People across Oregon have been suffering the impacts from unprecedented wildfires throughout our state and region and I want to acknowledge the tremendous losses that have been suffered by our fellow citizens. Up and down the West Coast, the destruction from these fires is heartbreaking.
Author Archives: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Wildfire smoke brings record poor air quality to Oregon, new data shows
Oregon is experiencing record poor air quality from wildfire smoke across the state, according to analysis by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA
Oregon wildfires, smoke prompt a coordinated response
DEQ’s role when wildfires burn is to let the public know about the quality of the air and what steps to take if it starts to head into the unhealthy range. The agency depends on its ever-growing network of air monitors along with a host of other government, tribal and health organizations to accurately predict where the smoke is going to be and how it affects air quality.
Knowing the colors of the air quality index
A glance at a map of air quality monitors around the state provides a quick check of the air. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality uses a color-coded system to signal air quality at each of the monitors. Green means good. Maroon means hazardous. And there are three colors, and levels of air quality inContinue reading “Knowing the colors of the air quality index”
DEQ to attend Oregon’s Energy Future Virtual Conference, September 1, 2020
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is proud to announce that Senior Air Quality Planner, Rachel Sakata, will be leading a round table session on Medium- and Heavy Duty Zero Emission Vehicles MOU at the Oregon Energy Future Conference presented by the Northwest Environmental Business Council.
DEQ masks up to stop the spread of COVID-19 while keeping our eyes on protecting Oregon’s environment
Wearing a face covering is one of the best ways we can protect our families, co-workers, neighbors and friends from COVID-19. –Jennifer K. Flynt, public affairs specialist
Feeding the hungry, not landfills: DEQ grants $140,000 to Oregon Food Bank to fight hunger and food waste
Serving more than 860,000 people each year prior to COVID-19, Oregon Food Bank’s network of 1,400 pantries and meal sites are driven by donations of fresh produce, protein, dairy and other pantry staples. In preparing this food for distribution, volunteers devote thousands of hours to sorting and packaging bulk donations from across the Northwest.
Summer at the Oregon DEQ: Learning, Planning, and Spreading the Word
My name is Chris Schmokel, and I am an environmental chemistry major at Oregon State University and also an Oregon Sea Grant Summer Scholar Fellow. My fellowship placement is with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and this summer I’m working on two projects: starting a pilot program to test for copper concentrations in OregonContinue reading “Summer at the Oregon DEQ: Learning, Planning, and Spreading the Word”
EPA plan for Washington and Oregon rivers leaves salmon in hot water
The Oregon Department of Equality and Washington Department of Ecology submitted comments on EPA temperature TMDL for the Columbia and Snake rivers.
Franziska Landes recognized for using science to solve societal problems
Franziska Landes, Northwest Region Cleanup staff, received the 2019 Science for Solutions Award from the American Geophysical Union “for significant contributions in the application and use of the Earth and space sciences to solve societal problems.”