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Wasco County, Oregon: environmental and disease records

Cancer mortality in Wasco County is 155.2 deaths per 100,000 people per year against a U.S. rate of 143.2. The strongest disease signals are Liver & bile duct deaths at 1.7 times the U.S. rate and Lung & bronchus deaths at 1.4 times the U.S. rate. Federal databases place 186 regulated facilities, sites and hazards inside the county, led by NPDES wastewater discharge permit (75), Brownfield property (33), Rail grade crossing (26). EPA AirToxScreen estimates a lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics of 40 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: 45.2626, -121.2524.

How this county ranks in Oregon

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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 Wasco County compared with the United States
Cancer	Measure	County rate	U.S. rate	Times U.S.	95% interval	Years
Liver & bile duct	Deaths	11.5	6.6	1.74xSignificant	7 to 18	2020-2024
Leukemia	Deaths	9.3	5.7	1.63x	5.6 to 15.1	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	Deaths	40.9	30.2	1.35xSignificant	32.1 to 51.5	2020-2024
Liver & bile duct	New cases	11.3	8.7	1.3x	7 to 17.5	2019-2023
Leukemia	New cases	18.7	14.5	1.29x	12.5 to 27.1	2019-2023
Kidney & renal pelvis	New cases	21.3	17.9	1.19x	14.7 to 30.1	2019-2023
Bladder	New cases	21.6	18.7	1.16x	15.6 to 29.6	2019-2023
All cancer	Deaths	155.2	143.2	1.08x	137.8 to 174.4	2020-2024
Lung & bronchus	New cases	55.6	51.8	1.07x	45.6 to 67.4	2019-2023
All cancer	New cases	457.4	453.4	1.01x	425.7 to 490.9	2019-2023
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma	New cases	17.5	18.5	0.95x	11.8 to 25.3	2019-2023
Melanoma of the skin	New cases	20.9	23.8	0.88x	14.4 to 29.5	2019-2023
Pancreas	New cases	7.7	13.9	0.55x	4.3 to 13.2	2019-2023

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 Wasco County
Measure	County	U.S. median	Difference	Unit
Premature death	9,591.3	9,842.6	-3%	years of life lost before age 75 per 100,000
Life expectancy	75.2	75.3	-0%	years
Child mortality	51.5	59.8	-14%	deaths under age 18 per 100,000
Infant mortality	n/a	6.2	n/a	deaths under age 1 per 1,000 live births
Injury deaths	103.9	96.9	+7%	deaths per 100,000
Drug overdose deaths	35.1	28.6	+23%	deaths per 100,000

Air toxics and air quality

EPA AirToxScreen 2020

Lifetime cancer risk from outdoor air toxics: 40 in a million. EPA treats 100 in a million as the upper end of acceptable risk and 1 in a million as the goal.

Formaldehyde21.12 per million
Naphthalene3.98 per million
Acetaldehyde3.18 per million
Carbon Tetrachloride2.9 per million

EPA Air Quality Index 2025

Monitored on 365 days: 315 good, 0 unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse. Median AQI 25, peak 81.

Regulated facilities, sites and hazards by type

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

NPDES wastewater discharge permit75
Brownfield property33
Rail grade crossing26
Gas station (mapped facility)14
Public airport8
Auto repair or body shop (mapped facility)8
TRI reporting facility3
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI)3
Wastewater plant (mapped facility)3
Major air pollution source2
Large hazardous waste generator2
Small hazardous waste generator2
EPA air quality monitor1
Air permit holder (minor source)1
Large greenhouse gas emitter1
Hazardous waste transporter1
Heliport1
Landfill (mapped facility)1
Superfund (NPL) site1

Highest-severity records

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

Union Pacific Railroad Co. Tie-Treating Plant, The Dalles
Superfund (NPL) site. Hazard Ranking System score 37.9. NPL Site.
EPA site ID ORD009049412 (U.S. EPA Superfund (SEMS/NPL)) Agency record
Severity 10
Amerities West Llc, The Dalles
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Creosote, Polycyclic aromatic compounds, Copper And Copper Compounds, Benzo[g,h,i]perylene. Reports carcinogens. 2,197 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 97058KRRMCTIEPL (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 7.1
The Dalles Stp, The Dalles
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $38,256.
EPA FRS registry ID 110014169461 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Sapa Extrusions The Dalles Cast House, The Dalles
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110063630977 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 7
Sapa Extrusions The Dalles Cast House, The Dalles
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110063630977 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6.5
Sapa Extrusions The Dalles Cast House, The Dalles
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110063630977 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 6
Hydro Extrusion Usa Llc, The Dalles
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Manganese, Copper, Lead. Reports carcinogens. 63 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 9705WNRTHW2929W (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.9
Hood River Sand Gravel & Ready Mix - The Dalles, The Dalles
Toxic chemical release facility (TRI). Chemicals: Nitrate compounds (water dissociable; reportable only when in aqueous solution), Lead And Lead Compounds. 2,262 lbs released over 5 years.
TRI facility ID 9705WHDRVR412RI (U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory)
Severity 5.6
Hood River Sand, Gravel & Ready Mix - The Dalles, The Dalles
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071724665 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5.4
Dufur Stp, Dufur
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $12,591.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039771100 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 5
Maupin Stp, Maupin
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $10,292.
EPA FRS registry ID 110009817243 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Mosier Wwtp, Mosier
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $6,672.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039775614 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.8
Amerities, The Dalles
TRI reporting facility.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000486769 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.4
Oregon Cherry Growers, The Dalles
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $30,400.
EPA FRS registry ID 110000601439 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Oregon Cherry Growers Riverside Plant, The Dalles
NPDES wastewater discharge permit. Penalties $30,400.
EPA FRS registry ID 110052037467 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 4.3
Northern Wasco County Landfill, The Dalles
Major air pollution source.
EPA FRS registry ID 110014271019 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.8
Northern Wasco County Landfill, The Dalles
NPDES wastewater discharge permit.
EPA FRS registry ID 110014271019 (U.S. EPA ECHO) Agency record
Severity 3.3
Mosier Gas Station, Mosier
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110014070940 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Sauters Truck Service, The Dalles
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110038756343 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Tygh Valley, Tygh Valley
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110039533671 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Mosier Motel Site, Mosier
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110041721367 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Mosier Bike Hub, Mosier
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071966804 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
205 Washington Street, The Dalles
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071971611 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
311 Court, The Dalles
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071972638 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3
Chenoweth Middle School, The Dalles
Brownfield property.
EPA FRS registry ID 110071972639 (U.S. EPA Brownfields (ACRES)) Agency record
Severity 3

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 Wasco 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 Wasco 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.

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