Columbia Riverkeeper

Background

In 1989, environmentalist activists Greg and Cyndy DeBruler formed Columbia River United to support conservation and advocacy efforts related to the Columbia River, the largest river in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Later in 1997, then-Rep. Elizabeth Furse (D-OR) formed a similar organization based in Portland, Oregon called Clean Water Columbia. Three years later, on April 22, 2000, “Earth Day,” Rep. Furse announced the creation of a new organization, Columbia Riverkeeper, to be formed through the merger of Columbia River United and Clean Water Columbia. ^{2 3}

As of 2025, Columbia Riverkeeper has offices in Hood River and Portland, Oregon. ⁴

Activity

Columbia Riverkeeper engages in organizing, advocacy, legal, and policy efforts related to environmentalist initiatives focusing on the Columbia River. Several local efforts relate to the immediate conservation of the river itself through collecting garbage and taking water quality samples.  ^{5 1}

During the organization’s 2024 annual impact report, Columbia Riverkeeper argued in favor of “aggressive” plans for the state regulation of fuel sources. As of 2024, the group has filed up to three lawsuits to oppose the expansion of fuel infrastructure projects within the Pacific Northwest region, and another five lawsuits which were brought or settled by the organization pursuant to the terms of the Clean Water Act. The group also organized an activist project to support expanding the U.S. Department of Energy’s proposal to clean up a decommissioned nuclear site in Hanford, Washington. ⁵

Columbia Riverkeeper has also opposed the use of nuclear power arguing that policy proposals towards the development of small modular reactors would be costlier than weather-dependent-energy-related sources of power.  ⁶

Funding

On August 10, 2022 the Biden Administration’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would award Columbia Riverkeeper a grant pursuant to the Clean Water Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) of $125,452 to support the Columbia River Pollution Education and Outreach Project to reduce pollution in the Columbia Basin. ⁷

The organization has also received support from Give for The Gorge, a crowdfunding campaign fiscally sponsored by Friends of the Columbia Gorge, as well as a Partners in Conservation grant from the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, a local government agency in Multnomah County, Oregon. ^{8 9}

Leadership

Lauren Goldberg has been the executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper since August 2022. She has worked in several positions with the organization including as law clerk, staff attorney, as well as legal and program director. ^{10 11}

Emily Washines is the president of Columbia Riverkeeper’s board of directors as well as the founder and CEO of Native Friends. She is also a board member of both Central Washington University’s Museum of Culture and Environment as well as the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Previously, Washines was a public relations staffer with Yakama Nation Fisheries and a trustee of Central Washington University. ¹²

Kelly Campbell is the policy director of Columbia Riverkeeper as well as a member of the advisory board of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility. Previously, she was the executive director of the latter organization and a founding co-director of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. ¹³