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“Residents in Morrow County demand urgent aid from state for contaminated water”
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PRESS RELEASE: Morrow Community Meeting for Safe Water
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 14, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
Morrow Community Meeting for Safe Water
County Commissioner and public health offer an update on the County’s response and with community members request state support
Boardman, Oregon --
Following the June 2022 Morrow County-declared Water Emergency, Oregon Rural Action and community members will host a Safe Rural Water Community meeting on Thursday, September 15th from 6:00 - 7:00 pm at Sam Boardman Elementary School located at 301 Wilson Lane in Boardman. Doors open at 5:30 pm.
County Commissioner Jim Doherty and the county’s public health department will provide updated information on the county’s response to access safe water and filtration systems for people whose wells have tested high for nitrates. Debbie Radie of the Boardman Business Coalition will speak to their efforts and an overall commitment to ensuring safe drinking water for area residents. U.S. Senator Merkley will offer a message on the federal response and staff will represent U.S. Senator Wyden at the event.
Most state legislative representatives were unavailable as were state agency officials from the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality with regulatory authority to protect Oregon’s groundwater and ensure safe drinking water.
Community members will offer testimonies, and with Morrow County, request the state’s support to develop a coordinated response, in compliance with recent Environmental Protection Agency’s criteria to address the immediate public health risks in the Lower Umatilla Basin, that identifies each resident with a drinking water well and offers alternative drinking water at no cost to residents whose drinking water sample exceeds the federal maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L.
Oregon Rural Action (ORA) is a culturally diverse community-led grassroots organization in Eastern Oregon working to promote social justice, agricultural and economic sustainability, and the stewardship of the region’s land, air, and water. Through community organizing, public conversations, and policy advocacy, ORA is building a rural movement for the well-being of all people and our environment.
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PRESS RELEASE: Rural Boardman Community Meets for Safe Water
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 17, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
Rural Boardman Community Meets for Safe Water
County Commissioner Doherty to listen to community needs and deliver first emergency water
Boardman, Oregon -- Today, community members in rural Boardman will meet with Morrow County Commissioner Jim Doherty at 6 pm in the West Glen neighborhood where most of the 60 wells tested were found to be above the maximum contamination levels for nitrates, dozens up to 5 times the level.
“Thanks to Oregon Rural Action and rural Boardman residents for organizing this meeting. It will be an honor to meet with families, hear their concerns and deliver the first emergency water to the community,” said Commissioner Jim Doherty. “Working with federal and state agencies, assistance will be ongoing until we can ensure safe drinking water for all county residents.”
Preparing for Friday’s meeting, community members continued to express both shock and concern over the results of testing that found high levels of nitrates. While many said they do not drink the water, almost all thought the water was safe if boiled and regularly used the water in cooking. Others thought their water was safe because of the filtration system they had purchased.
While going door to door to invite people to the meeting with the Commissioner, an older gentleman said with tears in his eyes, “I hope I live to see the day that this problem is fixed! There is hope!”
Oregon Rural Action (ORA) is a culturally diverse community-led grassroots organization in Eastern Oregon working to promote social justice, agricultural and economic sustainability, and the stewardship of the region’s land, air, and water. Through community organizing, public conversations, and policy advocacy, ORA is building a rural movement for the well-being of all people and our environment.
“Troubled by inaction, Morrow County commissioner makes safe water a top issue”
By Alex Baumhardt | Oregon Capital Chronicle | June 17, 2022