Thirty two years ago, I was passing through Oregon and decided to stay. I’m proud to be an Oregonian, because my representatives in the national and state legislatures are all progressive Democrats. We used to have a Republican Senator, but we fixed that and I helped. In many areas where progressives are concerned, Oregon leads the way. One example is the environment.
Oregon’s environmental regulators on Thursday approved new health-based water quality standards, touted as the toughest in the nation, for curtailing toxic pollutants in rivers and streams.
The rules, subject to approval by the Environmental Protection Agency, are up to 10 times more stringent than current national standards and are designed in part to account for comparatively large amounts of fish in the diets of Oregonians, especially Native Americans.
Five years in the making, the regulations would set new limits on concentrations of over 100 toxins — from pesticides to PCBs — permitted to be discharged into waterways from factories, sewage plants and other industrial facilities.
Approved by the five-member Environmental Quality Commission on a 4-1 vote, the plan is aimed at improving the safety of water in streams and rivers for use in fishing, drinking and swimming… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Reuters>
For the earth’s sake, Oregon’s standards should be adopted nationally.
8 Responses to “Oregon Leads on Water Quality”
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Good for the water, hows that clear cutting of the last aboriginal rain forest in North America working out over that way,
Mark, I’m unaware of recent clear cuts. Years ago, when most of it took place, we had a Republican Governor appointing the DEQ.
“The rules, subject to approval by the Environmental Protection Agency, are up to 10 times more stringent than current national standards”……..from story. I wish we had more forward thinking like this in the rest of the country. Good for Oregon! 💡
Thanks Johnny.
I’m glad for you, Tom. If we could do that nationwide, it would be marvelous.
Thanks Patty. I agree.
Agreed, but who’s the dumass that decided this wasn’t a good idea? Get that jackass off the council.
Even here, we aren’t perfect. The representative from eastern Oregon is always right wing.