Envyrofax
Scan an Address

OR / county FIPS 41009 / county research

Columbia County, Oregon: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Columbia County is 160 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2, a statistically significant excess. The strongest disease signals are Melanoma of the skin deaths at 2 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 332 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (149), Rail grade crossing (97), Gas station (mapped facility) (19). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 20 in a million, driven mainly by formaldehyde.

Rates are age-adjusted per 100,000 people. A cancer signal is marked significant when the lower bound of its 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate. Facility counts use active federal records located inside the county boundary. Approximate county center: 45.9577, -123.0867.

How this county ranks in Oregon

View on the heat mapScan an address in this county

Cancer deaths and new cases versus the United States

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. Sorted by the ratio of the county rate to the U.S. rate.

Cancer rates for Columbia County compared with the United States
CancerMeasureCounty rateU.S. rateTimes U.S.95% intervalYears
Melanoma of the skinDeaths3.921.95xSignificant2.2 to 6.62020-2024
Kidney & renal pelvisDeaths5.23.41.53x3.1 to 8.42020-2024
Liver & bile ductNew cases11.88.71.36x8.6 to 162019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaDeaths6.54.81.35x4.1 to 102020-2024
EsophagusDeaths4.93.71.32x2.9 to 7.82020-2024
EsophagusNew cases5.94.61.28x3.8 to 9.12019-2023
Lung & bronchusNew cases62.951.81.21xSignificant55.2 to 71.52019-2023
PancreasDeaths13.511.31.19x10.1 to 182020-2024
PancreasNew cases16.313.91.17x12.4 to 21.22019-2023
Lung & bronchusDeaths35.430.21.17x29.8 to 41.92020-2024
Liver & bile ductDeaths7.66.61.15x5.2 to 10.92020-2024
All cancerDeaths160143.21.12xSignificant147.4 to 173.52020-2024
Melanoma of the skinNew cases2623.81.09x20.9 to 32.12019-2023
BladderNew cases19.918.71.06x15.7 to 25.12019-2023
All cancerNew cases473.3453.41.04x450.7 to 496.72019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvisNew cases18.517.91.03x14.3 to 23.62019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphomaNew cases18.818.51.02x14.5 to 242019-2023
BladderDeaths4.14.11x2.4 to 6.92020-2024
Brain & nervous systemDeaths4.44.41x2.4 to 7.42020-2024
LeukemiaNew cases14.414.50.99x10.7 to 19.22019-2023
LeukemiaDeaths5.65.70.98x3.3 to 92020-2024
Brain & nervous systemNew cases5.86.20.94x3.5 to 9.22019-2023
ThyroidNew cases12.1130.93x8.3 to 17.12019-2023
StomachNew cases6.16.60.92x3.8 to 9.52019-2023

Mortality measures versus the U.S. county median

Source: County Health Rankings, built from CDC National Vital Statistics System death records. The comparison value is the median of all U.S. counties.

Mortality measures for Columbia County
MeasureCountyU.S. medianDifferenceUnit
Premature death7,768.79,842.6-21%years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy77.675.3+3%years
Child mortality37.959.8-37%deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortalityn/a6.2n/adeaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths84.496.9-13%deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths27.628.6-4%deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 20 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

  • Formaldehyde13.12 per million
  • Carbon Tetrachloride2.98 per million
  • Naphthalene2.2 per million
  • Acetaldehyde1.91 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 364 days: 338 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 27, peak 69.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

332 active records inside the county from EPA ECHO, TRI, Superfund, Brownfields, NPDES, EIA, FAA, FRA and corrections data.

  • NPDES wastewater discharge permit149
  • Rail grade crossing97
  • Gas station (mapped facility)19
  • Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)14
  • Brownfield property12
  • Small hazardous waste generator7
  • Large greenhouse gas emitter5
  • TRI reporting facility5
  • Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)5
  • Major air pollution source4
  • Air permit holder (minor source)3
  • Public airport3
  • Gas power plant3
  • EPA air quality monitor1
  • Commercial airport1
  • Large hazardous waste generator1
  • Landfill (mapped facility)1
  • Scrapyard (mapped facility)1
  • Wastewater plant (mapped facility)1

Highest-severity records

The 25 records with the highest Envyrofax severity in the county, with the agency identifier to cite in a records request.

  1. Dyno Nobel- St.Helens Plant, Deer Island

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Nitric acid, Formaldehyde and 2 more. Reports carcinogens. 31,887,278 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 97051CHVRN63149 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 10

  2. Pge Beaver Plant & Port Westward Plant, Clatskanie

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Ammonia, Acetaldehyde, n-Hexane, Polycyclic aromatic compounds and 1 more. Reports carcinogens. 450,337 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 9701WPGBVR8997K (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 8.8

  3. Dyno Nobel Inc. - St. Helens Plant, Deer Island

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110041415885 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 7.3

  4. Pge Beaver Plant & Port Westward Plant, Clatskanie

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110070550036 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.3

  5. Portland General Electric Co.-Beaver, Clatskanie

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006858604 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 6.3

  6. Portland General Electric Co.-Beaver, Clatskanie

    Large hazardous waste generator.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006858604 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.8

  7. Portland General Electric Co.-Beaver, Clatskanie

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006858604 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.8

  8. Rainier Stp, Rainier

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $148,075.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006696478 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.5

  9. Portland General Electric Co.-Beaver, Clatskanie

    Large greenhouse gas emitter.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006858604 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  10. Clatskanie Wwtp, Clatskanie

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $13,200.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110014262467 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 5.3

  11. United States Gypsum Company, Rainier

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110013285630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.7

  12. St Helens Wwtp, Saint Helens

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110009817476 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.5

  13. Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery, Clatskanie

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Cumene. Reports carcinogens.

    TRI facility ID 9701WCLMBP812KA (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.5

  14. Conrad Wood Preserving Co, Rainier

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Copper compounds, Arsenic compounds, Chromium compounds (except for chromite ore mined in the Transvaal Region). Reports carcinogens.

    TRI facility ID 97048CNRDW29175 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.5

  15. Us Gypsum Co, Rainier

    Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Mercury And Mercury Compounds, Mercury compounds, Lead And Lead Compounds, Lead compounds. 43 lbs released over 5 years.

    TRI facility ID 97048NTDST29073 (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)

    Severity 4.3

  16. Stimson Lumber Company Clatskanie, Clatskanie

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110004789355 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  17. Vernonia Stp, Vernonia

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $9,450.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110006696325 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  18. Riverwood Mobile Home Park, Rainier

    NPDES wastewater discharge permit.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110013198468 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  19. Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery, Clatskanie

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110038366979 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4.3

  20. Conrad Wood Preserving, Rainier

    TRI reporting facility.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110002148845 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 4

  21. Boise White Paper, Saint Helens

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110011639110 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 3.8

  22. United States Gypsum Company, Rainier

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110013285630 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 3.8

  23. Armstrong World Industries, Saint Helens

    Major air pollution source.

    EPA FRS registry ID 110000486750 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record

    Severity 3.5

  24. Beaver, Clatskanie

    Gas power plant.

    Record ID 8073 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

    Severity 3.5

  25. Port Westward, Clatskanie

    Gas power plant.

    Record ID 56227 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

    Severity 3.4

Correctional facilities

Prisons, jails and corrections operations with an EPA facility record, and the drinking water and wastewater compliance attached to them.

No correctional facility with an EPA record is located in this county.

Discovery / public records

Records to request for Columbia County

  • Oregon state cancer registry

    Cancer incidence counts by census tract or ZIP code, by cancer type and year (de-identified). Any cancer cluster inquiries or investigations in Columbia County, and their findings.

  • Oregon vital statistics office

    Death certificate counts by cause of death and residence tract or ZIP code, and the years behind the mortality measures above.

  • Oregon health department, environmental epidemiology

    Health consultations or assessments by ATSDR or the state health department covering the county, and any exposure investigations.

  • Oregon environmental agency and the U.S. EPA regional office

    Compliance history, inspection reports, notices of violation, penalties and enforcement actions for each facility above, cited by EPA FRS registry ID.

  • Oregon drinking water program

    Violation notices, sampling results and sanitary surveys for the public water systems serving the county, including any system serving a correctional facility.

  • Department of corrections or county sheriff

    Water testing, grievances and environmental health inspections for the correctional facilities listed above.

Each Envyrofax address report includes a printable records request worksheet with the custodian and the exact request wording per finding.

Scan an address in Columbia CountyView on the heat mapAll Oregon counties