What is happening with respect to water quality credit trading in Oregon?
In October 2001, DEQ received a 4 year grant from the EPA to identify a model trade in Oregon, and to use the results of the trade to promote trading in Oregon. To date, DEQ has identified a trade involving Clean Water Services (CWS), a sewerage and stormwater special service district located in Washington County. The basin in which this trade is located is the Tualatin, a sub-basin of the Willamette basin, Oregon’s largest and home to 70% of all Oregonians. DEQ has issued a permit to CWS that incorporates trading. The permit includes trades for oxygen-demanding substances (ammonia and BOD) and temperature. The permit may be viewed at http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/wqpermit/cwspermit.htm The final case study report for the CWS trade may be accessed at: http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/trading/docs/wqtradingcasestudy.pdf Recently a coalition of conservation, city, county, business, farm and scientific leaders called the Willamette Partnership formed to increase the pace, scope and effective
