Columbia, OR

Moderate Risk (43/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.

Environmental data for Columbia in Oregon · Population: 53,178

TRI sites such as Dyno Nobel- St.helens Plant; Pge Beaver Plant & Port Westward Plant; US Gypsum Co; SDWIS systems such as ST HELENS, CITY OF; SCAPPOOSE, CITY OF; MCNULTY WATER PUD anchor Columbia, OR's EPA extract. Derived burden score 43/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Columbia include ST HELENS, CITY OF; SCAPPOOSE, CITY OF; MCNULTY WATER PUD, while Dyno Nobel- St.helens Plant leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 26 / peak 74 in 2024.

Burden score 43/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Columbia -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Columbia, OR: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

-6.1%

5 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

-6.1%

6.8 million lb → 6.3 million lb, every facility that filed

  • Columbia, OR's total reported releases fell from 6.8 million lb in 2022 to 6.3 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Columbia, OR's water releases fell from 175.1 thousand lb in 2022 to 75.8 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Columbia, OR's chemicals reported fell from 12 in 2022 to 10 in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Columbia, OR's air releases fell from 6.6 million lb in 2022 to 6.3 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
53,178
TRI Facilities
5
Water Systems
39
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
32.5M lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 354 (97%) 10 0 74
2023 329 (90%) 34 2 115
2022 293 (81%) 66 1 162
2021 319 (92%) 26 0 66
2020 332 (91%) 22 1 293
2024 Good Air Quality: 97% of days
Median AQI: 26

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Oregon, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (39)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
ST HELENS, CITY OF 13,410 1
SCAPPOOSE, CITY OF 8,710 3
MCNULTY WATER PUD 2,500 3
CLATSKANIE, CITY OF 2,188 0
VERNONIA, CITY OF 2,100 2
WARREN WATER ASSOCIATION 2,050 1
COLUMBIA CITY MUN WATERWORKS 1,995 3
CITY OF RAINIER 1,932 4
WESTPORT WATER ASSOCIATION 550 0
WESTERN HILLS MH ESTATES 375 12
FISHHAWK LAKE RESERVE AND COMMUNITY 350 1
QUINCY WATER ASSOCIATION 300 0
WAUNA WATER DISTRICT 188 0
MIDLAND WATER ASSOCIATION 160 28
SIGLER COVE MARINA 150 2
FISCHERS PLACE MHP 130 10
COLUMBIA ACRES WATER ASSOC 110 5
LOST CREEK HEIGHTS WTR ASSOC 100 0
WESTPORT HEIGHTS 90 0
DEER VIEW COOPERATIVE 90 0
DEER ISLAND WATERWORKS 90 11
PARADISE MOORAGE 90 1
GOBLE WATER ASSOCIATION 85 1
COLUMBIA HILLS HOA 84 0
TAMARACK MOBILE HOME PARK 80 1
WAPATO MOORAGE ASSOCIATION 74 1
PRESCOTT, CITY OF 70 6
LAUREL RIDGE MHP 70 1
MARSHLAND WATER ASSOCIATION 70 15
DEER ISLAND HEIGHTS WS 60 4
DEER ISLAND VILLAGE MHP 50 1
CEDAR TREE MOBILE HOME PARK 50 2
DEER ISLAND VILLAGE MHP-FAWN LANE 50 0
J & M MOBILE HOME PARK 45 5
DIKESIDE MOORAGE 45 0
BERNDT CREEK WATER CORP 45 1
CROWN MOBILE HOME PARK 42 2
SWEDETOWN WATER ASSOC 40 2
WESTLAND WATER ASSOCIATION 25 1

TRI Facilities (5)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Dyno Nobel- St.helens Plant 32.0M lbs
2 Pge Beaver Plant & Port Westward Plant 421.4K lbs
3 US Gypsum Co 46 lbs
4 Conrad Wood Preserving Co 0 lbs
5 Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery 0 lbs

Cities in Columbia (8)

Rainier
2 facilities · 6 water
Deer Island
1 facilities · 0 water
Scappoose
0 facilities · 13 water
St Helens
0 facilities · 5 water
Westport
0 facilities · 3 water
Vernonia
0 facilities · 2 water
Birkenfeld
0 facilities · 1 water
Columbia City
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Columbia, Oregon?
Columbia, OR has an environmental risk score of 43/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 5 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 39 water systems on record. 29 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Columbia?
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Columbia, OR in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Columbia?
Columbia, OR has 5 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 32.5M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Columbia?
In 2024, Columbia, OR recorded a median AQI of 26 and a peak AQI of 74. 97% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Columbia?
Columbia, OR has 39 EPA-regulated water systems. 29 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Columbia?
Environmental compliance in Columbia, Oregon is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Oregon state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related

Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro