Reused wastewater is at the center of residents’ latest complaint against industry giants.
Port of Morrow’s East Beach Facility in Boardman, Oregon, on April 15, 2022.
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Monica Samayoa / OPB
The legal team behind a lawsuit against some of Eastern Oregon’s biggest agricultural businesses is headed back to court with a new case over drinking water pollution.
On Friday, the attorneys filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of four Lower Umatilla Basin residents.
The complaint accuses Portland General Electric and Columbia River Processing, a Morrow County subsidiary of Tillamook Creamery, of polluting the basin’s groundwater by sending nitrate-rich wastewater to the Port of Morrow.
The port delivers the wastewater to farms that reuse it to fertilize fields.
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The Dec. 5 complaint comes on the heels of a 2024 lawsuit accusing the port, as well as several farms and food processors, of polluting the basin’s groundwater.
“We believe Portland General Electric and Tillamook need to do right by their Oregon communities and cease all practices contributing to this contamination,” according to a statement from Steve Berman, a lead attorney for the residents.
A representative from PGE declined to comment. Tillamook Creamery did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Nitrates are chemicals often found in fertilizers and wastewater. Consuming large quantities of nitrates can lead to illnesses like cancer and kidney disease. Babies and pregnant parents are especially vulnerable.
The state has known about Eastern Oregon’s problem with nitrate pollution for more than 35 years.
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Oregon declared parts of western Umatilla County and northern Morrow County, the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area in 1990, but nitrate levels have only risen since then.
Studies have shown that the largest contributor to nitrate pollution is irrigated agriculture, which often uses fertilizer and wastewater to maximize crop yields. Excess nitrates then seep through the soil and groundwater. Food processors and livestock farms are also contributors.
The lawsuit argues that PGE’s Coyote Springs power plant and Columbia River Processing were significant polluters.
The lawsuit states that all four of the plaintiffs were harmed because they lived near farms that used PGE and Tillamook’s wastewater to fertilize crops.
Private wells, which many basin residents who live outside cities rely on for water, are especially at risk for nitrate pollution because they’re not subject to the same water quality standards as municipal systems.
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Two of the plaintiffs, Michael Pearson, who is also a part of the lawsuit filed last year, and Jeffrey Fleming, are on private wells.
But the other two plaintiffs, Rosa Cavasos of Boardman and Jon Haley of Irrigon, rely on their cities for their drinking water.
The lawsuit states that both started buying bottled water after learning about local nitrate pollution. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has labeled both Boardman and Irrigon’s water systems as having “substantial nitrate risk” because of elevated levels found in the cities’ supplies.
Should a jury ultimately side with basin residents, it could require action from PGE and Tillamook, in addition to financial compensation.
The lawsuit is also seeking to certify well water owners and municipal water customers as classes that could later join the other plaintiffs, a move that could potentially add thousands more people to the lawsuit.
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Although efforts are already underway to connect basin residents with clean water, the complaint asks the court to make the companies cover the costs of connecting residents to municipal water systems or digging deeper wells.
The companies would also be required to create a medical monitoring program for residents on private wells.
The basin residents filed their complaint as the 2024 lawsuit continues to wind its way through the court system.
The businesses in that case tried to get the complaint dismissed by arguing that federal courts don’t have jurisdiction over nitrate regulation. They claimed that authority belongs with state agencies like DEQ and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.
In March, a federal judge in Pendleton allowed the lawsuit to proceed and referred it to a federal court in Portland.
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The Oregon Department of Forestry is asking Oregonians to be careful when disposing of yard debris this spring.
READ MORE | High pressure brings 48-hour warmup to western Oregon as temps near 90 Tuesday
“There have already been 23 escaped debris burns for a total of 83 acres reported on ODF-protected land in 2026,” the agency said.
The agency said that at this time last year, it had responded to 37 escaped burns.
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“More than 70% of wildfires every year in Oregon are human-caused, with escaped debris burns topping the list,” ODF said. “With record-low snowpack and an abnormally warm winter, forecasters are anticipating a hotter and drier summer than usual.”
The Central Oregon District of ODF has already declared the start of fire season.
On May 14, fire restrictions will go into effect for all Bureau of Land Management lands in Oregon and Washington.
“We are increasingly concerned that 2026 could rival the most extreme years on record for heat and dryness in the Pacific Northwest,” said Jeff Fedrizzi, assistant chief of operations for the Pacific Northwest, U.S. Wildland Fire Service. “Every visitor must understand that even one small spark can lead to a costly and destructive fire in these high-impact conditions.”
Officials say the restrictions will help reduce the risk of human-caused fires. BLM officials say anyone who violates the prohibition could be fined up to $100,000 and/or face up to 12 months in prison.
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More information on fire season is available on the ODF website.
The Bureau of Land Management website has additional information on fire restrictions and closures.
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 10 drawing
1PM: 8-2-8-4
4PM: 5-1-2-6
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7PM: 1-5-9-6
10PM: 8-6-5-1
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon DMV issued a warning for drivers, saying scammers are still sending out fake text messages trying to steal money from people.
State DMV officials say it is part of a nationwide scam that’s been happening for nearly two years.
The fake text messages often come from international phone numbers or non-government email addresses.
In the messages, the scammers threaten to suspend car registration or driving privileges if a person doesn’t pay.
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If you get this message, the DMV asks that you don’t click on any links or respond. Simply report it to the Federal Trade Commission or delete it.
