AIR, LAND & WATER

EQC visits North Santiam Canyon and learns about fire recovery

Thunderheads loomed over the Cascades on an otherwise blue-sky day in Gates and Mill City, a reminder of the devastating September 2020 wildfires.

The cities are still rebuilding. New homes are going up among blackened trees and power tools echo in the distance, drowned out by the murmur of the river.

On Friday, May 19, members of the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission toured the canyon. They got an update from the North Santiam Watershed Council on water quality impacts, heard about local fire recovery and rebuilding efforts, and received an overview from Marion County and Mill City officials on plans for wastewater treatment projects.

Taking Air Quality Science to the Classroom – and Beyond

^{Image: Air Quality word cloud created by 6th grade students at Sunny Wolf Charter School}

DEQ Air Quality Monitoring Engagement Coordinator Hillarie Sales and Air Quality Coordinator Morgan Schafer have been working all year with a class of middle-schoolers at Sunny Wolf Charter School who have a great interest in science and learning more about air quality and hope to develop formal curriculum from this experience for other classrooms and the general public.

Air Quality Monitoring During Wildfire Season

May is Wildfire Awareness Month, so we thought it a good idea to discuss air quality monitoring across Oregon, particularly during the summer season.

The Air Quality Index, air quality advisories and the Oregon Smoke Information blog are all great resources for people looking to understand what kind of air they’re breathing, especially if they’re planning to go camping, hiking or participate in any of the other outdoor activities people in Oregon love to do. DEQ works closely with various agencies and organizations across the state to understand and relay air quality information as accurately and timely as possible.

For Episode 22, we were thrilled to talk with DEQ’s Air Quality Monitoring Outreach Specialist Hillarie Sales and KGW 8 News’ Meteorologist and Reporter Chris McGinness about everything that goes into understanding air quality during Wildfire Season. In, addition, we discuss air quality advisories and some tips to plan for smoky air.

DEQ’s annual Earth Month photo contest

Taking Flight
Early morning view to the east
Blue Heron, wild at scenic Rogue River
Willamette double rainbow
A Morning Hike in Yosemite
Amazing Oregon, it’s the Water!
New Beginnings
Former site of the Anderson Glacier, Quinault Drainage, Olympic National Park
Cherish Oregon’s land, water and air.
Beach and Nature.
Out with the old, an investment in planet earth.
Sunrise Over Trillium Lake
Tree watching over the beach
The Painted Hills of Oregon
Summer stroll at Sea Rock
What a wonderful world
Earthly Joys
The remarkable chemists
Peak water wealth
“Investing in Planet Earth” begins with inspiring a sense of wonder.
Trees and clean oceans help everyone

The votes are in. Our photo contest to celebrate Earth Month 2023 was a huge success. DEQers submitted a lot of great images as you’ll see in the slideshow above. The theme this year was “Investing in Planet Earth.” The images show the diversity of beauty in Oregon and why investment in our natural environment is so important.

Congratulations to our winners! Their photos and captions can also be viewed below. We also want to thank all of our staff who submitted photos. We hope to get even more next year.

Oregon DEQ releases 2019 – 2021 Air Toxics Summary Report

Chris Modderman (left) and Peter Husted (center) record data in an air quality monitoring shed.

Oregon DEQ has released its 2019 – 2021 Air Toxics Summary, which provides data on air toxics that were monitored in nine locations across the state, including Bend, Eugene, La Grande, Medford and Portland. The goal is to measure air toxics across Oregon where people live, work and play. That way, DEQ and communities can make better informed decisions on how to track and reduce pollution and lessen exposure to harmful effects to protect public health.

Staff Spotlight: Megan Hendrickson

This week we turn the DEQ staff spotlight on Megan Hendrickson. From our Eugene office, Megan works with organizations using funds to repair and replace septic systems in Oregon.

What is your favorite part of working at DEQ?

I started during the pandemic. The first three months were a blur of phone calls, Teams messages, and emails of me saying, “You don’t know me, but I have a question.” Folks in the agency consistently responded with pleasant surprise and made onboarding a lot of fun.

Staff Spotlight: Ania Loyd

^{Family ski day at Mt. Hood Meadows}

To celebrate Earth Month this year we are turning the spotlight on several staff across the state. This week, we talked with Ania Loyd. Ania is an air quality permit writer and inspector, working from the Eastern Region office in The Dalles.

What is your favorite part about working for DEQ?

There are many things I enjoy about working for DEQ. What brings me the most pride in my job is helping industries navigate regulatory requirements to bring better air for our community. I very much enjoy learning about various industry operations first-hand during inspections. Our state has so many interesting types of industry, from French fry producers, through metal casting operations, to biogas generation from landfills!

The theme for Earth Month 2023 is “Investing in Planet Earth” What does this mean to you?

Personally and through my work, I invest my time, expertise and finances to make our Planet Earth better for us and the future generations. I do my best to lower my household energy usage by driving less, using LED lights, participating in green energy and renewable natural gas programs and cutting down on unnecessary purchases. I also find it important to teach my kids about environmental issues and to foster their love for outdoors and nature.

Just for fun – If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

I have to pick only one place? Currently, Japan is at the top of my travel wishlist. I’m hoping to plan that trip over the next year.

By Michele Thompson, DEQ Web Design/Business Applications and Graphics

Food Waste Prevention Week

Spoiler alert: Food waste is the second leading cause of greenhouse gases, which are a key ingredient in climate change.

But there’s something you can do about it in your home, starting at your next meal – food waste prevention. Katie, a DEQ communication and outreach specialist, joins Dylan on this episode to learn about food waste and life cycle impact. They’re joined by a DEQ expert and an environmental educator in Florida to talk about Food Prevention Week, which goes from April 10-16 in 2023. It’s the second year that the annual campaign has gone national.

We’ll offer some great, practical tips on how not to waste food, including an interesting trick with an egg.

DEQ Celebrates Earth Month 2023

April is Earth Month, and that’s a special time of year at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. We are the state agency dedicated to protecting the quality of Oregon’s abundant rivers and lakes, its spectacular landscapes and the air we all breathe. Whether we are studying water samples under a microscope, collecting data from one of our air monitors or performing emergency cleanup up after an oil spill, DEQ staff are actively investing in the health of our communities, our state and our planet.

Here are just some of the ways we invest in Earth:

Public records — How it Works at DEQ

DEQ is a science-based state agency, so it generates volumes of public records.

A team of two, with the support of 40 staff members, work together to guide our public record storage and response to requests. Along with discussing how and why DEQ stores records, the experts offer advice on how to best find what you need.

Dylan and Susan talk with Kristen Mercer and Leela Yellesetty to learn about public records. (Note, Lauren is filling in as a manager at DEQ, so she’s taking a break from GreenState.)