The Cleaner Air Oregon rule-making process was launched by Governor Kate Brown in April 2016, after communities around the state raised concerns about their exposure to potentially harmful heavy metals, chemicals and other pollutants from factories and other industrial sources.
The proposed Cleaner Air Oregon rules would close gaps in the state's existing air quality rules that can create health risks for families and communities. Oregon's current rules are based on federal law. These rules can allow industrial facilities to release potentially harmful amounts of air toxics, but still operate within legal requirements. Washington, California and 22 other states have closed these gaps by adopting health risk limits on industrial pollutants. The proposed Cleaner Air Oregon rules build on the lessons learned from other states.
The following fact sheets provide an overview on the Cleaner Air Oregon program.