Uniting people for clean water, climate action, and healthy communities

Clean Water

We work in solidarity with Tribes to restore clean water and healthy fish by reducing toxic pollution.

Climate Action

We use the law, community organizing, and creative communications to stop fossil fuel infrastructure and advocate for a just transition.

Healthy Communities

We engage people who live in river communities to advocate for environmental justice, including strong salmon runs.

Why the Columbia?

The Columbia River is the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest. People depend on the Columbia for clean water, salmon, and much more.

How We Work

We partner with Tribes and unite people to advocate for environmental and climate justice. We use legal advocacy, community organizing, and education to:

Stop Pollution

We take polluters to court when the government turns its back on illegal pollution. We advocate for stronger laws to reduce toxic pollution in fish and drinking water. And we push government agencies to take action for clean water.

Fight Fossil Fuels

The Columbia River is threatened by stunning new fossil fuel infrastructure projects—terminals, pipelines, and refineries. The good news? We are fighting back and winning!

Save Salmon

The Columbia once produced more salmon than any river on Earth. Today, populations are a fraction of their historic size. We advocate for salmon and the cultures that rely on them.

Engage Communities

Through free events, educational programming, and trainings, we inspire people to use and advocate for environmental justice on the Columbia. We also monitor water quality and share real-time data on the Swim Guide app.

Clean Up Hanford

The Hanford Nuclear Site is the most toxic place in America. We partner with the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and engage people in one of the most importantㅡand complicatedㅡcleanups in the world.

What’s New

  • Turbulent Waters Ahead
    I don’t have to tell you that the recent federal election results are not good for the Columbia River and those who depend on it.  Columbia Riverkeeper’s range of talents—including legal acumen, on-the-ground organizing, savvy communications, and a large, active membership—give us the tools to curtail some of the worst effects of the election in our region. Read more
  • Zenith Energy’s Legacy of Violations and Lies
    We know Zenith Energy has a history of violations and misleading regulators. So we decided to answer the question: just how many violations has Zenith committed?  The answer is outrageous. Turns out, violations appear to be part of Zenith’s business model. Since arriving in Portland, Zenith has racked up roughly 20 violations from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)! Together, these violations tell the story of a fossil fuel company that has been out of compliance nearly the entire time it has been operating in Portland, a company that has misled regulators to obtain permits to expand operations, a company that cannot be trusted. Read more
  • NEXT: Water Quality Disaster
    Last week marked the end of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ’s) comment period on the NEXT refinery’s water quality permit. DEQ is proposing to issue a permit that will not protect the Columbia River and surrounding waterways from NEXT’s pollution. We know that siting a major refinery on wetlands near the Columbia River Estuary is a horrible idea. That’s why we gave DEQ a laundry list of reasons to deny the permit.  Read more
  • What’s the Deal with New Nuclear Power Webinar Evaluation
    Webinar on the problems with Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMNRs) By Kelly Campbell, Policy Director Columbia Riverkeeper explores the problems with “new” nuclear power, why it is not part of a just transition to a clean energy future, and why siting more nuclear power plants on the Columbia River should be a non-starter in the Read more

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