Oregon issues list of water pollutants that last and last

by Scott Learn

The Oregonian

Oregon's environmental regulators have released their first cut at a priority list for long-lived and potentially toxic pollutants in the state's waters, culling 175 chemicals from an initial list of more than 2,000.

Farmers and urban gardeners should be interested: About half the list is made up of pesticides. So should consumers: Fire retardants in consumer goods rank high on the list.

Abundant phthalates used in plastic also made the cut, as did industrial metals, chemicals used to make fabric stain resistant, and fragrances used in detergents and shampoos.

The preliminary roster of "priority persistent pollutants" ordered by the Legislature in 2007 now goes out to the public for review. Department of Environmental Quality officials expect more controversy over what's on the list than what's not on it.

Agricultural interests will likely balk at the lengthy list of pesticides. Industry may squabble about metals. And municipal wastewater treatment plants are first up to test for all the chemicals that make the final cut, then take steps to reduce them if they exceed thresholds the state will develop this fall.

But the preliminary list has some prominent exclusions, including chromium, used in circuit boards and industrial plating, and glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, the nation's most widely used herbicide.

The list also includes some long-time toxins of concern: the banned pesticide DDT, mercury, lead and PCBs, once used widely in industrial applications.

DEQ convened a task force of scientists to winnow the list, and the group ranked pollutants for levels of toxicity to fish and humans. But at this point the ranking assumes all the chemicals are released in the same amount. The state is hoping public feedback helps refine the rankings.

DEQ will send a final list to the Legislature by June 1 then work to identify sources of the pollutants and provide a second report to the Legislature by June 2010.

By July 2011, Oregon's 52 largest treatment plants will have to develop plans to reduce pollutants measured above either the new state thresholds or existing drinking water standards. Those plans, paid for through sewer rates, are likely to include public education efforts and funding for specific pollution reduction programs.

DEQ is accepting comments on the list through 5 p.m. March 27 and holding four public meetings to gather input:

• Pendleton, 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, St. Anthony's Hospital, Cascade Room, 1601 SE Court Ave.

• North Bend, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, North Bend Library, large meeting room, 1800 Sherman Ave.

• Klamath Falls, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday March 11, Klamath County Courthouse, Commission Hearing Room, 305 Main St.

• Portland, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 19, DEQ Headquarters, 811 SW Sixth Ave., Room EQC-A (10th floor), at Southwest Sixth and Yamhill. This meeting will also be accessible via conference call. Call-in number: 877-214-5010, participant number 898168.

-- Scott Learn; scottlearn@news.oregonian.com