Columbia River Basin State of the River Report for Toxics - Next Steps
Download the State of the River Report for Toxics
Basin-wide reductions in toxics will depend on a commitment to join forces to make the best use of available resources. This approach will require strong communication and collaboration among agencies, organizations, and the public. To ensure a more coordinated strategy, EPA and the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group (Working Group) developed six Toxics Reduction Initiatives, which are a broad overview of the major actions needed to further reduce toxics in the Basin. This year, EPA and the Working Group will develop a detailed inter-agency toxics reduction plan for the Basin. Citizens, watershed councils, community groups, other entities and governments around the Basin will have opportunities to learn about and provide comment on the toxics reduction plan later this year.
Initiative #1: Expand toxics reduction activities
Federal, state, and local agencies can use regulatory mechanisms to reduce toxics, such as water quality standards, water quality improvement plans also known as total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, contaminated site cleanup, and programs to control pesticide usage. These programs need to be expanded. It is also important to promote the work that states and tribes are doing to reduce toxics using a variety of voluntary and nonregulatory activities.
Initiative #2: Identify, inventory, and characterize the sources of toxics in the Columbia River Basin
There are ongoing efforts to identify and characterize sources of toxics in the Basin, including the Upper Columbia River, Hanford, and Portland Harbor investigations. However, additional information is needed to better identify, inventory, and characterize the sources of these toxics. This information will be used to prioritize reduction efforts and develop long-term monitoring and research plans.
Initiative #3: Develop a regional, multi-agency long-term monitoring program
There is no comprehensive, integrated monitoring plan for the Columbia River and its tributaries. The Working Group needs to develop this plan to provide information on the locations, concentrations, and trends of toxics in the Basin, fill in data gaps, and evaluate the effect of toxics on the ecosystem. With this information, the Working Group will be able to target limited resources and prioritize monitoring to obtain data from areas that have not been monitored yet (such as the mid-Columbia River and the Snake River).
Initiative #4: Develop a regional, multi-agency research program
Research is being conducted by different agencies on toxics in the Basin, but there is no coordinated effort to identify the highest priorities for research. A collaborative plan will help the Working Group further understand the Basin’s contaminant problems and their relation to the food web, which will allow the Working Group to efficiently leverage resources among agencies. It will also enable us to focus on issues specific to the Columbia River Basin to be addressed by scientists within the region.
Initiative #5: Develop a data management system that will allow us to share information on toxics in the Basin
The ability to access information is critical to effectively evaluating toxics information. It is also necessary when prioritizing which reduction activities will provide the most benefits. Currently, no single database contains all of the data from monitoring efforts within the Basin. In addition, some of the data are not publicly accessible or are often available only in hard copy records. Some records are of unknown quality, and most are in differing formats.
Initiative #6: Increase public education about the toxics problems and resource needs
Public support and concern related to toxics and their impact on human health and the environment are growing. Furthermore, there is a base of support in the Basin among citizens, watershed groups, and other stakeholders associated with local, state, tribal, and federal governments. It is important to educate the public further about the Columbia River Basin toxics problem, current efforts, and the need for increased action and resources to reduce toxics. The Working Group intends to work closely with its partners and with Basin stakeholders to coordinate and increase outreach to the public.