The first of eight workshops to address the fish consumption rate used in developing Oregon 's human health criteria for water quality standards is scheduled for March 13 in Portland .

Studies have shown that a number of fish species in the Columbia River basin and other basins throughout Oregon carry contaminants that pose a risk to human health and that Native Americans from this area consume fish at higher rates than the general populations.

Other groups, including recreational and subsistence fishers, may also consume fish at a higher rate than the general population.

State and federal agencies, as well as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, who raised concerns that led to the workshop series, agree that Oregon should adopt a higher fish consumption rate.

Because the so-called fish consumption rate influences water quality standards, the process might result in tougher restrictions on industry and municipalities allowed to discharge pollutants into the state's waterways.

Broad participation in the workshops is expected from tribal governments, technical experts and stakeholders such as other state agencies, toxicologists, economists, municipalities, industries, other fish consuming populations, commercial fishers and environmental groups.

The tribes contend that the state's water quality criteria for toxics, based on a fish consumption rate for the general population, do not adequately protect Native Americans and other populations that consume greater amounts of fish.

Both the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have also taken positions that the fish consumption rate needs to be higher to protect the health of Oregonians.

Seven more workshops, three of them preceded by focus groups of hand-picked members to prepare for the ensuing workshop, are planned over the next 16 months, culminating in June of 2008 when the Oregon DEQ will present an issue paper to the general public before presentation to the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission.

The workshops are designed to engage the public, interested stakeholders and tribal governments in an exchange of information and ideas about the amount of fish consumed by Oregonians; the potential effects of a higher rate statewide; implementation challenges; and alternative actions.

The workshops will help DEQ, in partnership with EPA and the Umatilla Tribes, to develop recommendations and supporting documentation to present the EQC with a range of options to increase the fish consumption rate.

The first workshop, set from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the ODOT Conference Room, 123 NW Flanders Street in Portland , will provide background and scope of the workshop series.

Welcoming remarks will be made by Michael Gearheard, EPA; Antone Minthorn, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Umatilla Tribes; and Lynn Hampton, chair of the Oregon EQC.

Stephanie Hallock, director of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, will provide background about why EPA, DEQ and the Tribes are suggesting a revision to current fish consumption rate in Oregon .

Becky Lindgren from EPA will address water quality standards, which states are required to develop, adopt and submit to EPA for approval under the federal Clean Water Act. Her presentation also will discuss how fish consumption rates are used in calculating human health criteria, a factor in developing water quality standards. She will talk about the current fish consumption rate, including EPA's suggested national default rate, and who and how it protects.

Stakeholders affected by water quality standards, from fishers and farmers to industries that are allowed by state permit to discharge certain pollutants into Oregon waterways, will be addressed by Jordan Palmeri from Oregon DEQ.

In the afternoon, Palmeri will review a 2004 Toxics Criteria Triennial Review, in which the EQC adopted human health criteria in its water quality standards that increased the fish consumption rate from 6.5 grams per day (2 ounces a day) to 17.5 grams per day (about two 8-ounce fish meals a month), using EPA's 2002 national default rate for the general public. The 17.5 grams per day rate is the most protective level, based on "one in a million" estimated risk for exposure to carcinogens.

Oregon 's current rate and reasons why the rate is being reviewed will be presented by Lauri Aunan from Oregon DEQ; Rick George, staff for the Umatilla Tribe; and Gearheard from EPA.

The Umatillas contend that, although the criteria account for the human health threat of toxics based on a fish consumption rate for the general public, the criteria do not account for higher fish consuming populations, which includes tribal members.

The Umatilla Tribes, according to a study conducted by the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and EPA, are known to have fish consumption rates ranging from an average of 63.2 grams per day to as high as 389 grams per day -- substantially higher than the current 17.5 grams per day. People that consume fish at a higher rate than Oregon 's current rate of 17.5 grams per day are at a higher risk for adverse health impacts, including cancer, than assumed in the current human health criteria.

Concluding the workshop, Lindgren, Palmeri and George will outline the expected themes, roles and responsibilities of participants in the workshop series. Participants in this first work session will be told how they can continue to participate and will be invited to sign up for future workshops.

Other scheduled workshops and focus groups:

May 15 -- Workshop 2: Review of Water Quality Standards and Fish Consumption Data.

Mid-late May -- Focus group on Human Health Risk

July 10 -- Workshop 3: Human Health Risk

Early-mid June -- Focus group on NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permitting analysis

Sept. 11 -- Workshop 4: NPDES permitting impacts

Mid-late September -- Focus group on economic impact of permitting analysis

Nov. 13 -- Workshop 5: Economic impact of raising the fish consumption rate

Mid-late November -- Focus group on legal limitations and implementation

Jan. 8, 2008 -- Workshop 6: Implementation of a raised fish consumption rate

March 11, 2008 -- Open question and answer forum

June 17, 2008 -- Workshop 8: DEQ presents the issue paper