Why DEQ Should Deny NEXT’s Water Quality Permit
By Audrey Leonard, Staff Attorney
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.
- 23 organizations signed a letter telling DEQ that permitting NEXT is a huge mistake for the climate, salmon, and surrounding farmland.
- 3,188 individuals signed our petition asking DEQ and Governor Kotek to deny NEXT’s permit, including 450 personalized comments.
- Our 37-page technical comments to DEQ, written in partnership with the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, explain why DEQ’s draft permit is insufficient to protect water quality.
Our technical comments highlight the myriad of risks that NEXT’s refinery poses to water quality—and DEQ’s duty to analyze those risks beyond accepting NEXT’s assurances. To name a few:
- Pollution from construction activities, including 6PPD-q, will impact water quality and fish habitat;
- Pollution from everyday refinery activities will impact water quality in small waterways surrounding the refinery, traveling out to larger water bodies like the Columbia River;
- Spills from the refinery and rail yard;
- Vessel traffic pollution from shipping activities;
- Spills of feedstock and fuel into the Columbia River; and
- NEXT’s stormwater plans do not account for regular or extreme flooding in the area, underestimating how pollution will escape and affect waterways.
Thankfully, the DEQ’s authority under the Clean Water Act is robust. DEQ must consider any direct or indirect impacts to water quality from the refinery, including from construction and operation. Unfortunately, DEQ’s draft permit ignores many impacts of the refinery, and it’s up to us to convince DEQ to do the right thing.
DEQ will grant or deny the permit by January 12, 2025. In the meantime, Governor Kotek needs to hear why this refinery would be a disaster for the climate, Columbia River, and local farms.
Help us make a splash!
Call Governor Kotek today and ask her to protect the Columbia River and our climate from NEXT’s pollution and greenwashing: (503) 378-4582
It’s quick and painless—leave a message telling Governor Kotek that permitting NEXT would be a huge step backwards for Oregon’s climate goals and put salmon in the Columbia River Estuary at risk.