The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have disapproved the state of Oregon’s coastal nonpoint pollution control program because it does not sufficiently protect salmon streams and landslide-prone areas from logging impacts or reduce runoff from forest roads built before 1971.
All coastal states that participate in the National Coastal Zone Management Program are required to develop a Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program that describes how they will prevent and control polluted runoff in coastal waters.
Both federal agencies hope the decision will help propel the state to address remaining gaps in its coastal nonpoint program related to forestry, fisheries and habitat. Nonpoint source pollution refers to pollution from diffuse sources including natural runoff that picks up and carries pollution into rivers, wetlands and coastal waters.
“We see the state and the forest products industry as critical partners in protecting habitat and water quality for salmon and trout and for the people and communities that rely on them,” said Will Stelle, administrator of NOAA Fisheries’ west coast region. “We’ve seen significant improvements in Oregon’s Endangered Species Act-listed coho populations over the last decade, and addressing these forestry issues will be key to continuing that progress.”
NOAA and EPA originally proposed to disapprove Oregon’s program in December 2013, noting the agencies’ willingness to help Oregon reduce polluted runoff primarily from timber harvesting. The runoff has been shown to harm coastal water quality and habitat for endangered coastal salmon and trout. Silt-choked runoff from poorly managed logging sites not only destroys habitat, but can kill salmon and trout fry and render headwater streams unusable for future spawning.
From the U.S. EPA: https://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/13f38edeb91fb3f485257de100090cfc?OpenDocument