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Port of Vancouver Settles Suit Over Pollution by Sarah Wolfe The Columbian, September 14, 2023

Facility says it's already taking steps to address copper concentrate

Environmental watchdog Columbia Riverkeeper and the Port of Vancouver USA came to a settlement Tuesday over alleged water pollution coming from the port.

The organization began its legal proceedings against the port in 2020, alleging a Clean Water Act violation.

The proposed settlement reached this week will undergo a 45-day review by the U.S. Department of Justice and then must be approved by a federal judge before going into effect. It includes a $25.5 million investment from one of the port's operators to help control pollution.

"This settlement is going to lead to major changes in the amount of toxic pollution flowing into the Columbia River," said Lauren Goldberg, executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper.

The pollution in question is copper concentrate, a mineral that arrives at the port in granular form. The mineral arrives in covered rail cars, is stored in a pile in an enclosed building and finally loaded into the holds of cargo ships using a conveyor belt.

Related Pages:
Vancouver Fined $60,000 for 2017 Columbia River Sewage Spills by Molly Solomon, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 1/4/19
Port must Fix Runoff at PDX by Alex Pulaski, The Oregonian, 10/17/6