Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 468B.015 (2026)

Policy

✓ current as of May 2026
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      468B.015 Policy. Whereas pollution of the waters of the state constitutes a menace to public health and welfare, creates public nuisances, is harmful to wildlife, fish and aquatic life and impairs domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational and other legitimate beneficial uses of water, and whereas the problem of water pollution in this state is closely related to the problem of water pollution in adjoining states, it is hereby declared to be the public policy of the state:

      (1) To conserve the waters of the state through innovative approaches, including but not limited to the appropriate reuse of water and wastes;

      (2) To protect, maintain and improve the quality of the waters of the state for public water supplies, for the propagation of wildlife, fish and aquatic life and for domestic, agricultural, industrial, municipal, recreational and other legitimate beneficial uses;

      (3) To provide that no waste be discharged into any waters of this state without first receiving the necessary treatment or other corrective action to protect the legitimate beneficial uses of such waters;

      (4) To provide for the prevention, abatement and control of new or existing water pollution; and

      (5) To cooperate with other agencies of the state, agencies of other states and the federal government in carrying out these objectives. [Formerly 449.077 and then 468.710; 2009 c.248 §1]

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1994–2025 · leading case: City of Klamath Falls v. Env't Quality Comm'n, 870 P.2d 825 (Or. 1994).
City of Klamath Falls v. Env't Quality Comm'n, 870 P.2d 825 (Or. 1994). · cites it 5× “048(1) authorizes EQC to make rules to “establish standards of quality and purity for the waters of the state in accordance with the public policy set forth in ORS 468B.015.” ORS 468B.015 provides, in part, that it is the “public policy of the state * * * [t]o protect, maintain…”
Riverkeepers v. Oregon Dep't of Env't Quality, 230 P.3d 559 (Or. Ct. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “ORS 468B.015 sets forth the policies of the state to (1) conserve the waters of the state, (2) protect and improve water quality, (3) provide for treatment or other corrective action before waste is discharged into the water, (4) prevent and control pollution, and (5) cooperate…”
Nw. Env't Def. Ctr. v. Env't Quality Comm'n, 223 P.3d 1071 (Or. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “048 (authorizing EQC to establish, by rule, “standards of quality and purity for the waters of the state in accordance with the public policy set forth in ORS 468B.015”); ORS 468B.050 (prohibiting the discharge of waste into the waters of the state without a permit and providing…”
PacifiCorp v. DEQ, 344 Or. App. 11 (Or. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 3× “010(2) provides that “[t]he water pollution control laws of this state shall be liberally construed for the accom- plishment of the purposes set forth in ORS 468B.015.” In turn, ORS 468B.015 states in preamble that “the problem of 18 PacifiCorp v.”
Nedc v. Eqc, 223 P.3d 1071 (Or. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “048 (authorizing EQC to establish, by rule, "standards of quality and purity for the waters of the state in accordance with the public policy set forth in ORS 468B.015"); ORS 468B.050 (prohibiting the discharge of waste into the waters of the state without a permit and providing…”
PacifiCorp v. DEQ, 344 Or. App. 11 (Or. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 3× “010(2) provides that “[t]he water pollution control laws of this state shall be liberally construed for the accom- plishment of the purposes set forth in ORS 468B.015.” In turn, ORS 468B.015 states in preamble that “the problem of 18 PacifiCorp v.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 468B.015(2) — 1 case
City of Klamath Falls v. Env't Quality Comm'n, 870 P.2d 825 (Or. 1994). “048(1) authorizes EQC to make rules to “establish standards of quality and purity for the waters of the state in accordance with the public policy set forth in ORS 468B.015.” ORS 468B.015 provides, in part, that it is the “public policy of the state * * * [t]o protect, maintain…”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 468B.015(3) — 2 cases
Nw. Env't Def. Ctr. v. Env't Quality Comm'n, 223 P.3d 1071 (Or. Ct. App. 2009). “048 (authorizing EQC to establish, by rule, “standards of quality and purity for the waters of the state in accordance with the public policy set forth in ORS 468B.015”); ORS 468B.050 (prohibiting the discharge of waste into the waters of the state without a permit and providing…”
Nedc v. Eqc, 223 P.3d 1071 (Or. Ct. App. 2009). “048 (authorizing EQC to establish, by rule, "standards of quality and purity for the waters of the state in accordance with the public policy set forth in ORS 468B.015"); ORS 468B.050 (prohibiting the discharge of waste into the waters of the state without a permit and providing…”
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