Western Region Initiatives

To help align our work with DEQ’s Strategic Directions and focus on issues of particular importance to communities in Western Oregon, Western Region Staff are committed to the three important regional initiatives:

• Community-based Environmental Problem Solving
• Outreach to Oregon Communities
• Protecting Oregon's Rivers and Groundwater
• E-mail subscription options

Community-based Environmental Problem Solving
DEQ's Western Region emphasizes solving problems at the community level. Environmental problems rarely fit within the narrow scope of a single program. Often, the best, long-lasting solution requires coordination and partnership with other agencies and community organizations. This often means that DEQ must step outside its traditional regulatory role, and provide technical assistance in multiple disciplines (Air, Land and Water Quality). Through this non-traditional approach, DEQ has been able to work with a variety of communities to achieve outstanding environmental results. Examples of geographic projects in Western Region are:

• A-3 Channel Project (Eugene)
• Watershed Enhancement Team Project (Salem)
• Yaquina Environmental Solutions (YES) Project (Newport/ Toledo)

Outreach to Oregon Communities
As Oregonians, we all have a stake in environmental protection DEQ places a high priority on promoting public participation to prevent and resolve environmental problems. Key components of Western Region's public participation efforts include a strong commitment to public involvement and technical assistance.

As a demonstration of our commitment to public participation, Western Region dedicates resources throughout its air, land and water quality program sections and also provides a focused effort toward community and business assistance through several targeted initiatives:

• Regional Environmental Solutions Team – an interdisciplinary team of Western Region staff dedicated to developing integrated, cross-program solutions to environmental problems.
• Business Response Team – a team of Western Region Managers dedicated to assisting economic development by proactively resolving permitting and other environmental regulatory issues through early dialogue with new or expanding businesses.

Not all local problem solving involves a dedicated team or project. On a smaller scale, DEQ staff frequently partner with local governments and small business to help solve local environmental problems. DEQ staff use a variety of tools including providing low interest loans to local governments for upgrading wastewater treatment plants, assisting small business reduce toxic waste and tracking contaminated groundwater effecting drinking water wells. See the stories in the DEQ at Work corner for more details.

Protecting Oregon’s Rivers and Groundwater
Thousands of river miles in Oregon have been polluted. Many factors contribute to the decline in the health of rivers and their tributaries, and many strategies will need to be employed to return these waters to healthy conditions for people and wildlife. DEQ protects water quality through two primary mechanisms:

• Permits are issued to limit the amount of pollution that is allowed to enter streams and rivers. Western Region staff are involved in a statewide effort to reduce our permit backlog as a means to improve water quality.
• Data is collected and analyzed to determine how much pollution — and from what sources— each river or stream can assimilate without causing undue harm. The information resulting from such studies is known as Total Maximum Daily Loads, or TMDLs. The Rogue, Umpqua and South Coast basins have DEQ basin coordinators who are developing TMDLs and actively partnering with stakeholders in these basins to develop watershed management plans targeted at reducing sources of pollution.

In addition to these statewide efforts, Western Region staff are involved in many efforts designed to identify and reduce sources of water pollution. Examples include:

• Southern Willamette Valley Groundwater Project - DEQ staff are working with other agencies and local groups to identify sources of harmful nitrate contamination in groundwater supplies and to develop strategies to reduce the amount of nitrate reaching the groundwater.
• Community Drinking Water Protection - WR staff work with communities to develop plans to protect their drinking water supplies. DEQ provides information to communities about the source(s) of drinking water and the potential pollution or health threats to the water. These communities can then implement strategies to protect those drinking water sources from contamination.
• Abandoned Mine Cleanups - Regional staff are identifying and cleaning up several abandoned mines that have left a legacy of water pollution from toxic metals. For example, efforts are underway to begin the cleanup of the abandoned Formosa Mine site in Douglas County where 18 miles of critical fish habitat have been destroyed by copper and zinc contamination.

E-mail subscription options

DEQ offers electronic updates regarding activities for the state. Sign up for one or more of the following subscription items to have notices sent to your email.

• Air Quality Permits
  
  
• News Releases
  
  
• Solid Waste Permits
• Water Quality Permits
• Union Pacific Railyard Cleanup
  

These are just a few of the most popular topics for which DEQ offers updates. To see a complete list of subscription options click here.

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