Lawsuit Against U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Aims to Slash Toxic Pollution from the Pacific Northwest’s Largest Dam
Columbia Riverkeeper filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation designed to end uncontrolled toxic oil pollution at Grand Coulee, finally bringing one of the nation’s biggest dams into compliance with the Clean Water Act. Grand Coulee has leaked oil into the Columbia since it was constructed in 1942—endangering public health and threatening fish and wildlife for 74 years.
Today, Riverkeeper calls on the government to control Grand Coulee’s toxic pollution.
Why does Riverkeeper’s Grand Coulee Dam lawsuit matter?
Grand Coulee is the sixth largest dam in the world by power production, the largest producer in the United States at 6800MW. If Riverkeeper’s lawsuit succeeds, the government must disclose and reduce oil and other pollution from Grand Coulee. Despite the U.S Army Corps of Engineers agreeing to disclose and reduce pollution at eight dams in 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has taken no action. This lawsuit will change that.
In August 2014, Riverkeeper celebrated a major victory in a multi-year effort to get the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reduce toxic pollution at eight major dams in the Pacific Northwest. In a legal settlement, the Corps agreed to address the oil pollution seeping from dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. A complete summary of the settlement is available here.
It's the 75th anniversary of Woody Guthrie living in Portland, writing songs about the Grand Coulee Dam. Guthrie called the Grand Coulee Dam, “The mightiest thing ever built by a man.” The era of unchecked toxic pollution from Grand Coulee Dam is about to end.
2016 Resources:
- Columbia Riverkeeper v. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Complaint
- Photos of the Grand Coulee Dam
- Press release: Riverkeeper Challenges Grand Coulee Dam to End Uncontrolled Oil Pollution
- Summary of the Corps Testing of Eco-Friendly Oil
- PowerPoint by the Corps Explaining the 2014 Settlement
2014 Resources:
- Blog Post: Victory! New Era of Accountability for some of Nation’s Largest Dams
- Press Release: Riverkeeper and Corps Reach Settlement to End Uncontrolled Oil Pollution Seeping from Columbia and Snake River Dams
- Proposed Order with Settlement Agreement
- Summary of Riverkeeper Dams Settlement
- Press Release: Filing Lawsuit Against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Notice of Intent to Sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- “AP NewsBreak: Army Corps agrees to monitor oil pollution from dams in historic settlement” Nigel Duara, AP News, Aug. 4, 2014.
- “Oil-Leaking Dams Generate Concern” by Michael Milstein, The Oregonian, May 4, 2003
- Columbia Riverkeeper’s Complaints:
