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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Calendar: Saturday, Oct. 25 Helman students illustrate kindness, love Newly renovated Ashland Hills hosts open house SOU's 'Count Me In' campaign raises $210,000 Aquatics backer announces write-in candidacy for Parks & Rec board Education Helman students illustrate kindness, love SOU's 'Count Me In' campaign raises $210,000 Fun, fundraising and art at Helman Elementary School Ashland mourns death of former coach Stan Gida Goal not reached, but don't count out 'Count Me In' yet Environment Rite Aid cub well, could come back to southern Oregon Report: Smaller streams need further protection Bear cub wanders into Rite Aid Kalmiopsis' future at stake if mining goes forward Fires and forests evolved together, but now people are in the mix Business Newly renovated Ashland Hills hosts open house Hot Stuff Espresso Blue Toba erupts onto dining scene Interim president leads in a different direction Silvio Calabi: Acura’s 2015 TLX is two cars in one Politics and elections Aquatics backer announces write-in candidacy for Parks & Rec board Richardson accuses Kitzhaber of 'corruption' in final debate Stricker steps down from Talent council Merkley-Wehby to debate in Medford Ashland land use rule review continues State News Nation - World Obituaries Ronald J. 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ENVIRONMENT OREGON Report: Smaller streams need further protection Federal comment period on proposed new rules ends Nov. 14 By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 22, 2014 @ 8:32 pm By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 22, 2014 @ 8:32 pm » RELATED CONTENT • Sediment excavated from watershed ponds • Officials warn of high bacteria levels in creeks • U.S. Supreme Court sides with timber industry in runoff d... • Miner fined, ordered to stop placer mining and restore creek » Social News The Clean Water Act , passed 42 years ago this week, has protected many waterways from pollution, but needs to be strengthened and applied to over 61,000 miles of streams in Oregon that were made vulnerable by a Supreme Court ruling a decade ago. That’s the gist of a report, “Waterways Restored,” published by Environment Oregon , an offshoot of Oregon Public Interest Group and presented in Lithia Park on Tuesday. “While the Willamette River is guaranteed protection under the Clean Water Act, more than 61,000 miles of Oregon streams are not, thanks to a loophole in the law secured by agri-business, developers and polluters and affecting many rivers, including the Rogue,” said Emma Barry, chapter chairwoman of OSPIRG at Southern Oregon University. The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new rules to roll back the court decision that lifted EPA protection for many smaller streams, said Barry. She encouraged comments to the EPA on the rule change during the comment period that ends Nov. 14. State Sen. Alan Bates, D-Medford, agreed with the assessment, noting the state legislature has been preoccupied with turbidity and mercury pollution from suction dredge mining on Oregon streams, as well as point pollution, but with those issues largely handled, the state needs to turn its attention more to issues raised in the Environment Oregon report.  “You’ve got to do the right thing with new EPA regulations that protect Oregon tributary streams. We’re going to have to look at that,” said Bates, meaning the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and the Department of Environmental Quality. “It’s vital to runs of steelhead, trout, salmon and cutthroat,” said Bates, an avid fly-fisherman, who says he’s fished every stream in Oregon. The state, however, must operate within federal laws and rules of the EPA or lawsuits result, he said. “We need to get clarity,” he said, adding that tangled issues of “navigability” vary among states and come under the authority of the Clean Water Act. Barry lauded the Act’s powers in cleaning up the Willamette River, enabling lawsuits against the city of Portland and reducing sewage dumped in the river by 99 percent. It is now swimmable. However, she adds, unprotected feeder streams are the ones that continue to funnel pollution into the Columbia, Willamette, Deschutes and Rogue Rivers. “In March, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a rule to restore protections for the headwaters, streams and wetlands left in limbo by the loophole (from the Supreme Court case). But,” she said, “oil companies, agri-business and developers are campaigning bitterly against it and last month, the U.S. House voted to block the rule.” Barry said she was “disappointed” that Oregon Rep. Greg Walden and Kurt Schrader voted to “block this protection.” “The truth is there is tremendous support for the EPA proposal, coming from environmental groups, farmers, small business and ordinary citizens. Environment Oregon this week will deliver 26,000 signatures of citizens to back the rule,” she added. The report notes that threats to waterways come from runoff pollution from development and direct dumping from industry and sewage treatment plants. It urged state and federal action to enforce permits for eventual zero pollution. It also asked numeric pollution caps for factory farms. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Email him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 22, 2014 @ 8:32 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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