Oregon lawmakers have approved a bill that would allow the state’s Department of Environmental Quality to consider an applicant’s history when deciding whether to issue a permit.
Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, said the goal is to give the agency more tools to help crack down on chronic polluters. “In our current system, major polluters and emitters can easily pay off fines for non-compliance, yet community members struggle to afford the impacts,” he said.
Under House Bill 3372, applicants would have to demonstrate their compliance with environmental laws over the past ten years. The measure easily passed both the House and the Senate and is now on its way to the governor’s desk.