Good visibility is essential to the enjoyment
of national parks and scenic areas in Oregon and across our country. The term
regional haze refers to air pollution that is transported long distances and
reduces the visibility in these areas. Oregon DEQ partners with adjacent states, EPA, and federal
land managers to coordinate regional haze programs to improve visibility.
DEQ
regulates sources of pollution to reduce regional haze in 12 designated
national park and wilderness areas in Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge
National Scenic Area. As
part of the Regional Haze Program, DEQ identified 29 Oregon facilities
that are major sources of regional haze forming pollutants to assess
opportunities for potential emissions controls. Facility efforts will be part
of a regional haze plan that will be available for public comment in 2021.
DEQ has created fact sheets for the public
and facilities to understand and engage in regional haze efforts.
Regional haze
is improving. Visibility has improved significantly in nearly all areas of the
U.S. from 2000 to 2017. DEQ will continue to work with stakeholders to reach our
national 2064 goals of reaching and maintaining natural level visibility
conditions.