The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) fined Dorena Hydro $11,400 Sept. 26 for various Clean Water Act violations associated with reduced dissolved oxygen levels in the Row River caused by the operation of Dorena Dam Hydroelectric Project. The violations occurred in April, when the Row River is designated as an active salmon and steelhead spawning area. Starting sometime in March, one of the monitoring sensors at the project indicated a need for maintenance; however, it appears that Dorena Hydro ignored this information, leading to a malfunction and to illegally low oxygen levels in the river. Dorena Hydro also failed to properly notify DEQ of the malfunction and failed to take the project offline as required in the event of such violations. It appears that Dorena Hydro is owned by ACD Hydro, a Delaware corporation that is not registered with Oregon’s Corporation Division.
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