Share your passion for art and climate awareness by submitting your original artwork to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Your artwork will help us highlight the impacts of climate change on Oregon’s youth during policy discussions. It may appear in DEQ’s Climate Action Plans, on the agency’s website, in presentations, and on social media platforms —reaching audiences statewide. The contest theme is: From Pollution to Solution – the Earth WeContinue reading “DEQ Youth Climate Art Contest: Calling all Oregon students in grades 1-12! “
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Apply Now: Funding Opportunities for Community Climate Investments in Oregon
Investments will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon communities. “We’ve seen this firsthand in the Rogue Valley, where communities affected by the 2020 Alameda Fire are still struggling to rebuild. This is why today, more than ever, all Oregonians need programs like the community climate investments to reduce the after-effects of pollution and other toxic greenhouse gases for our vulnerable populations.” —Metzin Rodriguez, Unite Oregon AsContinue reading “Apply Now: Funding Opportunities for Community Climate Investments in Oregon “
Built Environment Specialist, Rita Haberman, receives Women of Vision award
Photo (left to right): Sanne Stienstra, Joan Grimm (former DEQ staffer), Rita Haberman, Amanda Ingmire, Anne Gire (Oregon Building Codes Division) Rita Haberman, a Built Environment Specialist in the Materials Management Program, was recently awarded the Women of Vision Award from the Daily Journal of Commerce. The Women of Vision award recognizes women in the regionContinue reading “Built Environment Specialist, Rita Haberman, receives Women of Vision award”
Carbon and Culture: Indigenous land stewardship and carbon management
This fall, DEQ staff joined over 70 others in a multi-day Carbon and Culture Symposium, hosted by the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) First Foods Policy Program. After two years in the making, their idea of a gathering focused on Indigenous land stewardship and carbon management came to fruition in the beautiful settingContinue reading “Carbon and Culture: Indigenous land stewardship and carbon management”
DEQ is Celebrating 15 Years of Paint Stewardship in Oregon
2025 marks a significant milestone for paint product stewardship in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Paint Stewardship Program are celebrating 15 years of operation. The stewardship organization, PaintCare, has successfully collected 10 million gallons of leftover paint in Oregon. This achievement is important because leftover paint makes up the largest volume ofContinue reading “DEQ is Celebrating 15 Years of Paint Stewardship in Oregon “
SepticSmart Week is Sept. 15-19, as proclaimed by Oregon’s governor
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek proclaimed Sept. 15-19 to be SepticSmart Week this year, adding to the national awareness campaign to bring attention to the importance of septic system care and maintenance for public health and safety. “By making efforts to educate the public about septic systems and onsite wastewater Oregonians can achieve the highest possibleContinue reading “SepticSmart Week is Sept. 15-19, as proclaimed by Oregon’s governor”
Empowering Communities: Highlights from the National Climate Planning Summit in Portland
Photo caption: Climate planners board the electric school bus that was generously offered as transport from Beaverton School District. Climate planners came together in Portland this July to continue learning from one another, building momentum for collaboration, and charting paths forward for this work even in uncertain times. Oregon did not disappoint. The gathering beganContinue reading “Empowering Communities: Highlights from the National Climate Planning Summit in Portland “
Oregon DEQ’s Lab participates in APHL National Conference in Portland
This year, the Association of Public Health Laboratories National Conference took place in Portland and DEQ’s Laboratory and Environmental Assessment Division, also known as the “Lab,” introduced several activities showcasing its work.
United We Thrive: Enhancing Cross Media, Agency Partnerships, and Community Engagement
Left to Right: Brenda María Trejo Rosas (Agency Environmental Justice Coordinator, Office of Equity); Renee Trexler (VIP Station Operations Manager); Hillarie Sales (Air Quality Program Coordinator); Chris Varley (Air Quality Public Affairs Specialist) and Valerie Arkell (Water Quality, Basin Specialist). On April 23, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality joined organizations from across the state.Continue reading “United We Thrive: Enhancing Cross Media, Agency Partnerships, and Community Engagement”
DEQ and Tribes Collaborate on Pollution Control in Grand Ronde
(Left to right: Tribal representatives Mary Lou Soscia and Lindsay McClary, DEQ’s Cat Rhoades) DEQ recently partnered with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Oregon Department of Agriculture to host a pesticide and household hazardous waste collection event. The events took place on April 11 and 12 in Grand Ronde. Both the TribeContinue reading “DEQ and Tribes Collaborate on Pollution Control in Grand Ronde”