Gov Kotek Allows Port of Morrow to Bypass Water Pollution Permit Violations

Boardman: The Port of Morrow is surrounded by industrial parks and produces a lot of nitrogen-rich water. This water is sent to local farms, but over time, it has led to groundwater contamination.

Oregon’s second-largest port has been given another break from its water pollution permit violations. Governor Tina Kotek announced this on Monday.

She issued an executive order allowing the port to avoid state penalties for six weeks, from January 15 to February 28. This is due to their ongoing issues with wastewater permits and nitrogen contamination.

The aquifer that supplies drinking water to thousands in Morrow and Umatilla counties is already contaminated. Many residents can’t drink tap water safely because of high nitrate levels, which can lead to serious health issues.

Port officials say heavy rains have caused their wastewater storage to overflow. They argue they either need to spread the excess water on fields beyond allowed limits or pause operations, risking layoffs.

The port generates over $2.5 billion annually and employs around 6,000 people in the region. Kotek mentioned that halting operations, even briefly, could harm the local economy and some businesses might not recover.

Recent rainfall has been significantly above average, which has added to the port’s challenges. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is working with the port to manage the excess wastewater carefully.

The Port of Morrow has a long history of violating its wastewater permit, with thousands of violations over the years. It processes up to 3.5 billion gallons of wastewater each year.

Under its current permit, the port agreed to reduce its winter wastewater by limiting water use from some companies. They are also building a new storage lagoon and seeking funding to improve wastewater treatment.

Kotek assured that this would be the last winter for land application of wastewater due to the ongoing upgrades at the port.