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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

Journal

2019

Oregon

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Hidden Killer: Towards Regulating Railyard Diesel Particulate Matter Emissions In Oregon, Kevin Downing, Robert Mccullough, Eric Shierman Aug 2019

The Hidden Killer: Towards Regulating Railyard Diesel Particulate Matter Emissions In Oregon, Kevin Downing, Robert Mccullough, Eric Shierman

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

Diesel engines are the predominant choice when moving freight, particularly for the railroad industry. Compared to gasoline engines, diesel emits relatively few of the toxic compounds generally associated with internal combustion. However, diesel engines produce a disproportionate quantity of particulate aerosols. Airborne pollutants from locomotives and freight transferring equipment in railyards significantly impact the air quality of surrounding neighborhoods. We summarize the health impacts of diesel particulates emitted from railyards in Oregon. Using the most conservative range of the EPA's assessment, we calculate a Pigouvian Tax for the railroad companies to pay, totaling $624.24 per μg/m3 for each person in …


Has Portland Been Demolishing Its Green Spaces? A Remote Sensing Analysis Of Portland's Urban Vegetation, Robby Gottesman, Eric Shierman Aug 2019

Has Portland Been Demolishing Its Green Spaces? A Remote Sensing Analysis Of Portland's Urban Vegetation, Robby Gottesman, Eric Shierman

Hatfield Graduate Journal of Public Affairs

The magnitude of the Urban Heat Island effect (UHI) in Portland, Oregon is determined from June 1984 to September 2017, and used as a proxy for urban development. This analysis demonstrates that the magnitude of Portland's UHI has remained largely unchanged over this period, implying no significant decline in its urban vegetation. This is supported by analysis of the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) of the Portland Metro area, which has also remained largely unchanged over the period studied. An estimate of the total area of vegetation detectable via satellite in the Portland Metro is also determined and found to have …