For release: April 23, 2012

Contacts:
Stephanie Caldera, Environmental Quality Commission Assistant, Portland, 503-229-5301
Rod Nichols, Public Affairs, Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, 503-945-7425

Boards’ joint meeting April 26 will include discussion of respective roles of environmental and forestry agencies, particularly related to water quality issues

What:             The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission will hold its regular meeting in Newport on Wednesday through Friday, April 25-27. The meeting will include a joint discussion between the commission and the Oregon Board of Forestry to talk about water quality roles and responsibilities between the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Department of Forestry.

                        The Environmental Quality Commission is a five-member citizen panel appointed by the governor to serve as the policy and rulemaking board for DEQ. The commission holds regular meetings throughout the state to adopt rules, establish policies, issue orders and decide appeals of penalties or other department actions.

When/

Where:           Wednesday, April 25, 2 to 5 p.m., Best Western Agate Beach Inn, Jasper Room, 3019 N. Coast Highway, Newport.

                        Thursday, April 26, 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Best Western Agate Beach Inn, Jasper Room, 3019 N. Coast Highway, Newport.

                        Friday, April 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tour of mid-coast forestry and water quality-related sites.

Background:  The complete agenda for the meeting, including more specific information about individual agenda items, can be found at:

http://www.deq.state.or.us/about/eqc/agendas/2012/2012aprEQCAgenda.htm

Key agenda items:

·         Wednesday afternoon, April 25: Discussion on Oregon water quality standards.  DEQ water quality staff will update the commission on recent developments regarding the state’s water quality standards and their possible impacts.

·         Wednesday afternoon, April 25: Update on DEQ budget and 2012 Oregon legislative session. DEQ staff will present an overview of the recently concluded 2012 legislative session and budget issues facing the state and DEQ.

·         Thursday, April 26: Public forum, 8:30 to 9:30 am.  The public may provide comment or ask questions of the commission. People may present comments in person or remotely at DEQ offices in Bend, Hermiston, Medford and Portland. Comments cannot be offered on DEQ rulemakings for which the comment period has closed. All people commenting must complete request-to-speak forms, available at the Newport meeting and the other offices for remote comments.

·         Thursday, April 26, noon: Joint session with Oregon Board of Forestry. The commission will have a discussion with the Board of Forestry about the respective roles of the DEQ, EQC, the Oregon Board of Forestry and Oregon Department of Forestry, especially related to water quality issues. DEQ Water Quality Administrator Greg Aldrich, along with ODF Director Doug Decker, will lead the presentation. From 1:30 to 2 p.m., the public will have the opportunity to address both the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission and Oregon Board of Forestry. (This public forum will not be accessible from the remote offices outside Newport).

·         Thursday afternoon, April 26: Vote on endorsement of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resource Strategy. The commission will take action on Oregon’s proposed Water Resource Strategy, which outlines a series of actions and plans to protect and improve Oregon’s water quality and quantity. The strategy is linked to a 2009 legislative proposal calling for more coordinated state action on water resource issues.

·         Friday, April 27: The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission and Board of Forestry will visit several sites in the mid-coast area to observe forestry, water quality and other environmental issues and improvements. The Department of Forestry will lead the tour and be available to answer questions. The specific itinerary of sites to be visited was still under development as this news release was prepared. (News media are welcome to attend this tour.)

For More

Information:   To learn more about the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission, commission members and their meetings, please visit

                        http://www.deq.state.or.us/about/eqc/eqc.htm.