Portland City Council Votes to Investigate Zenith Energy
Are you ready for some good news? On March 19, in an overwhelming 11–1 vote, the Portland City Council passed a resolution to investigate Zenith Energy! After years of community members asking elected officials to hold Zenith accountable, Portland City Councilmembers are stepping up. This is what community engagement looks like—and it works! Read more
2025 Legislative Session Update
It’s that time of year in Oregon and Washington’s capital cities when the cherry blossoms arrive and legislative bills must pass key milestones or miss their chance to advance this session. Read more
Lewis River Progress, and Concern
FERC order provides new deadlines for overdue fish passage By Miles Johnson, Legal Director Fish recovery efforts in the Lewis River took an important step forward recently, when the Federal … Read more
Beyond layoffs, we need to keep talking about Hanford cleanup
Photo Credit: Ben Herndon Riverkeeper’s Advocacy Director centers the Columbia River in Hanford conversations By Simone Anter, Senior Attorney & Hanford Program Director Have you seen the Hanford Nuclear Site … Read more
Keep Oregon Nuclear-Free
The nuclear industry is teaming up with big tech to overturn Oregon’s moratorium on nuclear power. Taking a “flood the zone” approach, nuclear proponents have now introduced thirteen bills in the 2025 Oregon legislative session, many of them nearly identical. We need your help to stop these dangerous bills and keep Oregon nuclear-free. Read more
Snake River Dams = Waste of Water
New study shows Lower Snake River dams waste vast amounts of water through evaporation. New research shows that the Lower Snake River dams waste a tremendous amount of water through … Read more
Gov. Kotek and DEQ Cave to Pressure from Betsy Johnson and Building Trades, Approve Massive Refinery along the Columbia River
On January 7th, the Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality issued a water quality certification for NEXT Energy to build a non-conventional diesel and aviation fuel refinery near Clatskanie. Certifications such as this are supposed to prevent violations of state water quality standards. Read more
Columbia Riverkeeper Welcomes New Members To Its Board Of Directors
Columbia Riverkeeper’s board of directors announced the appointment of four new members: Jessica L. Black, Elaine Harvey, Ana Molina, and Vawter “Buck” Parker. Read more
Don’t Fall for Greenwashing
In January, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will make a decision on a key permit for the NEXT proposal. Oregon Governor Kotek needs to hear from her constituents on why this issue is a step back for the region’s climate goals. Read more
2025 Goals
A new year means new challenges, but it also means new opportunities to protect the river that we all love so much. Here are the five challenges we plan to tackle. Read more
Investing in our Future
The Hanford Nuclear Site poses one of the longest lived threats to the Columbia River and all of the people, plants, and animals who depend on it. Within Columbia Riverkeeper’s Hanford work, we often talk about preparing the next generation for the nuclear legacy they are inheriting. Read more