Blue Heron paper mill's environmental legacy
Jerry Herrmann: One of the most polluting plants became nation's premier example of cleanup
The recent fire at Oregon City's Publisher's/Blue Heron Paper Co. plant was unfortunate. Some may say otherwise ... "That messy plant needs to go." The future of the 23-acre industrial site is not clear at this time, but includes a beautiful esplanade and views of
the falls, if project planning moves to execution.
The truth about the previous industrial site has never been properly told. That is the purpose of this article. Having been involved in environmental work all my life, I watched this mill site. One of the most difficult and polluting plants became the nation's premier example of environmental cleanup and enhancement of industrial operations. The mill site, of course, is the center of Oregon City's evolution as "First City" at the falls.