In This Issue
Oregon Environmental Quality Commission decision allows PGE to close Oregon’s only coal-fired power plant by 2020
On Dec. 9 the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission adopted revisions to air pollution control rules that allow PGE to close its coal-fired power plant near Boardman by 2020.
As he voted for DEQ’s rule recommendations, Commission Chairman Bill Blosser said, “This is a monumental step forward, not only for Oregon but for the rest of the country. I am impressed by the leadership shown by DEQ, PGE, the Citizens Utility Board and the members of the community who’ve put forth an outstanding effort on this issue. None of this would have happened without feedback and comments from Oregon citizens. This is a monumental change on how we deal with coal plants in Oregon and perhaps will have an effect on coal plants across the country.”
DEQ reviewed 8,000 public comments before crafting a recommendation that requires pollution controls consistent with a 2020 closure date and repeals rules allowing the plant to operate until 2040.
For more information see Regulation of PGE Boardman web page.
Smaller Homes, Smaller Footprint, DEQ-commissioned Report Shows
A recently completed report commissioned by DEQ in collaboration with the Oregon Home Builders Association and Earth Advantage Institute concludes that building smaller homes is among the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation from the residential construction sector.
The report, A Life Cycle Approach to Prioritizing Methods of Preventing Waste from the Residential Construction Sector in the State of Oregon, is available on DEQ’s Waste Prevention and Reuse web page.
The report concludes that while over 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions over a home’s 70-year life occur during occupancy and are attributed to electricity and fuel consumption, about 14 percent of greenhouse gas impacts are tied to producing the original and replacement building materials. Reducing home size by 50 percent results in a projected 36 percent reduction in total-lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.
Enforcement actions up in 2010
In 2010 DEQ issued 201 formal enforcement actions, resulting in a total proposed penalty amount of $2.47 million, for violations of state environmental laws. This is up significantly from 2009’s totals of 172 penalties and $2.14 million. Enforcement actions arise from several factors, including DEQ inspections or site visits, self reporting from permitted facilities, referrals from other government agencies, and individual complaints to DEQ. These totals do not include field citations and expedited enforcement offers that DEQ makes available to violators of rules governing underground storage tanks and septic systems.
DEQ is focusing more attention on permits that allow facilities to discharge wastewater to rivers and streams. This is reflected in 2010’s enforcement stats. Of the 201 penalties issued, the majority (86) are related to water quality discharge and permit violations. Open burning and asbestos-handling violations make up the next largest penalty categories, with 29 and 27, respectively, followed by hazardous waste (20), air quality permits (14), on-site/septic service providers (10), underground storage tanks (8), solid waste permits (5), oil spills (1) and environmental cleanup (1).
Oregon law requires that, with minor exceptions, DEQ-collected penalties are deposited directly into the state’s General Fund – not back into DEQ programs.
DEQ’s website has more information on DEQ’s compliance and enforcement efforts. The web page describes how penalty recipients can help offset their penalty amounts through supplemental environmental projects that result in on-the-ground environmental improvements.
Permits on the Web
Slowly but surely DEQ is making more permit information available to the public on its website. Recently, DEQ launched a new search site that allows people to find permit information for nearly 400 water quality permits for municipal wastewater treatment plants and industrial dischargers such as pulp-and-paper mills and high-tech plants throughout the state. See the wastewater permit document search.
Another info-rich portal page on DEQ’s website, "Databases," allows you to find information on permitted facilities across the state, check the Air Quality Index in your area to monitor your local air quality, and find potential cleanup sites.
2011 New Year’s Resolution: Reduce your carbon footprint
How do you know where to start? Check out DEQ’s Carbon Calculator.
Our carbon calculator is comprehensive and, as such, gives you a good idea of where you can reduce your carbon footprint. Linking errands and reducing car trips, reducing or eliminating idling when picking up your kids at school, eating local foods and changing your regular light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs can make a difference to the environment as well as your wallet.
DEQ offers more environmentally friendly tips on its Sustainability web page.