Sometimes even new infrastructure doesn’t work as planned, and that’s what happened recently with a stormwater treatment facility in Spokane. Built to keep untreated runoff out of the Spokane River, the system hit a snag during a big storm, causing some overflow and pollution concerns.

For the first time, data submitted by Spokane Riverkeeper played a crucial role in Ecology’s assessment, setting a powerful example of how community efforts can drive meaningful environmental action. 

Yesterday, October 29, the U.S. EPA issued a Final PCB TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) for the Spokane River and Little Spokane River. This TMDL is a result of years of advocacy, scientific research, and legal action aimed at reducing harmful PCB pollution affecting our river and community health.  However, we are disappointed in the final plan, and do not believe it will sufficiently reduce PCB levels in the river.