Residents living near a series of petroleum tanks in South Portland say they are frustrated and fearful following recent news of high chemical emissions in their neighborhoods.

A recent report by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection found that air samples near tanks owned by CITGO and South Portland Terminal LLC measured at 60 and 175 parts per billion (ppb) respectively. That’s in contrast to background levels measuring at around 4.5 ppb.

Maine’s DEP has been monitoring the area since 2020 after news broke that some facilities were exceeding their emission limits.

For long-time residents like Ted Reiner, the discovery of these hazards is a heavy burden to carry.

“I was alarmed that we have been living here for so long and not aware of the hazards,” he told CBS 13. “It’s a question of whether I have been exposed to the accumulation of the dangerous hazardous air pollution”.

Outside of the long-term effects, even the smell emanating from the area has turned some residents off.

“You live in Maine, it’s supposed to be so beautiful, and I’m like, ‘Oh man, I can’t even be in my yard in the summer,'” resident Anna O’Sullivan said. She’s considered moving out of the area with her young child, but the expenses have put her off.

The Maine DEP says they plan to begin direct testing of the storage tanks, though a specific start date has not been set.

Neither CITGO nor South Portland Terminal LLC has responded to requests for comment.

To read the original CBS 13 article, click here.