Portland Harbor Community Coalition

MISSION: Elevate the voices of communities most impacted by pollution in the Portland Harbor Superfund site to ensure impacted communities benefit from and lead the cleanup, restoration, and redevelopment of the harbor.

WHAT: Portland Harbor Community Coalition (PHCC) organizes frontline groups and individuals to heal the water, land, and air in and around the Wa' lúmt (Willamette River) federal Superfund area.

Founded in 2012, PHCC is a diverse collective, centering communities that are disproportionately impacted by exposures to toxins in decision-making actions that address harms and secure community benefits, including a safer, healthier river and riverfront for future generations.

WHY: The water and land in the Wilamut or Wa' lúmt (Willamette River) is polluted from over a century of heavy industrial activity. It is past time to restore the water and heal the people affected by contamination. Industry and agencies have to pay for the cleanup of the river that they polluted through federal law, called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as “Superfund”. Many polluters and government agencies make choices to save money, delay, or reverse cleanups at the expense of community health.

Learn more about the Portland Harbor Superfund site

People who are impacted by pollution in the Portland Harbor have a right to a robust, equitable Superfund cleanup. People also have the right to guide the direction of and benefit from it.