Environmental Cleanup

Cleanup Program Strategic Plan

Vision Statement

Lead Oregon to identify, investigate, and cleanup all hazardous substance releases that pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.

How We Will Accomplish this Vision

The Cleanup Program will continue to provide oversight for the investigation and cleanup of hazardous substances by identifying and responding to high priority sites and encouraging responsible parties to complete work through voluntary programs. Strategies for site management may include geographic approaches and partnering with other DEQ programs such as Hazardous Waste and Water Quality to coordinate on the reduction of toxic substances in the environment.

The Program Management Team will plan on a biannual review (approximately June and December) of priority actions and performance measures to evaluate how we are doing. Each biennium the PMT will review program priorities and long-term goals to evaluate the need for revisions to the Strategic Plan.

Program Priorities for 2009-2011

1. Identify, initiate investigation, and complete cleanup at high priority sites that threaten human health or sensitive environments.
2. Continue to respond to community brownfield and economic development needs.
3. Identify and promote the use of green technologies to improve the overall sustainability of cleanup projects.
4. Develop and maintain technical guidance, policy, and other tools and resource capabilities needed to support Cleanup.
5. Maintain financial stability of the Cleanup Program.

Long-Term Goals

1. Retain and enhance Cleanup Program staff expertise and the quality of DEQ’s workplace.
2. Identify all sites throughout the state that currently present unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.
3. Provide timely, on-target customer service for all cleanup projects.
4. Communicate effectively through project management tools, up-to-date cleanup site information, progressive site management guidance, and outreach to consultants, responsible parties, local governments, community groups, and the general public.
5. Ensure that engineering controls, institutional controls or other requirements of completed cleanups are maintained for long-term protection of human health and the environment.
6. Prevent future releases of toxic substances through coordination with other DEQ programs and integrate cleanup-related programs and tasks into “One Cleanup Program.”

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