Northwest Environmental Defense Center

Continued our work developing and prosecuting clean water act enforcement actions. Nedc's clean water act enforcement work in 2022 included continuing to monitor Oregon industrial facilities; engaging with state agencies in the revision of numerous Environmental permitting and authorization decisions, including permits for dredge and fill operations in Oregon waters and industrial stormwater discharges; and challenging water quality permitting decisions that fail to sufficiently protect Oregon's waters. Nedc's clean air work in 2022 included monitoring facilities called in to the cleaner air Oregon program; partnership in the breathe Oregon collaborative to reduce the risk of harm to public health and the environment posed by diesel emissions; and participation in a statewide rules advisory committee for new regulations strengthening Oregon's air permitting program. This work benefits anyone using affected waterways and breathing air in the portland metropolitan area and throughout the pacific Northwest, including nedc members and the general public.

Education & diversity programs: continued to provide students and concerned citizens with educational workshops relating to laws that can be used to protect the region's environment. Activities included giving law students hands-on experience working on Environmental issues, publishing an annual newsletter & maintaining an educational website. Nedc also advanced its diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives through equity-focused workshops; strategic plan revisions to infuse equity into our values, guiding principles and goals; and partnering with other organizations to address Environmental justice issues in the portland area. This work benefits the general public, local activists and law students in the Northwest.

Endangered species: working with partner organizations, nedc sought to improve conditions for endangered salmon and steelhead in the willamette river basin. This work included litigation against the us army corps of engineers, to compel the corps to operate several willamette basin dams in accordance with endangered species act obligations related to salmon and steelhead. Nedc also engaged in advocacy to protect threatened bull trout in Oregon's hood river basin from impacts related to dam management in the basin; and worked to protect bull trout in several national forests from harmful livestock grazing. This work benefits the general public, local activists, and nedc members.