Governor, EPA administrator meet with local leaders on nitrate issue

By Berit Thorson East Oregonian

BOARDMAN — Gov. Tina Kotek and Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 Administrator Casey Sixkiller met Wednesday, April 24, with local leaders and organizers to hear what challenges they face in addressing the water nitrate pollution in Morrow and Umatilla counties.

"We've been trying to be partners with you from the state to work on the issues here in the community, and there's been a lot going on," Kotek told the community-based organizations in her opening remarks. "Not saying we have solved every problem, but our state agencies have been directed to work more closely with everyone. I think we've seen some success there."

The meeting at the Boardman campus of Blue Mountain Community College came less than a week after state agency directors from the Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Agriculture and the Water Resources Department held a question-and-answer public meeting.