The Columbia River Gorge is bombarded by haze all year long. Regional pollution flows in from the west in the summer and from the east in the winter.
credit:
Bonnie Stewart
In July, DHM Research conducted a poll of 1,200 residents in Idaho, Oregon and Washington about their environmental concerns. Water quality was the top concern for residents across the three states. EarthFix commissioned the survey to get a pulse of how Northwest residents are feeling about a variety of environmental issues.
DHM Research’s John Horvick was surprised to find that most of those surveyed thought water quality had not improved since the Clean Water Act was enacted 40 years ago.
Horvick says, “Because people do value their water so highly, I would have guessed that they would have said things had improved more over time.”
How do you feel about the quality of air and water in the Northwest?
EarthFix has begun an ongoing series of in-depth stories called Clean Water: The Next Act. Other relevant reporting covers proposed coal export terminals in Oregon and Washington and challenges with oil spills in Northwest waters.
Share your experiences as part of EarthFix's Public Insight Network.
Oregon/Washington: Is there buzz in your community about coal trains or new export terminals?
Join our Public Insight Network!
EarthFix is a public media project of Oregon Public Broadcasting and Boise State Public Radio, Idaho Public Television, KCTS 9 Seattle, KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio, Northwest Public Radio and Television, Southern Oregon Public Television and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
