Medford, Ore. — Oregon ranks 33rd worst in the nation when it comes to pollution in waterways, that’s according to a brand new report from the group Environment Oregon.
The report says more than a million pounds of toxic chemicals were dumped into Oregon’s waterways in 2012, putting the state at number 33 out 50.
“It could be worse. There obviously are a number of states ahead of us,” began Forrest English, the Program Director for the Rogue Riverkeeper program.
“In the Rogue basin in particular, we’re fortunate that we don’t have a huge number of industrial polluters. The bulk of those are up on the Columbia and the Willamette,” continued English.
According to the report, Oregon also ranks 17th in the nation for the release of cancer-causing chemicals into waterways.
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