About the Partnership

The Willamette River Toxics Reduction Partnership aims to reduce pollution that enters the Willamette River from reaches upstream of the Portland Harbor Superfund site. The 2017 Superfund Record of Decision selected dredging, capping and natural recovery to remedy Portland Harbor sediment, but also acknowledged that contaminants in local fish, even after several decades, would still be too high for people to eat as much fish as they liked. Removing and capping, high concentrations of contaminants will improve water quality in the lower river, but low level contamination will still be in the river water because there are many contaminants used in our world that end up in our waterways.

As specified in the ROD, the Willamette River Toxics Reduction Partnership was formed to help enhance the sediment cleanup remedy. The Partnership is coordinated by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and US Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with local government agencies, tribal nations, advocacy organizations, and community members.

Partnership Goals

1. Compile existing watershed contamination data and identify data gaps.
2. Describe existing efforts, and evaluate the efficacy of these programs.
3. Investigate potential upstream sources of contamination to the Portland Harbor Superfund site, considering any data gaps identified.
4. Identify new strategies to reduce contaminant loading.

We invite participation by all interested entities and residents including municipalities, federal, state and local agencies and authorities, tribal nations, advocacy organizations, interested industry groups, and the general public.