May 2012
Feature Article: New Directions for Oregon and the DEQ
Interview with DEQ Director Dick Pedersen
“My take is that everybody here [at the DEQ] is interested in being involved in decision making. As I’ve said before, it is far different than my experience in Montana or with the federal government. It takes time, there’s no question about that, but in the end, the outcome is much more collaborative. At our agency, as we think about what goals we are seeking to accomplish, we have to factor that in: sometimes it takes more time to get to major policy decision endpoints, and even though it might not have taken as long where I came from, it’s still a good thing.” Full Article…
From the New Publisher, Robert Kelsey
You may have noticed your Insider had gone missing. Simply put, the former publisher could not meet his obligations and defaulted. It’s a complicated story, but suffice it to say, we hope to do better.
While under no legal obligation to honor unfulfilled subscriptions, we will be doing so. We’ll need a little help to accomplish this, but we’ll keep it simple. If you paid for a subscription and are missing issues, contact me and I’ll get you back on track. Anyone considering a new subscription may contact me here as well: subscriptions@theoregoninsider.com or 541-484-4843. I’ll respond to all needs promptly.
Full Letter… and bonus Poem!
Update: Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy
By Brenda Bateman, Senior Policy Coordinator, Oregon Water Resources Department and Alyssa Mucken, IWRS Policy Coordinator, Oregon Water Resources Department
Water is one of world’s most precious natural resources. With more than 100,000 miles of rivers and streams, 360 miles of coastline, and more than 1,400 named lakes, Oregon is renowned for its water. Our rivers, streams, lakes, the wetlands, springs, and groundwater resources have provided a wide range of benefits to all Oregonians.
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Medford’s NPDES Permit
The City of Medford (City) is moving water quality trading forward in its latest National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The City and the Tualatin basin’s Clean Water Services are now the two municipal NPDES-permitted entities in Oregon that have incorporated water quality trading into their approach for meeting NPDES and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) obligations.
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NPDES Permits & Water Quality Trading
Many streams and rivers in Oregon and throughout the American West have been identified as being too warm to support healthy fish populations. As with other states authorized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to administer the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) often incorporates effluent temperature limits into CWA National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for wastewater treatment facilities and other industrial and public entities discharging to Oregon waters. The City of Medford has opted to initiate a water quality trading program to meet the thermal load limits required by the NPDES permit for its wastewater treatment facility.
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