral part of the Maine economy, we know that investing in South Portland is simply the right thing to do.
Global supports South Portland Food Cupboard
It’s been a challenging year for many, and we hope you are aware of the amazing work of the nonprofits in our community. If you are able, we invite you to join us in supporting the work of the South Portland Food Cupboard (they are always looking for volunteers), STRIVE (who recently celebrated their all night STRIVE Rocks fundraiser) and The Opportunity Alliance (whose RAISE Celebration was this month). The Opportunity Alliance helps keep Mainers warm through their Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), just as Global helps keep our neighbors warm by donating 2,500 gallons of heating oil each year to South Portland’s General Assistance Program.
Global supports The Opportunity Alliance
This year Global also donated hundreds of bottles of hand sanitizer made in one of our facilities to The Opportunity Alliance, STRIVE, Catholic Charities Maine, Southern Maine Agency on Aging, South Portland Food Cupboard, the School Department as well as the Police Department.
Global is proud to support PSL Services/STRIVE and sponsor the 2020 STRIVE Rocks event. STRIVE supports more than 1,000 tweens, teens and young adults with developmental disabilities through educational, social, and employment training opportunities.
The virtual event will have supporters rocking the night away from 8pm July 17 until 8am on July 18. Tune in for music, theme hours, games & activities, prizes, and of course dancing! Find out how you can support STRIVE at www.pslstrive.org/striverocks.
At the end of June, the City of South Portland’s Planning Board voted unanimously to approve Global’s plans to install enhanced odor controls. Under the plan, Global will install a mist eliminator and an active dry scrubber to further reduce odors potentially coming from heated tanks storing No. 6 oil and asphalt.
We now have several steps to take with the City, and once those are resolved, Global will start construction on the enhanced odor controls. We expect to have the equipment operational about 8 weeks later. Global continues to listen to feedback from the community, and is eager to complete this project and get the enhanced odor controls up and running.
At gas stations, convenience stores and fuel terminals throughout the Northeast, thousands of employees of Global Partners LP have been helping people get the goods, food, and fuel they need throughout the COVID-19 crisis. It is essential work that is keeping communities up and running.
Global was looking for a creative and personal way to thank these employees for their service. The answer? Creating more than 3,000 handcrafted family meals and provision boxes for its frontline employees.
“We were thinking, ‘How is it that we can take care of all of those associates and terminal operators that have been on the frontline since the start of the whole COVID crisis?’” said Eric Slifka, Global Partners’ CEO. “It’s really about finding ways to make a difference and delivering that difference to everybody that we work with.”
The meals come in addition to a $2-per-hour raises and monthly gift cards that Global began offering to retail associates in March. Combined, all of the efforts aim to express the company’s gratitude for the employees who are helping Global help the community.
“I just want to thank everybody who comes out and goes to work every day and really delivers to the community that they’re serving,” Slifka said, “because without you, we wouldn’t be able to help those in need.”
Global is proud to sponsor The Opportunity Alliance, which supports the needs of families and individuals in Cumberland County, including through their Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), which provides assistance to eligible households to keep homes heated.
We know this is a challenging time for our community. The operations of our terminal may be far from top of mind these days. However, we want to provide a brief update on Global’s terminal and our work in South Portland. We recently mailed this letter to our neighbors. Feel free to contact Orion Breen, our Community Liaison with any questions you might have, [email protected].
Global Partners today announced a set of actions, responding to issues
raised by neighborhood members in South Portland. Concerns voiced by members of
the community have to do with air quality issues and odors.
“As part of the community in South Portland, we want to make it a better
place for everyone,” said Eric Slifka, Global Partners CEO. “That’s why we are
taking these steps.”
A broad range of factors – from traffic to a variety of industries –
affect air quality in the area, according to recent air quality reports from
the state. Based on publicly available emissions data Global’s potential impact
is relatively small compared to other sources. “We want to do our part at all
our facilities to help meet community concerns,” said Slifka. In addition to
taking steps at this facility, the company will also contribute to a broader
solution by helping finance air monitoring efforts.
The actions Global announced include:
Adding enhanced odor control technology at its facility. Global has committed to install a mist
eliminator to control odor from tanks. In addition, Global will now install an
active dry scrubber to further reduce odors potentially coming from heated
tanks storing No. 6 oil and asphalt. Construction on the controls will begin
this fall.
Providing an
Odor Reporting Form at www.GlobalSouthPortland.com. Odor concerns have mainly been raised in the
last year. The website will give neighbors a way to contact the company
directly.
Reducing the
amount of product that is allowed to be shipped through the facility.
On an annual basis, the company will publish
emissions to its website after they are reported to the state DEP, to encourage
transparency.
Contributing
$15,000 to local air monitoring efforts. Discussions with Maine DEP will help
determine the best way to make that contribution. Global will work closely with
the city and state on ongoing air monitoring efforts.
Global has already begun implementing the terms of a settlement with
EPA. Once the settlement is finalized, the company will complete
implementation.
