Federal Judge Allows Class Action Lawsuit Over Eastern Oregon Water Pollution to Proceed
A federal judge has ruled that a class action lawsuit concerning water pollution in eastern Oregon can move forward. The lawsuit, filed by several Morrow County residents, targets the Port of Morrow and several large food processors for allegedly contaminating groundwater with nitrate-laden wastewater. The plaintiffs claim that the water, used in a waste-water reuse program, was over-applied to farm fields, resulting in pollution. The lawsuit, initially filed in February 2024, has expanded to potentially include thousands of residents affected by the contamination. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon denied a motion to dismiss the case, allowing it to proceed to a jury trial scheduled for May 2027. The defendants, including Lamb Weston and Portland General Electric, argued that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated widespread damage directly linked to their actions. However, the judge found that the plaintiffs plausibly alleged liability under Oregon law for negligence, trespass, and private nuisance. 
