Aaron Borisenko in DEQ’s Lab nominated for public service award

DEQ’s own Aaron Borisenko has been nominated for a 2022 Public Service Recognition Week Award for his work as part of the interagency Wildfire Science Team. The team is up for the Interagency Excellence Team Award category, which honors cross-agency collaboration, stakeholder engagement and innovative approaches to intractable problems.

Your DEQ Online technology fee takes effect in July

Starting in July, a 4% technology fee will be charged on all financial transactions in Your DEQ Online, except agency-issued penalties. The fee, which was authorized by the 2021 Oregon Legislature, is necessary to pay for annual operation and maintenance costs of Your DEQ Online

Planting roots: Lessons from my parents in sustainable living

My parents were depression-era Oklahoma farm kids who came of age at a time and place that required men and women to have practical knowledge about a bit of everything. They were carpenters, hunters, farmers, seamstresses, veterinarians and mechanics. They grew or raised their own food and preserved it for lean times.

Burning questions about burning? We have answers

Among the most frequently asked questions to DEQ at this time of year are: Am I allowed to burn yard debris in my backyard? What about smoke from my neighbor’s open burning? Here are some answers, including links to valuable resources for anyone considering setting flame to branches, leaves or other residential debris.

The three most important ways Oregon is fighting climate change

cent headlines warn that the window is quickly closing to protect our future and preserve a livable planet. In Oregon, we have seen the effects of the climate crisis first-hand:  hundreds of deaths from extreme heat waves; thousands of homes destroyed by wildfire; lakes and rivers drying up before our eyes; farmers without water to grow food; and the toxic algal blooms that shut down the city of Salem’s drinking water system for weeks in 2018.

DEQ tackles questions about so few women in STEM fields

For anyone who works in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, all you have to do is look around to see there are very few women scientists, lab technicians, researchers, etc. In fact, according to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Institute for Statistics, fewer than 30% of the world’s researchers are women.

DEQ implements changes to Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has made big changes to the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program’s Charge Ahead Rebate. As of Jan. 1, 2022, low- and moderate-income households are eligible for $5,000 back with the purchase or lease of a new or used battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Previously, the Charge AheadContinue reading “DEQ implements changes to Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program”

DEQ staff spotlight on Lynda Viray, in honor of Filipino American History Month

Filipino Americans make up one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States with nearly 20,000 residing in the State of Oregon. Every October we celebrate Filipino heritage to increase awareness of the significant role Filipinos have played in American history. We had the opportunity to talk to Lynda Viray, someone who knows firstContinue reading “DEQ staff spotlight on Lynda Viray, in honor of Filipino American History Month”