Oregon D.O.G.E.

What Is DEQ Actually Doing? Rules, Lawsuits, and the Climate Cash Grab

Oregon D.O.G.E.

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0:00 | 1:18:10

In this episode of Oregon D.O.G.E., lawmakers dig into one of Oregon’s most powerful and controversial agencies: the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Senator Daniel Bonham, Rep. Greg Smith, and Senator David Brock Smith walk through:

  • DEQ’s $800M+ budget, with 42% based on regulatory fees
  • 8,200+ pages of rules, many created without legislative approval
  • A federal DEI lawsuit that could cost Oregon millions
  • How DEQ’s policies drive up energy, construction, and consumer costs
  • Oregon’s Climate Protection Program, and the nonprofit funneling climate money with ties to political activism

Whether it’s zero-emission mandates, shrinking business incentives, or runaway bureaucracy, lawmakers ask: Who’s holding DEQ accountable?

🎧 Listen now and learn more at oregondoge.com