AIR, LAND & WATER

Enforcement

Last month we asked DEQ staff: how do you ensure facilities follow environmental laws? We learned a lot about how complaints get processed, when DEQ goes out to inspect facilities and how that can lead to enforcement and fines. This month, we’re talking about that enforcement process.

Lauren and Dylan talk with DEQ enforcement staff, EPA enforcement staff and the Northwest Environmental Defense Center to learn about DEQ enforcement actions. We discuss how DEQ figures out what amount to fine violators, how DEQ and EPA enforcement work together and the ways NEDC advocates for environmental issues through litigation.

DEQ receives “big check” to invest in P2 projects and programs

Left to right: Farhad Ghafarzade, Founder of Green Drop Garage; Jennie Romer, EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention; Lisa Cox, DEQ Toxic Reduction Analyst; Brittney Wendell, Associate Director, Pollution Prevention Resource Center

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $350,000 to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to support pollution prevention. EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention Jennie Romer announced what’s known as “P2” funding this week at an event in Portland, Oregon following a tour of Green Drop Garage, an EcoBiz certified automotive repair shop.

Oregon DEQ, Washington Ecology collaborate on clean fuels

Rachel Sakata, DEQ ZEV program manager, gives a “thumbs up” after test driving a 26,000 lbs. medium-duty Daimler 3M2 emission-free semi-truck.

A contingent from Washington Department of Ecology joined DEQ’s Clean Fuels Program staff for two days of meetings aimed at learning how the program works and how industry uses cleaner transportation fuels. The visit included time with Oregon’s two largest electric utilities Portland General Electric and PacifiCorp, and a tour of Daimler Truck North America’s “Electric Island” in north Portland.

Congratulations to DEQ’s 2022 graduates of ASCENT Transformational Leadership Program

Ximena Cruz Cuevas (left), Brian Stafki (middle) and Laura Gleim (right) at ASCENT graduation ceremony Sept. 22, 2022

One thing that hasn’t changed at DEQ is the belief that our strength is our people. That strength is reflected in these three inspiring graduates of the 2022 ASCENT Transformational Leadership Program. Congratulations Ximena Cruz Cuevas, Northwest Region cleanup program coordinator (left), Brian Stafki, Materials Management natural resource specialist (middle) and Laura Gleim, Eastern Region public affairs specialist (right).

The Source

As National Source Water Protection Week comes to a close, the Drinking Water Protection staff at DEQ hopes more folks are aware of what we mean by the phrase source water protection. It is the core of our work, but it might not mean much to those outside our agency. As with many fields, the internal lingo often can be mysterious. In this case it’s not complicated. The place where one’s drinking water originates is its source area.

Complaints and Inspections

People often ask DEQ: how do you ensure facilities follow environmental laws? There are a lot of answers, but key parts are complaints, inspections and enforcement. This is the first of a two-part series that dives into the complaints and inspections process.

Lauren talks with the manager of the complaints system, a complaints inspector and two facility inspectors about how they receive complaints, find the source of pollution complaints, keep tabs on facilities that DEQ regulates and what happens when there is a violation.

DEQ congratulates Amanda Ingmire as a Women of Vision honoree

Amanda Ingmire, a registered architect and policy analyst in DEQ’s Materials Management program, will receive the Women of Vision award from the Daily Journal of Commerce. DJC announced on Aug. 24, 2022 that they named Ingmire as an honoree of the 10^th annual award.

Climate Protection Program up and running on Your DEQ Online

Your DEQ Online crossed another significant milestone this week when the agency’s Climate Protection Program went fully functional in the system. This development means that businesses regulated under the program will have expanded ability to complete transactions in a secure online system.

Get to know your H2O

Of the many things important to people in Oregon, a major one is water. DEQ plays a major role in protecting water quality of lakes, rivers and streams to ensure they can support aquatic plants and animals.

Lauren and Dylan talk to DEQ’s Water Quality Administrator about the state of Oregon’s water as well as the staff working on improving it.

DEQ launches 2017 Survey of Oregon Lakes

*Devil’s Lake was one of many lakes and reservoirs sampled during the 2017 Survey of Oregon Lakes.*

Amid National Water Quality Month, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has released the 2017 Survey of Oregon Lakes. The report’s field work component was completed as a part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s overarching National Aquatic Resource Surveys Program, which includes the National Lakes Assessment every five years. The 2017 Survey of Oregon Lakes provides a statewide evaluation of the ecological condition of lakes and reservoirs. It also represents Oregon’s first-ever assessment of toxic compounds in those water bodies.