Ali Mirzakhalili has worked as Oregon DEQ’s Air Quality Division administrator since 2018, but he has been involved with environmental issues for much longer. For Air Quality Awareness Week, we thought it was a good time to ask him about what drew him to this work and how he feels about Oregon’s environmental future.
Tag Archives: public health
DEQ’s Lab makes science the cornerstone of environmental protection in Oregon
With just 82 employees, the Oregon Laboratory and Environmental Assessment Program, DEQ’s lab, provides the scientific and technical capacity to respond quickly to a broad range of emerging issues and unprecedented events, such as wildfires, that affect public health and the environment.
Food waste reduction work hits major milestone
Curbing the 35% of food that goes uneaten each year will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water and land resources, and support those facing food insecurity— which has become increasingly critical in the wake of COVID-19.
3 Earth Month tips you can use every day
Simple steps to protect our planet
Water quality team reflects on milestones while charting course ahead
The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission made headlines recently with a landmark decision to grant additional environmental protections to Crater and Waldo lakes, known for their clear, pristine water. The commission’s approval of the Outstanding Resource Water designation was the end result of months of work by DEQ’s Water Quality Program, from thorough research to public outreach.
Oregon DEQ releases 2020 Oregon Water Quality Index
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has released the 2020 Oregon Water Quality Index. The index assesses water quality at 160 ambient monitoring stations across the state.
DEQ expands eligibility for school bus engine grants
Across the state, students are beginning to head back to in-person schooling, and that means more and more school buses are returning to the roads. As such, Oregon DEQ is working to make that transportation cleaner and safer for those children and the environment.
Oregon DEQ’s Vehicle Inspection Program puts 2020 in rearview mirror
From the extraordinary pandemic to the intruding smoke from massive wildfires, 2020 presented Oregon DEQ’s vehicle testing inspectors with demands they had never before encountered.
Local communities get boost for projects that reduce waste
Nearly 20 organizations around the state can now step up their efforts to reduce waste, increase reuse and repair, resue food and support responsible recycling.
EPA’s soot decision is bad for your health
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the agency’s plan to preserve their weak standards on how much “soot” – or fine particulate matter – can be released into our air. This is a public health failure and the result of ignoring scientific evidence that a stronger standard is needed to prevent more disease and death.