Updated: July 27, 5 p.m. Back to main Kmart Fire Asbestos Response page. What happened? Debris and ash from a large fire on July 19 in Portland’s Parkrose neighborhood blew into the surrounding neighborhood. One out of nine samples of debris collected by the City of Portland at Luuwit View Park contained asbestos, raising concernContinue reading “Frequently Asked Questions: Kmart Fire and Asbestos”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Seven Oregon sites receive $8 million for brownfield redevelopment projects
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced seven sites in Oregon that will receive $8.2 million in brownfield funding for environmental assessment and cleanup projects. The grants will help transform the sites into community assets, attract jobs and promote economic revitalization.
Staff Spotlight on Blair Adams
This week we turn our spotlight on Blair Adams at DEQ’s Laboratory in Hillsboro. Blair serves on DEQ’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and the Wellness Committee in addition to her regular duties. She also just won Oregon’s Public Service Award for 2023 in recognition of her efforts her at the agency.
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 blacked trees and power tools echo in the distance, drowned out by the murmur of the river.
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,Continue reading “Staff Spotlight: Megan Hendrickson “
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 aboutContinue reading “Staff Spotlight: Ania Loyd”
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.
DEQ’s Cory-Ann Wind inducted into Clean Cities Hall of Fame
We’re thrilled to announce Cory-Ann Wind, manager of Oregon’s Clean Fuels Program, is the recipient of the 2023 Hall of Fame Award from the Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition, a coalition committed to reducing petroleum consumption in the transportation sector through education and outreach.
The award recognizes Wind’s leadership developing and implementing one of the nation’s only clean fuels programs. California has had a similar program for the last 12 years and Washington started a program this year. Wind has worked at DEQ for 29 years, the last 13 overseeing the Clean Fuels Program.
Klamath Tribes, Chiloquin leaders welcome Eastern Region management team
“You picked a great day to visit,” said Chiloquin City Councilor Robert Cowie to the group of Eastern Region managers gathered at Chiloquin City Hall on a crisp, clear, sunny February afternoon.
The DEQ team traveled from The Dalles, Bend and Klamath Falls to meet leaders from the Klamath Tribes and City of Chiloquin to discuss local environmental concerns.
Environmental Quality Commission selects Leah Feldon as new DEQ director
The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission today selected Leah Feldon as the new director of the Department of Environmental Quality. The commission’s vote was unanimous. The commission’s decision came after a seven-month nationwide search and included extensive input from the public and DEQ staff.