50 years of the Clean Water Act and 24 years of violations
In 1998, the lower Deschutes River was listed as impaired by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Today, 24 years later, the water quality of the lower Deschutes River is regularly in violation of the Clean Water Act. The landmark legislation that should be protecting the lower Deschutes River - a wild and scenic river - is not doing its job because Oregon DEQ fails to enforce the water quality laws set forth in the Clean Water Act.
On Oct. 18, 1972, the United States Congress made the bold move to pass the Clean Water Act overturning President Richard Nixon’s veto. With votes of 52-12 in the Senate and 247-23 in the House, finally, there was national legislation to improve and protect the country’s polluted water problem.
Although some improvements have been accomplished, 50 years after a promise of clean water across our nation, the Clean Water Act remains largely unfulfilled as many of our rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways, are still exploited by polluters.
Fulfilling the promise of the Clean Water Act depends on agencies, like Oregon DEQ, to do their job enforcing national water quality laws on rivers such as the lower Deschutes River.
The lower Deschutes River and the water quality issues facing it are complex, but the primary solution is simple - enforce the Clean Water Act on the lower Deschutes and all of Oregon’s waterways now.
Collectively we can make a difference to improve water quality on the lower Deschutes River. Please join the Deschutes River Alliance and insist that Oregon DEQ do its job. Email Leah Feldon (Leah.FELDON@deq.oregon.gov), acting director of Oregon DEQ with one simple request – enforce the water quality laws of the state of Oregon on the lower Deschutes River.