Reduce Toxic Pollution in Oregon

On June 26, 2007, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed into law Senate Bill 737, which provides Oregon with a roadmap for reducing toxic discharges into rivers, lakes, and the Pacific Ocean. The Act will require the Department of Environmental Quality to prepare a priority list of the most dangerous toxics that are accumulating in sediment, fish and human tissue, and produce a report for the legislature identifying the sources of this pollution, the levels entering the environment, and steps that can be taken to prevent, reduce or eliminate these toxics. While the bill is not as strong as originally written, it’s a major step towards stronger implementation of the Clean Water Act in Oregon. Volunteers from Newport and Portland Chapters actively participated in this campaign through the Action Alert, letter writing, and presenting public comments in Salem. Thanks also to our coalition partners Sierra Club and the Riverkeepers.