Oregon is a land of abundant flowing rivers. Seventy percent of Oregonians live in the Willamette Valley, near the Willamette River or tributaries such as the Clackamas, Tualatin, and McKenzie rivers. The mighty Columbia carves the state’s landmark Gorge. In Eastern Oregon, the Deschutes and John Day are defining features of the landscape. And of course Southern Oregon is home to the legendary wild Rogue River.
These rivers provide opportunities for fishing, rafting, swimming and, of course, drinking water for millions of Oregonians. But that also means that millions are at risk when industrial polluters use our rivers as a dumping ground and when run-off from agricultural and lawn chemicals contaminates the water. That’s why Environment Oregon is working to clean up the toxic pollution contaminating Oregon’s waterways.
Clean Willamette: Stop toxic dumping
The Willamette River, whose valley is home to 70 percent of Oregonians, is unfortunately a toxic dumping ground for industrial pollution and chemical run-off. Environment Oregon is working to reduce toxic pollution entering the Willamette and other rivers across the state.
No More Mercury
Mercury is a toxic substance that threatens children’s health and has already contaminated the Willamette and Columbia rivers to such levels that Oregonians are warned to limit how many fish they eat. Environment Oregon helped win pollution reductions for a major source of mercury – PGE’s coal-fired power plant in Boardman.
