Recent Accomplishments:

Columbia Riverkeeper’s (CRK) most significant accomplishment in 2007 has been its ability significantly broaden the base of public support for the protection of the Columbia River by working with rural community members and non-traditional allies.  In fighting to protect the Columbia River Estuary from new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ports CRK built a highly active grassroots campaign with farmers, rural landowners, fisherman, Native Americans and others who would be affected by the project and its 230-mile long gas pipelines.  Working with these diverse allies and our conservation partners, CRK has won project opposition from everyone including the Washington State Grange and Oregon’s Governor to the Solar Energy Association of Oregon, Washington ports along the Columbia and the Washington State Democratic Party just to name a few.  The proposed LNG projects are now being called the “hot button energy issue in Oregon” since they could undermine efforts to reduce global warming. 

Over the last year, CRK brought more than 16 clean successful water enforcement actions against polluters violating their NPDES pollution permits and won significant toxic load reductions as a result.  CRK’s attorney successfully represented CRK and three other conservation groups in successfully challenging the proposed Kalama coal plant.  We also commented on or reviewed over 35 proposed pollution permits.  CRK is currently litigating our most important case targeting stormwater pollution before the Oregon Court of Appeals and if successful, the case would give Oregon the strongest stormwater protections in the state and result in major decreases in toxic discharges in stormwater.  CRK has with NEDC and Sierra Club recently sent a 60-day notice of suit to PGE’s Boardman coal plant which is contributing to high mercury levels and acid rain and fog in the Columbia River Basin.