Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is a state regulatory agency responsible for protecting Oregon’s air, land and water. Its programs cover environmental permits, pollution monitoring and enforcement, waste management, contaminated-site cleanup, and greenhouse gas and clean-fuels reporting. The agency also operates vehicle emissions inspection services in the Portland and Medford areas and provides online permitting and reporting tools for regulated organizations. The five-member Environmental Quality Commission serves as its policy and rulemaking board, adopts rules, hears appeals and appoints the department’s director. DEQ maintains headquarters in Portland and regional offices across Oregon, including a Salem administrative office within its Western Region.