Oregon settles stormwater pollution lawsuit

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality has settled a lawsuit filed by environmental groups over the state’s regulation of stormwater pollution.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that the settlement announced Monday provides special protections for rivers and streams that are already too polluted for salmon, drinking water or swimming.

Earthrise, Northwest Environmental Defense Center and Columbia Riverkeeper filed the lawsuit.

DEQ will now require more than 800 industrial sites to report their stormwater pollution four times per year instead of once.

The agency will also establish a committee to investigate the technical feasibility of putting new limits on certain contaminants in stormwater.

Stormwater becomes polluted by toxins like copper, lead and zinc as it runs over industrial sites and into waterways.

It is a major source of environmental contamination nationwide.

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Information from: KOPB-FM, http://news.opb.org