Blog

Loophole City, Oregon

The City of Portland’s decision to let Zenith Energy extend its oil-by-rail operations in Portland is facing widespread condemnation from community members, environmental organizations, and environmental justice advocates.  Read more

Big Win for Farmers and Clean Water

Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) overturned Columbia County’s approval of a 400-car rail yard that would have served an unconventional diesel refinery along the lower Columbia. Read more

Breaking Down Forever Chemicals

Columbia Riverkeeper hosted “Breaking Down Forever Chemicals,” a webinar with Dr. Alissa Cordner and Megan Liu. They shared research on forever chemicals and helped us to understand the sources and impacts and what we can do about it. Read more

NEXT’s application materials were riddled with inconsistencies

On September 6, 2022, the Oregon ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) denied NEXT Renewables LLC’s (NEXT) application for a Clean Water Act section 401 water quality permit. NEXT sought the permit as part of a plan to build a so-called “renewable” diesel refinery near Clatskanie, OR.  Read more

Tank Leaks Show Additional Resources Needed at Hanford

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Washington Department of Ecology announced an agreement, which begins to address two of Hanford’s leaking tanks, B-109 and T-111. The agreement made headlines, but does it make real progress? Read more