For immediate release
State Circuit Court Supports Clean Water Services’ Stormwater Program
DISMISSES ALL CLAIMS
Hillsboro, OR — April 19, 2007 —
The Oregon Circuit Court affirmed today that Clean Water Services and other stormwater management utilities in the Portland metropolitan area are properly implementing programs to protect and restore water quality in the region.
Oregon Circuit Court Judge Christopher Marshall ruled in favor of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Clean Water Services, and three other stormwater permittees today in granting a request for Summary Judgment. After reviewing hundreds of pages of written motions and listening to nearly three hours of testimony, Judge Marshall ruled immediately from the bench dismissing the claims brought by the Tualatin Riverkeepers, Willamette Riverkeepers and Columbia Riverkeeper. The ruling affirms the permits were properly issued and protective of water quality.
“We’re looking forward to refocusing our energy and resources on restoring watershed health and are hopeful, with the resolution of this issue, we can engage in fruitful discussions on how we can move forward collectively,” said Bill Gaffi, Clean Water Services’ General Manager.
Clean Water Services has spent more than 35 years working with its 12 member cities to pursue a cohesive, comprehensive strategy to advance the health of the Tualatin River Watershed. In the past 15 years, Clean Water Services has made remarkable progress in protecting and improving water quality in the Tualatin River and its tributaries. District ratepayers have invested more than $400 million in advanced wastewater treatment plants and the creation of a comprehensive surface water management utility to protect and improve the Tualatin River and its tributaries. Clean Water Services has taken the initiative to implement innovative programs, beyond those mandated by regulations, to improve the health of the watershed.
The Tualatin Basin’s successful track record of implementing complex water quality regulations through partnerships and collaboration is recognized as one of the most successful water quality case-studies in the nation. According to nearly 15 years of scientific investigation by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Clean Water Services, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the investment has paid real dividends for water quality, fish and our ratepayers--the Tualatin River is healthier than it has been in generations and has become a recreational asset to our entire community.
Judge Marshall’s ruling was the third time in the past decade that a State or Federal Court has ruled in support of Clean Water Services’ comprehensive approach to watershed protection and restoration. Previous lawsuits brought by Tualatin Riverkeepers in 1996 and 2000 were also dismissed.
Clean Water Services is a water resource management utility for more than 500,000 people in urban Washington County and small portions of Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Lake Oswego, and Portland. Clean Water Services operates four wastewater treatment facilities, constructs and maintains flood management and water quality projects, and manages flow in the Tualatin River to improve water quality and protect fish habitat. Although Clean Water Services maintains a close working relationship with Washington County government, it is a separately managed and financed public utility.
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