Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

1. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group 2012 Regional Roundtable: Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center

2. Overview • Background on Columbia River Toxics Reduction Workgroup • Current Activities • Challenges Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

3. Columbia River Basin • ~ 260,000 sq miles • 2 countries, 7 seven states, 22 Tribes • Largest flow to Pacific in N. & S. America • 8 million people – 1/3 in I-5 corridor • > 370 major dams • 13 endangered fish species

4. Columbia River Salmon Runs Once the Largest in the World Tribal Salmon fishing

5. Toxics Are A Contemporary Issue Mother Goose and Grimm – Feb. 14, 2006

6. Pollution Prevention is the Key to Reducing Toxics

7. Background • 1989: Lower Columbia Bi-State work. • 1994: CRITFC fish consumption survey. • 2002: CRITFC fish contaminant study. • 2005: Formation of Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Workgroup. • 2006: EPA designated Columbia River Large Aquatic Ecosystem (Great Lakes, Chesapeake), but no funding. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

8. Working Group • Workgroup established in 2005. • Multiple partners from around Basin; meets 3-4 times per year. • Increase collaboration/coordination across Basin; share information; and leverage limited resources. • First action: State of the River Report. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

10. State of the River Report • Working group identified need to “tell story” about toxics. • Purpose of Report • Inform people, communities, and decision-makers about toxics problems and solutions • Serve as catalyst for stakeholder involvement and actions • Garner resources for toxics reduction and assessment efforts. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

11. State of the River Report • Focused on mercury, PCBs, DDTs, and PBDEs (recognize many other contaminants). • Identified indicator species to track over time • Juvenile Salmon • Resident Fish • Sturgeon • Predatory birds – osprey and bald eagle • Aquatic mammals – mink and river otter • Sediment-dwelling shellfish – Asian Clam • Included several broad initiatives. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

13. 2010 Action Plan • Follow-up from State of River Report. • Five Initiatives (61 Proposed Actions) • #1: Increase understanding and political commitment • #2: Increase toxic reduction actions • #3: Increase monitoring to identify sources • #4:Develop research program • #5: Develop data management system Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

14. #1: Increase Understanding • Workshops around Basin • Agricultural – Pendleton and Wenatchee • PCBs – Portland • PBDEs - Portland • Green Chemistry – Portland • Pesticide Stewardship Program – Hood River • Continue to hold Workgroup meetings around Basin. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

18. #1: Political Commitment • August 2011: Executives from tribes, federal, state, and non-profits. • Committed to work together to reduce toxics • Formalized Columbia River Toxics Workgroup • November 2012: Second meeting of executives. • Develop and expand sustainable purchasing • Enhance existing programs (Pesticide Stewardship Partnership) • Emphasize stormwater control • Advocate for resources and TSCA reform • Address chemicals of emerging concern Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

19. #1: Political Commitment • 2010: Columbia River Restoration Act (Blumenauer – House; Merkley – Senate) • Authorized $33 million over 6 year. • Toxics reduction, habitat, and monitoring/research • Uses 2012 Action Plan and LCREP plan as basis • Passed out of Senate sub-committee but not full Senate • 2012: Senator Merkley and Congressman Blumenauer proposed to reintroduce. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

20. #2: Toxics Reduction Actions • Federal and State clean-up activities (Upper Columbia, Hanford, Portland Harbor, and Bradford Island). • Oregon fish consumption rate: WA/ID evaluating. • Oregon DEQ toxics reduction strategy: WA toxics reduction road map. • Removing toxics from communities (WA/OR banned PBDEs; WA reduce use of copper in brake pads; WA/OR/ID successful pesticide take-back programs; 50 local communities for pharmaceutical take-back programs; Hgreduction strategies) Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

21. #3: Monitoring • No coordinated monitoring program. • Monitoring related to clean-up sites. • WA Ecology conducts monitoring for toxics. • Oregon DEQ toxic reduction strategy; monitoring program. • Workgroup assisted LCREP to update toxics monitoring plan and developed monitoring prioritization tool for Basin. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

22. #4: Research • USGS: Initiated workgroup to develop research plan for chemicals of emerging concern. • USGS: Characterize occurrence and identify sources/pathways. • NOAA and USGS: Characterize impacts. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group

23. Challenges • No coordinated monitoring program to assess status/trends, identify sources, and measure effectiveness of actions. • Non-point sources challenging to control. • Chemicals of emerging concern. • Lack of funding. Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group