Oregon DEQ sent Georgia-Pacific Chemicals a warning letter Feb. 19 for exceeding the limit for total phenols in its Clean Water Act discharge permit by 200 percent at its Eugene facility on Hwy. 99 during November. Georgia-Pacific blamed the high level on laboratory error, but DEQ could not find supporting evidence for this claim. According to DEQ, phenol is toxic to many aquatic organisms, and DEQ has referred this violation to its Office of Compliance and Enforcement for formal enforcement.
On Feb. 28, DEQ sent warning letters to Jimmy & Deborah McCabe (property owners) and Gary Rose (president of Leisure Excavating, Inc.) for illegal disposal of solid waste at 85287 Hemlock St., Florence. DEQ’s investigation revealed “tremendous quantities” of land-clearing debris, construction and demolition debris, household waste, furnishings and appliances. DEQ’s letters note “the presence of such enormous quantities of organic waste at the edge of a ponded area that drains to a perennial stream can have significant impacts on water quality.” The drainage in which the property is located feeds a tributary to Woahink Lake, which is a rearing area for threatened coho salmon and other native fish, as well as public drinking water source for local residents and Honeyman State Park.
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519