Federal agencies cut Oregon CZARA Grant
Two federal agencies have cut Oregon CZARA grant funding by $1.2 million because the state has failed to protect water quality from logging activities in coastal watersheds. The funding cuts are required by federal law, which is intended to induce states to control water pollution to protect fish, wildlife, and public health.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have said for 18 years that Oregon’s logging practices create dangerous levels of water pollution and harm fish. On January 30, 2015 the agencies disapproved Oregon’s coastal nonpoint pollution control program and, pursuant to a court order in settlement of a lawsuit brought by the Portland, OR-based Northwest Environmental Advocates, were required to withhold the grant funds.
Instead, in the summer of 2015, the federal agencies provided full grant funding to Oregon so long as the state demonstrated that it had made progress in addressing the problem.
The federal agency letter, dated March 9, 2016, informs Oregon that it has failed to meet the conditions and has lost the funds. The total loss for fiscal year 2015 from both agencies combined is $1,230,300. The cuts in EPA grants will become deeper in each future year.