Its the cold air pump....

In this cold weather my 2002s has been making a metallic whine right after a cold start, it lasts about 30 seconds and then goes away. The noise comes from the engine compartment and is louder when observed from the passenger side.. It sounds like a circular saw when you release the trigger only not as loud. Seems worse this year, could something be about fail? I am sure that it is not the engine that purrs.
Thanks in advance

located on passenger side of car near engine compartment vent on that side. Its for emissions and for some reason it seems to be more noticeable when it its cold out. It also runs at cold startup when it is warm.

Disregarding the side of the car the noise is apparently coming from, the metallic, "circular saw" nature seems to me more like the starter's Bendix drive hanging up for a while. The cold pump runs for something like two minutes, I believe, not 30 seconds.