wastewater

On Thursday, southwest Washington Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, along with California Republican Young Kim, introduced the bipartisan Research for Healthy Soils Act to research the impact of microplastics and harmful PFAS chemicals on biosolids.   ...

On Monday, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency for Morrow and Umatilla counties, due to the economic risks posed by ongoing wastewater issues.  High levels of precipitation and a lack of adequate lagoon storage capacity left the Port of Morrow without space to accept more wastewater from food processing and other industrial facilities.  Kotek s...

The Senate’s $1.7 trillion spending bill to finish this fiscal year boosts agricultural research, rural development, and nutrition, but doesn’t include long-fought cattle market reforms.  The more than 4,000-page bill leaves out controversial legislation sought by Senator Chuck Grassley to force some cattle price negotiating by major packers, known as the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Ac

The USDA is out with a series of USDA rural development funding mechanisms are targeting improved market opportunities for rural economies.   “We are highlighting 242 investments totaling $981 million that will create economic opportunities for people and businesses and diverse communities and industries throughout 47 states Guam and the US Virgin Islands," noted rural business cooperative se

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined the Lamb Weston potato processing facility in Hermiston $127,800 for overapplying wastewater containing nitrogen to farmland and causing nitrate groundwater contamination in the Lower Umatilla Basin...

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has revised the penalty against the Port of Morrow for additional violations involving overapplication of wastewater containing nitrogen to agricultural fields in the Lower Umatilla Basin, an area with longstanding groundwater contamination...

Earlier this week, the USDA announced an $891 million investment in rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in 43 states, including Washington and Idaho. Funding 220 projects, the investment will help improve rural water infrastructure for 787,000 residents ...

On Tuesday, the USDA announced the City of Ritzville and the Greater Bar Water District received federal monies to address water issues.  The federal loans and grants come through the USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal program.  The aim of the program is to improve water systems and waste water handling services in rural communities by ensuring reliable infrastructure.   Ritzvi...

Washington wineries and the Department of Ecology have collaborated to develop the first statewide water quality permit.  And Ecology said this new permit will help the industry prevent pollution and protect water quality.  Ecology says the New Winery General Permit adopted last week established practices that will help wineries manage their waste water.  They sa...

On Thursday, Dairy Farmers of Washington and Darigold announced that Washington dairy farmer, Austin Allred, was awarded the 2018 Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.  The 28-year-old Allred, was recognized for his commitment to dairy farm sustainability with a primary goal of transforming Royal Dairy into a zero-waste business.  ...