Editorial: Reducing toxics in Oregon waters aids Northwest tribes

Friday, January 14, 2011  

"Oregon, a place renowned for its waters, is about to sharply toughen its rules on how much mercury, dioxins, PCBs, pesticides, flame retardants and other harmful substances it allows in rivers, streams and lakes.

While the upgrade in state standards by the Department of Environmental Quality could be viewed as an environment-protection action, it is first a move to safeguard human health.

Now DEQ, under pressure from the EPA and a directive by Oregon's Environmental Quality Commission, pushes to cut toxics by upping Oregon's fish consumption rate to 10 times the national rate, or 175 grams a day per person.

That's 23 fish or shellfish meals a month for every Oregonian.

Before you drop your burger to contest that number, know that it speaks not for most but for those who depend most on fish from our waterways. Northwest tribes, comprising the Umatilla, Warm Springs, Nez Perce and Yakama, collectively estimate their average daily fish consumption to be 175 grams per person -- precisely the amount DEQ cites. The Umatilla alone has pegged its fish consumption at more than 300 grams per person per day."

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Editorial: Reducing river toxics without pain or job loss (The Oregonian 1/13)