DISCUSSION DRAFT – 2/3/2010

EQC POLICY STATEMENT ON DEQ TOXICS REDUCTION STRATEGY

DIVISION 19

TOXIC CHEMICAL AND POLLUTANT REDUCTION STRATEGY

OAR 340-019-0015

Definitions

(1)  “Commission” means Environmental Quality Commission.

(2)  “Department” means Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

(3)  “Media Programs” means Department of Environmental Quality Air, Water, or Land Quality programs.

(4)  “Strategy” means the Department of Environmental Quality’s Toxic Chemical and Pollutant Reduction Strategy.

(5)  “Toxic Chemical” for the purposes of this Division means a chemical that has the inherent capability (or potential) to cause disturbances in (or poison) biochemical reactions or processes within living organisms.

(1)   “Toxic Pollutant” for the purposes of this Division means a chemical that has the inherent capability (or potential) to cause disturbances in (or poison) biochemical reactions or processes within living organism, and is determined be present in the environment at levels above established regulatory standards or guidance levels.

(2)  “Toxic Release Inventory” means the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s publicly available database that contains information on toxic chemical releases and waste management activities reported annually by certain industries as well as federal facilities.

OAR 340-019-0020

Policy, Purpose and Objectives

The department is directed to develop and implement an agency-wide Toxic Chemical and Pollutant Reduction Strategy that proposes actions for reducing the burden of toxic chemicals on humans and ecological life in Oregon. The Strategy is intended to encompass all toxic chemical and pollutant reduction programs and activities within the department, as well as making linkages to related programs implemented by other agencies. Specific objectives of the Strategy include the following:

(1)  Identify high priority toxic chemicals for reduction in Oregon.

(2)  Integrate toxics reduction actions across department programs and programs administered by other agencies to the extent practicable.

(3)  Reduce toxic pollution at the source through pollution prevention actions whenever feasible.

(4)  Implement actions that reduce multiple toxic chemicals and other pollutants whenever feasible.

(5)  Establish measurable goals for reduction actions.

OAR 340-19-0025

Strategy Directives

In the development and implementation of the Strategy, the department is directed to undertake the following specific minimum actions:

(1)  Evaluate Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data in the development of permits and other regulatory actions across the media programs within the department.

(2)  Identify and propose cross-program and cross-agency actions that facilitate the achievement of standards or goals established within individual department toxics programs, including the human health toxics water quality criteria adopted under OAR 340-041-0033.

(3)  Determine whether permit or other rule modifications are necessary to facilitate the implementation of regulatory actions in other media programs within the department.

(4)  Evaluate current department programs, and other related state agency programs, to identify needs for further reductions of toxic chemicals, products or pollutants through additional or modified reduction actions, and identify monitoring and data needs.

(5)   Consider regulatory, enforcement, collaborative, market-based, and research approaches when identifying chemical and pollutant reduction opportunities.

(6)  Report to the Commission on annually, or more frequently if deemed appropriate, on progress made in implementing the Strategy and achieving objectives outlined in the Strategy.

(7)  Assess the Strategy every two years and present proposed revisions to the commission for adoption.