SB 737 Implementation: Addressing Priority Persistent Pollutants in Oregon's Water

• What is a Persistent Pollutant?
• Initiation Level Rulemaking
• Technical Workgroups
• DEQ Toxics Links
• What You Can Do To Reduce Your Use of Persistent Pollutants
• Document Archive
• Contacts

Background

The P3 List:  The 2007 Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 737, which requires DEQ to consult with all interested parties by June 2009 to develop a list of priority persistent bioaccumulative toxics (Priority Persistent Pollutant List) that have a documented effect on human health, wildlife and aquatic life. In order to develop the Priority Persistent Pollutant List, DEQ assembled a technical workgroup, representing expertise in various scientific sectors, to provide advice and comment. Members of the group served a 10-month term (August 2008-May 2009). The group met approximately every three to four weeks for about a half-day each meeting.  Read more about the list.

Legislative Report:  In June 2010, DEQ again reported to the Legislature. The report identifies potential local, regional, and global sources of persistent pollutants that may contribute to water pollution in Oregon.  It also outlines measures that state agencies, local governments, businesses, manufacturers and individuals could implement to reduce the presence of these pollutants in Oregon waters.

The report, Reducing Persistent Pollutants in Oregon's Waters: SB 737 Legislative Report, and attachments are available for download using the links in the document archive at the bottom of this webpage.

The work to develop the P3 List and Legislative Report began in July 2008 and was accomplished over two years by two new positions. These positions were funded by a surcharge fee on the 52 largest municipal wastewater plants in Oregon. Depending on the amount of wastewater processed, each municipality paid a total surcharge ranging from $6,976 to $20,926 over two years.

• List of 52 Largest Municipal Wastewater Plants PDF
• Map of 52 Largest Municipal Wastewater Plants PDF

Persistent Pollutant Reduction Plans:  SB 737 also requires Oregons 52 large municipal wastewater treatment plants to develop plans by 2011 for reducing priority persistent pollutants through pollution prevention and toxics reduction.  DEQ is working with municipalities to coordinate sampling and analyses for P3-listed pollutants, and will continue supporting municipalities through plan development.

What is a Persistent Pollutant?

A priority persistent pollutant is a substance that is toxic and either persists in the environment or accumulates in the tissues of humans, fish, wildlife or plants. DEQ has developed a Priority Persistent Pollutant List of 118 pollutants that meet this definition.

• Read more about the list

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Initiation Level Rulemaking

Senate Bill 737 requires municipal permittees to prepare reduction plans for persistent pollutants in their wastewater that exceed drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels. For priority persistent pollutants for which a Maximum Contaminant Level has not been established, Senate Bill 737 authorizes the Environmental Quality Commission to determine by rule which pollutants must be addressed in persistent pollutant reduction plans.  The June 2010 initiation level rulemaking established the levels of persistent pollutants in municipal permittees' wastewater which, if exceeded, will initiate the requirement for the permittee to prepare a persistent pollutant reduction plan.

• Final Rule Language PDF: As adopted by the Environmental Quality Commission in June 2010.

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