Rogue River Oregon Update

In May, NWEA’s expert panel issued a scathing rebuttal report to Medford’s most recent study.  NWEA’s report shows that aggressive reductions in nutrient pollution—both nitrogen and phosphorus—are needed to protect the Rogue from Medford’s discharge.  The rebuttal report shows that the permit limits recommended by Medford are inadequate and will not decrease the noxious macroalga Cladophora, a renowned responder to sewage that Medford’s discharge has made dominant in the Rogue River.

The NWEA expert rebuttal report showed that Medford’s consultant failed to use scientific methods in obtaining a wide range of data and its analysis was seriously flawed, having chosen the outcome that the city desired and then picked the data to fit.   As a result, the city is asking the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to issue a permit with less pollution reduction than is needed.  But DEQ is doing Medford one better and proposing to issue a discharge permit with no nutrient limits at all. 

So five expert reports later and the Oregon  (DEQ) is still asserting that it doesn’t know why exactly the City of Medford’s discharge of treated sewage is causing pollution problems in the Rogue River.  That’s two reports by Medford’s own consultants, one from DEQ itself, and two from experts hired by NWEA and the Rogue FlyFishers.  Our litigation continues.