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$8K fine issued for asphalt oil spill
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced an $8,000 fine today for a company whose tanker overturned last summer, spilling asphalt oil into McCord Creek in the Columbia River Gorge. […]
More work ahead for treatment plants
Sewage treatment plants across the state will have to account for pollutants that they鈥檝e never had to deal with before under a new rule proposed by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The rule lists 118 pollutants, everything from pesticides and mercury to chemicals in personal care products such as shampoo and perfume.
Sewage plant feud gets dirtier
The fight over sewage treatment in Milwaukie, already marked by standoffs between city and county sewer district officials, could become a literal standoff at the Kellogg Creek treatment plant, complete with police 鈥� all with a backdrop of sewage flowing into the Willamette River. It may not come to that, said Chris Storey, the lawyer for Clackamas County Service District No. 1, which runs the K[...]
UPDATE: ODOT agrees to increase storm water monitoring
An environmental group is asking the Oregon Department of Transportation to step up its efforts to monitor and test storm water runoff from roads.The Northwest Environmental Defense Center in January sent a letter announcing it planned to sue ODOT because the agency wasn鈥檛 adequately monitoring chemical effluents spilling off the sides of roads.
Oregon is counting on budget Band-Aid
When federal stimulus money came rolling into Oregon, legislators decided to use it to plug some holes 鈥� and not just those in the state鈥檚 roadways. Oregon used $1.4 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, about half of the total pot the state received from the program, to fill gaps in the state鈥檚 biennial budget.
AGC fuming about exhaust rules
New diesel emissions rules could hit California contractors starting next year, and the Associated General Contractors of America wants to stop those rules from sweeping the whole country. The rules would limit exhaust from off-road vehicles 鈥� including construction equipment 鈥� already in use, not just new vehicles.
Willamette River development risks rise
When Chris Reive鈥檚 clients tell him they鈥檙e thinking about buying property along the Willamette River in Portland, the land-use attorney offers some advice: Do your homework, and know what you鈥檙e getting into. There鈥檚 a reason for Reive鈥檚 warning. Raw industrial waste has saturated the Portland harbor portion of the river for the better part of a century.
Methane sparks concern at Siskiyou Square
The Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality has warned property owner Mike Hashem that elevated methane gas levels at the vacant 26-acre Siskiyou Square property pose health risks.
Siskiyou Square has methane problems
Mike Hashem, owner of the 26-acre site that for years has been eyed for development, says he can't afford the $200,000 the Department of Environmental Quality wants him to spend on gas monitoring and extraction. A town hall is set for Aug. 19.
News
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $10.6 million in top bidders | July 31, 2026
- Many Oregon counties struggling to maintain their fairgrounds
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization 鈥� the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion
