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Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - December Interim 2024 Governance Team Coordinator: Norman Turrill Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Governance Campaign Finance (CFR) Oregon Open Primary Act Governance By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator The House and Senate Rules committees met during the interim days last week. Senate Rules met Dec. 10 to consider various executive appointments and introduced three placeholder bills. House Rules met Dec. 12 to hear testimony about election integrity and to hear an update from the Legislative Oversight, Effectiveness, and Accountability Workgroup . They then introduced a bill to establish a Legislative Audit Officer (LAO) within the legislative branch. Campaign Finance (CFR) A CFR workgroup called by Rep. Fahey that began in June is still working to identify technical adjustments needed to ensure successful implementation of HB 4024 (2024) , to recommend legislative fixes for 2025, and to consider broader policy improvements for future sessions. The workgroup includes representatives from the legislature, business, labor and Honest Elections that negotiated on HB 4024. Since such a technical fix bill would likely be introduced by the House Rules committee, it could happen at any time during the coming legislative session. Oregon Open Primary Act By Barbara Klein Working with the same coalition we signed on with last year, LWVOR has helped OERC (Oregon Election Reform Coalition) produce the Oregon Open Primary Act LC #1109 . This proposal is for “open” primaries (one ballot for all voters), but the section adopting ranked choice voting for general elections was removed. Rep. Gamba (D/I/WFP) and Sen. Aaron Woods (Veterans Caucus, (D/WFP)) have agreed to introduce the bill, being joined by Co-Chief Sponsors Rep. Lively (D/I/WFP), Rep. Paul Evans (D/I/WFP) and Rep. Susan McLain (D/I/WFP). At this point, there are no Republican sponsors, although we have reached out to several. We look forward to a multi-partisan effort. One Republican, Rep. Wallan from southern Oregon, is interested in parties opening their own primaries to non-affiliated voters (NAVs), but not primaries using one ballot.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 3/31 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: Claudia Keith Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Environmental Justice Bills Climate Priority Advocacy Groups Climate Priorities with League Testimony , League Endorsement Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package Climate Treasury Investment Bills Natural and Working Lands Other Priorities Priority Bills That Died In Policy Committee Climate Emergency JWM Budget Concerns Senate E&E Committee - March 24 House CE&E - March 25 House CE&E - March 27 Environmental Caucus Session Update - Bipartisan News and Commission Meetings SJR 28 -1 , Environmental Rights Constitutional amendment Senate Joint resolution - with referral to the 2026 ballot, public hearing was 3/26 . The League provided support with comments testimony . The bill is in Sen Rules, so the Legislative deadlines are not applicable. A Work Session is not yet scheduled. The a mendment is a partial rewrite. LWV has provided guidance given over 26 states have or are in the process of having green / environmental rights constitutional topics or initiatives usually a legislation – referral to the people. New Mexico green amendment campaign focuses on racial justice. Environmental Justice Bills SB 54 : Work Session 3/31. The bill requires landlords provide cooling for residential units . The League endorsed and added our name to a Oregon Justice Transition Alliance (OJTA), sign-on letter . 
 HB2548 : establishes an agriculture workforce labor standards board, League Testimony . Work Session is 4/2. 
 Climate Priority Advocacy Groups For the first time, this year most of our priorities are included in the bipartisan 2025 Legislative Environmental Caucus Priorities , Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Priorities and/or Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) priorities . OCN is the only formal environmental lobby coalition group in the capitol. Consequently, for some of these bills (especially those in a package) the League may just join coalition sign-on letters rather than providing individual testimony. Climate Priorities with League Testimony with League Endorsement and Still Alive HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package The follo The following four bills are part of a package which was the subject of public hearings February 27 and March 6 in the House Energy Management, General Government, and Veterans Committee: HB 215 1: Testimony ; appears dead HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session 4/1 HB 2949 : T estimony ; work session 4/1 HB 3450 : Testimony , work session 3/27, see also CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis 
 HB 3450 CEI energy storage transition plan, HEMGGV, League Comments 
 
 work session 4/1 Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package HB 3081 ( League testimony ) work session 4/8, creates an active navigator to help access energy efficiency incentives all in one place 
 SB 88 ( League testimony ) work session was 3/24, limits the ability of utility companies to charge ratepayers for lobbying, litigation costs, fines, marketing, industry fees, and political spending. 
 Moved to Sen Rules. In addition to our testimony, LWVOR joined the Oregon Conservation Network, coordinated through the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, in sign-on letters supporting both HB 3081 and SB 88. PH 3 / 4 Climate Treasury Investment Bills SB 681 : Dead: Treasury: Fossil Fuel investment moratorium, Senate Finance and Revenue, PH 3/19. testimony. Sen Golden. 
 HB 2200 work session 4/1: requested by Treasury Sec Tobias ESG investing, identified as the compromise bill. League – NO Comment, HC EMGGV, PH was 3/13. 
 HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing Task Force, Work Session 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), Representative Gamba, Senator Golden, Frederick, Representative Andersen, Evans , House Commerce and Consumer Protection (H CCP) 
 League Testimony 
 
 
 
 Natural and Working Lands HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony 
 
 
 
 HB 3103-1 – work session 3/31. Overweight Timber Harvest , H ALUNRW, League Oppose Testimony , -1 amendment . 
 Other Priorities HB 2566 -3 Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay, Governor Tina Kotek, (H CEE), DOE presentation 
 
 
 
 
 HB 3365 : work session 4/7, climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, House Cm Educ, PH was 3/12, League Testimony Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald , Rep Andersen, Gamba, Lively, Neron, Senator Patterson, Pham, Taylor. 
 
 
 SB 1187 new Climate cost recovery Liability interagency bill , PH 4/7, possible work session 4/9, Sen. Golden, Senate Energy and Environment 
 
(Replaces SB 679 and SB 682 : 
 SB 688 : -5 Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, moved to JWM , League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham, SEE 
 
 
 SB 827 : Solar and Storage Rebate , SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate voted 21-7, moves to House 3/4 

 first reading. 
 referred to H CEE 3/10 
 HB 3546 , the POWER Act , work session 4/8, PR was 3/6, The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. (data centers and other high-volume users). These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter . 
 
 
 Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV 
 
 
 Citizens Utility Board CUB presentation here . 
 
 
 SB 1143 : NEW bill , PH was 3/19 and Work session 4/2, SEE , PUC established a pilot program that allows each NG Co to develop a utility-scale thermal energy network (TEN) pilot project to provide heating and cooling services to customers. Senator Lieber, Sollman, Representative Levy B, Senator Smith DB, Representative Andersen, Marsh. Example: Introduction to the MIT Thermal Energy Networks (MITTEN) Plan for Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization. 
 Climate Solutions : Thermal Energy Networks win win : 
 Carbon sequestration/storage: See DOGAMI Agency Budget (see Natural Resources Legislative Report) – Geologic Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Interactive Map | U.S. Geological Survey ( usgs.gov ) .
 
 
 
 Priority Bills that died in policy committee Some of these related to funding may appear in the end of session reconciliation (Xmas tree) bill. HB 3477 : Update to Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Goals. League testimony . House Climate, Energy, and Environment (CEE), Sponsored by Rep GAMBA, Sen Frederick, Golden, Patterson, Pham K, Taylor 
 
 
 SB 680 : Climate Science/Greenwashing, Sen. Golden and Manning, moved to Judiciary , no recommendation, (SJ) PH was 2/26 Campos, Frederick, Gorsek, Patterson, Prozanski, Taylor 
 
 
 
 Climate Emergency JWM Budget Concerns In order to stay on track, the Legislature must prioritize investments for vital environmental justice, climate and community protection programs (CPP). Without additional appropriations this session, the following existing successful climate, CPP and environmental justice programs may run out of funding: Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (ODOE) 
 
 Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE) 
 
 Community Heat Pump Program (ODOE) 
 
 Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program/Charge Ahead (DEQ) 
 
 Medium and Heavy-Duty Vehicles Rebates + Infrastructure Grants (DEQ) 
 
 Community Resilience Hubs and Networks (ODHS) 
 
 Climate Change Worker Relief Fund (DAS) 
 
 Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program (ODOE) 
 
 Natural & Working Lands Fund (OWEB) Senate E&E Committee SB 88 (Get the Junk Out of Rates) – Prohibits an electric or gas utility from recovering from ratepayers’ costs or expenses associated with advertising, political influence activity, litigation, penalties or fines and certain compensation. The committee voted unanimously to refer the bill to Rules without recommendation. SB 688-5 – Allows the PUC to adopt a framework for carrying out performance-based regulation of electric utilities, and appropriates $500,000 to PUC for that purpose. The fiscal note estimates an all-funds impact of $974,013 and 0.75 FTE in 2025-27, including $750K GF and the rest funded through the PUC’s annual fee on regulated utilities. The committee voted to move the bill to Joint W&M with a do-pass recommendation (Robinson nay). The committee also heard testimony on SB 1178 , which would require that 10% of electricity sold in Oregon by each IOU be generated by small-scale renewable energy facilities (capacity of 20 Mw or less) or biomass facilities that are not owned by the IOU. Current law provides that at least 10% of the aggregate electrical capacity of all IOUs in Oregon be generated by small-scale renewable energy or biomass facilities. As explained by James Williams, Community Renewable Energy Assn., electrical capacity is only one-third of actual generation, so this bill would triple the amount of independently produced small-scale power the utilities would have to sell. He said these small projects are important for rural economies and more palatable than large projects. PGE and PacifiCorp oppose the bill, saying it greatly expands the small-scale renewable mandate in HB 2021, "moves the goalpost" and cuts against the legislature’s intent to address utility bill increases. House CE&E - March 25 HB 3823 Revenue without recommendation. The bill would provide a property tax break for personal property used by a business to generate or store energy for consumption by the business on its premises. Rep. Gamba asked for the record that Revenue clarify whether diesel generators installed at data centers would also be included in the exemption – he believes they are real property and thus would still be taxed -- and whether the exemption would apply to actual battery storage systems. Chair Lively carried over work sessions on the following bills because expected amendments are not ready yet: HB 3336 – Declares state policy for electric utilities to a. Meet the required clean energy targets set forth in ORS 469A.410; b. Develop sufficient resources to meet load growth; c. Create efficiencies and resilience in the transmission system; and d. Maintain energy affordability. Utilities would have to file strategic plans with the PUC for using grid enhancing technologies (defined in the bill) where doing so is cost-effective and update the plans every two years. A utility would have to carry out its first filed strategic plan by January 1, 2030. HB 2961 – Increases the percentage of electrical service capacity for EV charging that must be installed in parking garages or other parking areas of new multifamily and mixed-use buildings with privately owned commercial space and five or more residential dwelling units HB 2063-1 to Joint W&M with a do-pass recommendation. It would create the Agrivoltaics Task Force staffed by DLCD. Fiscal impact estimate is $238,978 for 0.75 FTE to manage the project. The committee held a work session on HB 2961 , which would raise the percentage of EV charging capacity that must be installed in parking garages or other parking areas of new multifamily and mixed-use buildings with privately owned commercial space and five or more residential units. The proposed -4 amendment would raise the threshold for installation from 5 residential units to 10, a concession to rural communities. Rep. Osborne strongly opposed the bill, saying it will raise the cost of housing, and pushed the -2 amendment, which would delay the mandate until criteria for new housing construction, housing costs, homelessness, and electricity rates are met for four consecutive years. The committee could not agree on whether to vote on the amendments. Chair Lively said more amendments are not feasible as “we’ve overloaded Lege Council.” He carried over the WS to allow more discussion offline. The chair also carried over another half dozen work sessions on bills for which amendments and/or fiscal impact statements were not available. These included HB 3336 , requiring electric utilities to file strategic plans with the PUC for using grid enhancing technologies (GETs), which had been carried over previously. House CE&E - March 27 HB 3868 – Requires ODOE to study avoided costs paid to qualifying facilities under the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) compared with the costs incurred by IOUs to acquire or maintain renewable energy generation facilities. Rep. Helm said the data used to calculate avoided costs for rate setting are in a “black box” that the IOUs bring to PUC. The bill would bring transparency to avoided-cost calculations. CREA and OSSIA supported while PGE opposed, noting that PUC has a regulatory docket open on this process and the bill might conflict with that determination. HB 3874 – Increases from 50 MW to 100 MW the minimum size that a wind energy facility needs to be before the facility must obtain a site certificate from the Energy Facility Siting Council. CREA and Renewable Northwest supported; no opposition. HB 3927 – Requires ODOE to study the need to expand electric transmission infrastructure in Oregon. It would create the Oregon Electric Transmission Expansion Fund and appropriate $8 billion over the next five biennia for deposit in the fund. The -1 amendment would lower the long-term appropriation to $1.6 billion. More amendments are coming to expand the scope of the required study. Rep. Edwards argued for the bill saying energy transmission is economic development, and our outdated infrastructure causes lost jobs and lost revenue for local governments Environmental Caucus Session Update - Bipartisan Environmental Caucus Session Update - bipartisan (abridged) March 24, 2025 April 9 is the upcoming deadline for most bills to have a work session and get voted out of their committees and onto the floor of the first chamber. You'll see a lot of activity in committees over the next few weeks in efforts to keep bills alive. Bills in Joint committees, in Rules, Revenue, and Conduct are exempt from this timeline. Environmental Caucus Priority Bills We're Watching This Week SJR 28 is a ballot referral for the 2026 general election that asks Oregonians to vote on whether or not to enshrine the right to a healthy environment in the Oregon constitution. You might be familiar with this concept from last year's ruling in Montana that sided in favor of Our Children's Trust, who were suing the state over their right to a clean and healthful environment. You can find out more about the Oregon effort here . The Oregon Legislature’s Environmental Caucus is composed of members who believe that our state requires bold environmental action and are dedicated to furthering policy that benefits the natural resources, wildlife, economy, and communities of Oregon. Current Members Sen. Jeff Golden Rep. Mark Gamba Rep. Courtney Neron Sen. Khanh Pham Rep. Tom Andersen Rep. Ben Bowman Sen. Anthony Broadman Rep. Farrah Chaichi Rep. Willy Chotzen Rep. David Gomberg Sen. Chris Gorsek Rep. Ken Helm Rep. Zach Hudson Rep. John Lively Rep. Pam Marsh Rep. Travis Nelson Rep. Mark Owens Sen. Deb Patterson Sen. Kathleen Taylor Rep. Jules Walters Please find additional info in Natural Resource Legislative reports including reports addressing carbon sequestration / storage, geothermal energy geological / fracking issues, wildfire and energy facility siting / land use issues. News and Commission Meetings Oregon Climate Action Commission to Meet Virtually on April 11, 2025 — Energy Info Gov. Kotek seeks answers from state utility commission amid public outcry over rising utility rates : In a letter to the Public Utility Commission, Kotek asked for more information about how the commission would keep rates low following 50% rate hikes in last five years |OCC US Supreme Court will not hear novel youth-led climate change case | Reuters Trump admin considers killing big energy projects in Dem states - POLITICO Trump funding uncertainty threatens rapid bus plan , other Portland climate projects - oregonlive.com Electric vehicle owners don't buy gas. States look for other ways to pay for roads and bridges. - AP Oregon, nine other states hit 2013 goal of getting 3.3 million electric vehicles on roads by 2025 - Oregon Capital Chronicle Portland councilors discuss safety of storing oil in an industrial hub sitting on a quake zone - OPB Oregon fire officials say PacifiCorp didn't cause Santiam Fire, contradicting federal reports, jury decision - OPB Oregon farmers say they're losing land to luxury homes and $800-a-night B & Bs. Hotly debated bills aim to fix that - The Oregonian Hundreds support pausing Oregon's investment in private fossil fuel holdings but Treasury opposed - Oregon Capital Chronicle Oregon lawmakers propose wildfire funding solutions bill - OPB Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

CHRIS WALKER (he/him) CHRIS WALKER (he/him) LWVOR Off-Board Liaison Chris Walker is a Legislative Scholar advocating for more affordable higher education at the University of Oregon while majoring in Planning, Public Policy and Management, with a minor in Business Administration. Chris ran a nonprofit serving disadvantaged Oregon youth, has interned in Congress, and on Friday, February 10th, 2023 he was appointed to a ground-breaking role as a strong, influential voice as LWVOR Board Liaison and helped establish the first LWVOR Youth Council as it’s first Vice President. Chris currently fundraises for political leaders at a private consulting firm in Washington, DC! Chris feels a definite stake in the commitment of our state and local Leagues to encourage youth leadership, and is inviting youth across Oregon to get connected and involved by signing up or emailing them at chriswalkergp@gmail.com . chriswalkergp@gmail.com

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 6/26 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: Claudia Keith Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Highlights Other CE Bills News Climate State and Federal Lawsuits By Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator Highlights Over $90M Climate Budget Package Investment Legislation passes both chambers and moves to the Governor. “ Climate Resilience Package Investment ( HB 3409 , HB 3630 ): Invests $90 million in community-focused and forward-looking solutions to increase our energy efficiency, keep Oregonians safe from extreme weather, maximizing federal funding opportunities, and build a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable energy system.” From Rep. Tawna Sanchez’s 6/26/23 newsletter: “Finally, I voted to pass HB 3409 and HB 3630, which together invest $100 million to bring in over $1 billion in federal matching funds to address the rapidly worsening impacts of climate change in Oregon.” “$90 million Climate Budget Framework Invests in Sustainable, Resilient Future for Oregon Investments to lower utility costs, reduce building emissions, empower landowners to participate in the green economy, incentivize carbon sequestration, and improve disaster resilience.” HB 3409A Climate Budget Package passes along party lines $61.7M Fiscal . HB 3630A Energy Budget Package passes along party lines $4.7M Fiscal . Here’s an unverified list of original bill numbers passed in policy committees included in these two packages. · RE Building Policy Bills (SB 868, 869, 870, 871, HB 3166) · State Energy Strategy and Resilience Planning (HB 2534 & 3378) · Community Resilience Hubs (HB 2990) · Community Green Infrastructure Act AKA TREES Act (HB 3016) · Woody Biomass for Low-Carbon Fuels (HB 3590) · Environmental Justice and Tribal Navigator (SB 852) · Medium and Heavy-Duty EV Incentives (HB 2714) · Renewable Energy Siting (HB 3181) · Natural Climate Solutions (SB 530) · Climate Action Modernization (SB 522) · Residential Solar Rebate Program Extension (HB 3418) · Residential Heat Pump Program Extension (HB 3056) · Climate Protection Program Fee Bill (HB 3196) · Harmful Algal Blooms (HB 2647) · Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (HB 2021, 2021) The $90M investment includes some state agency budget POPs. Oregon GHGE reduction targets by decade were not updated to reflect current best available science / UN IPCC aspirational goals. The State of Oregon and many Oregon jurisdictions are not aligned with 2023 IPCC goals nor ‘Juliana v US‘ federal lawsuit (return to 350 ppm C02 by 2100, and or by 2100 limiting global warming to 1.5-degree Celsius). Another disappointment was the watered-down Building Resilience policy related to building codes. The League is disappointed. At this time Oregon will not be added to this EDF (Environmental Defense Fund) list of U.S. states that have meaningful binding economy-wide climate target statutes . We are hopeful the Governor, the new Climate Action Commission, and legislative leadership will address this issue in 2024. Other CE Bills By Claudia Keith and Greg Martin HB 2763 Enrolled passed and moved to the governor; creates a State Public Bank Task Force, League Testimony . Like the 2022 session RB task force, a 23-member Task Force is required to recommend no later than January 2024. “ The report must include a recommendation for a governing structure for a public bank.” HB 3179 B , Renewable Energy Permitting Process, passed and moved to the Governor. On June 23 the House concurred with a Senate amendment to the A-Engrossed bill. To issue a land use permit for a larger solar power facility as authorized by the bill, the county must require the applicant to provide a decommissioning plan, bonded or otherwise secured, to restore the site to a "useful, nonhazardous condition." The Senate on June 23 passed HB 3550 by a vote of 18-6-6. The bill requires a state agency that buys or leases a light-duty vehicle on or after 1/1/2025 to buy only a ZEV unless the agency finds that a ZEV is not feasible for the specified use, in which case the vehicle bought or leased must be able to operate with an environmentally acceptable alternate fuel or as a low-emission vehicle. To the maximum extent economically feasible, DAS must use biofuels or biofuel-derived electricity instead of diesel for facilities or machinery the department acquires, designs, builds, completes, maintains, or operates as stationary or backup generation for heat and power systems. The introduced bill was not amended by either chamber. End of Session Full JWM Budget Reconciliation Bill, HB 5506 A tentative list of Climate related line items in HB 5506: -Oregon Worker Relief Climate Change Fund $1M Section 309 -OSU Climate Services. $250K Section 64 HECC - DLCD Climate Friendly. & Equitable Community $3.0 M Section 148 and 149 - DOE Hydrogen Hub, cooling study, and energy development position $951.6K. sect: 176 -DOE Staff to support administration of new energy programs $513K sect: 177 - Renewable and Solar $60M (sections 172 - 175) - City of Milwaukee $375K solar project - Streetcar System - Salem. $250K (Cherriots - Study the feasibility of developing a rail streetcar system in the City of Salem) Other Related Climate News Lawmakers vote to protect water, prevent wildfires and guard against the effects of climate change – Oregon Capital Chronicle, $90 Million Climate Budget Framework Invests in Sustainable, Resilient Future for Oregon,| Legislature Press Release, Senate Democrats Protect Oregon’s Families and Future in Every Corner of the State with Historic Climate Package | Legislature Press Release, Oregon legislature passes major bill package to address climate change , invest in clean energy, sends to Governor's desk | EO. Climate County, State and Federal Lawsuits Multnomah County in Oregon Sues Fossil Fuel Companies Over 2021 Heat Wave - The New York Times , US climate change lawsuit seeks $50 billion , citing 2021 heat wave | Reuters, Multnomah County sues fossil fuel companies for nearly $52 billion over heat dome – OPB, Held v. Montana is first youth-led climate change suit to go to trial | Fast Co. June 2023 Updates to the Climate Case Chart | Sabin Center for Climate Change Law Columbia University Volunteers Urgently Needed By Claudia Keith Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy areas: · Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA · Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation and Renewable Energy · Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust · Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) · Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) · State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) · CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets · Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - 3/4 Governance Team Coordinator: Norman Turrill Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Campaign Finance Other Governance Bills Privacy & AI, Elections, & In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt Campaign Finance By Norman Turrill An amazingly historic thing happened with campaign finance reform as explained here in the Capital Chronicle . The League initially opposed HB 4024 ; see the League’s written testimony . After over a week of private negotiations, a new -5 amendment and then a -8 amendment were posted for the Wednesday 3/6 House Rules work session . The good government groups were able to negotiate some 40 changes to the previously-proposed amendments, enough to make the bill acceptable and to avoid a huge ballot measure fight in the November election. The agreement included IP 9 and IP 42 being withdrawn and HB 4024 not being referred to the ballot. The bill then quickly passed the House floor 52 to 5, a Senate Rules hearing and work session, and the Senate floor 22 to 6 on the last day of the session. Only Gov. Kotek’s signature is now required. We should be clear: Campaign finance reform is not finished in Oregon. There will undoubtedly be adjustments attempted in the 2025 long legislative session. The contributions limits in HB 2024 are way too high, and the disclosure of donors and dark money that pay for advertising, needs more work. The Secretary of State will need funding to implement the bill by its 2027 effective date. And we still need public funding of campaigns as in other states. Other Governance Bills HB 4021 A , which requires the Governor to fill a vacancy in the office of U.S. Senator by appointment within 30 days until a special election can fill the vacancy, passed the House floor 35 to 22. However, it stalled after a 3/5 hearing in Senate Rules and was still in committee on adjournment. HB 4026 Enrolled, was amended in House Rules to retroactively prohibit the use of a referendum on any urban growth boundary expansion. This blocks a referendum in the City of North Plains in Washington County. The LWVOR submitted written testimony opposing the amendment and saying the bill is likely unconstitutional and may invite a lawsuit. The bill passed the House 49 to 5 and then the Senate 25 to 3. See also the Land Use Section of the Natural Resources Legislative Report. HB 4031 Enrolled was amended in House Revenue to protect any local government tax payer information from disclosure. It passed the House 57 to 0 and then the Senate 26 to 3. HB 4032 , which would remove the requirement that the word “incumbent” appear on the ballot with the name of incumbent candidates for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Oregon Tax Court, and circuit court, had a public hearing but no further action in House Rules. HB 4117 Enrolled, which authorizes the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to issue advisory opinions on the application of the public meetings law, and which is a correction to a bill passed in 2023 session, passed the House immediately and unanimously. The bill then passed the Senate 30 to 0. SB 1502 Enrolled requires public schools and college boards to live stream their meetings and post the meeting recordings on their websites and social media sites. It allows remote testimony for most school and college board meetings. The bill passed the Senate 29 to 1. The bill then passed the House 55 to 1. SB 1538 A , an election law clean-up bill that makes many changes, was passed by the Senate as amended on 20 to 10 vote. House Rules then amended the bill to allow the Legislature to write the ballot title and explanatory statement for any constitutional amendment referred to the ballot during this session. The House then passed the bill 45 to 6, and the Senate quickly concurred with the House amendment 22 to 7. Privacy & AI, Elections, & In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt By Rebecca Gladstone The 2024 short session adjourned congenially before the final deadline. These bills passed, supported with League testimony: Campaign Finance Reform, HB 4024 , see above. AI, to disclose synthetic media use in campaign SB 1571 A . The Senate concurred with House amendments passing the bill on partisan lines. We look forward to pressing for attention to protect our elections and for other cybersecurity and privacy concerns. The Senate Memorial Commemoration for Alice Bartelt, SCR 203 passed unanimously from the House floor, some excused, and it has been filed with the Secretary of State. RIP Alice. Increase Voters’ Pamphlet languages SB 1533 passed in the House with some excused. Not passing out of committee: Automatic Voter Registration for students SB 1577 -3 due to widely shared concerns for practical implementation, including from the League, despite generally supporting expanding automatic voter registration.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 6/9 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Please see Natural Resources Overview here . Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Bottle Bill Update Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Forestry Governance Land Use & Housing Recycling State Land Board (SLB) Transportation Water Wildfire AGRICULTURE By Sandra U. Bishop OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT The first meeting of the Farm Stand Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) was held on May 16th. ( OAR 660-033-0130: Regarding farm stands in exclusive farm use (EFU) zones and agri-tourism) The meetings are live-streamed and recorded and may be reviewed on the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) YouTube channel . The 20-member RAC is expected to meet 4 or 5 times. The public hearing will likely be in September 2025. The public comment period for this rulemaking will close October 5, 2025. To submit public comment please email written comments to: farmforest.comment@dlcd.oregon.gov Comments must be in writing to be considered part of the rulemaking record. People may also make brief public comments at the RAC meetings . Rulemaking webpage AIR QUALITY SB 726 A would direct the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt rules requiring the use of advanced methane detection technology for surface emissions monitoring at municipal solid waste landfills, beginning 1/1/2027. The A7 amendment limits the bill's application to a landfill located in Benton County (e.g., Coffin Butte). Passed the House and repassed the Senate. Awaiting Governor’s signature. Related to this bill is HB 3794 , a bill that would create a Task Force on Municipal Solid Waste in the Willamette Valley. HB 3794 is sitting in Ways and Means. BOTTLE BILL UPDATE By Sandra U. Bishop The omnibus bottle bill SB 992 A , a conglomeration of several bills introduced this session to address problems with beverage container redemption in the Portland area, has been signed by the Governor! BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources. However, there are currently over 500 bills in Joint Ways and Means, with many of the agency budget bills now moving through that committee and to the floor and then on to the Governor. Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 Both bills passed Full Ways and Means and the Senate. Headed to the House floor for a final vote. Five bills related to department’s various fee increases also passed Full Ways and Means. HB 2805 Relating to food establishment licenses ( Meeting Materials ), HB 2806 Relating to license fees for commercial instruments ( Meeting Materials ), HB 2809 Relating to pesticide registration fees ( Meeting Materials ), SB 1019 A Relating to brands ( Meeting Materials ), SB 832 A Relating to civil penalties for laws implemented by the State Department of Agriculture ( Meeting Materials ) Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 LFO Recommendation The bill passed Ways and Means and the Senate and House. Awaiting the Governor’s signature. Dept. of Environmental Quality: SB 5520 League testimony . LFO Recommendation and Meeting Materials The bill passed Full Ways and Means after a contentious discussion. Passed the Senate (17-11 with 2 excused). Now it goes to the House floor. As a major regulatory agency, this agency struggles to gain bipartisan support. Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 and Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 Meeting Materials . Bills passed the Senate 18-10 with 2 excused. Awaiting a vote in the House. Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 ( LFO Recommendation ), along with HB 2342 A ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to fees concerning wildlife, HB 2343 A ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to the Columbia Basin endorsement and HB 2345 ( LFO Recommendation ) Relating to Oregon hatcheries. These three bills passed Full Ways and Means on June 6 and now head to chamber floors. Conservationists, with HB 2977 (a -2 amendment has been filed), would add 1% (or 1.5%) for conservation programs. That additional money would go to a special Fund at the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. It had a hearing in House Revenue on May 8. Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . Meeting Materials ; Work Session was set for May 27 and then cancelled. New Work Session June 5 where it passed the Subcommittee. LFO Recommendation The budget recommended that payroll be transferred to the Dept. of Administrative Services. POP 801 provides funding for the Private Forest Accord and Habitat Conservation Plan work. HB 2072, Harvest Tax, LFO Recommendation . Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI): HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials LWVOR testimony LWVOR supports SB 836 , a bill that would significantly increase permit fees for mining related activities. See the agency’s presentation to understand the reasons for these increases. A public hearing was held on May 19 and the League provided verbal testimony on the proposed amendment. A Work Session was held May 28 where the -4 amendment was adopted. A work session was held on June 3. The LFO Recommendation for HB 5010 included additional staff related to the SB 836 fee increase, the carbon sequestration and e-permitting project. There were two budget notes, both of which the League can support related to reporting on the e-permitting project and the audit report done in April. Here is the LFO Recommendation for SB 836. Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 Governor’s budget DLCD Fact Sheet Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony . The budget is set for a work session in the Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 9. This budget and the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget ( HB 5011 ) have been part of a challenging conversation between the Governor and the Ways and Means Co-Chairs with the Governor’s recommended budget being more than the May revenue forecast can afford. Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Public hearing Feb. 27 LWVOR testimony . The bill passed Full Ways and Means and the Senate. Is awaiting a vote in the House. Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB): HB 5021 and HB 2558 A modifies the definition of "charter guide" for purposes of outfitter and guide laws and HB 2982 A , a bill that increases boating permit costs estimated to increase revenue to OSMB by about $1 million for the 2025-27 biennium, most of which will be used to address Aquatic and Invasive Species (AIS) management in partnership with the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife were considered together. Here is the Legislative Fiscal Office recommendation for each of the three bills. HB 5021, HB 2558 and HB 2982 all passed the House chamber. Awaiting a vote in the Senate. Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 LWVOR testimony in support. LFO 2025-27 budget recommendation . LFO budget recommendation for SB 147. Both bills passed the Senate and the House. Awaiting the Governor’s signature. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 info hearings March 3-4, public hearing March 5. Meeting Materials LWVOR testimony in part to address comments by the Legislative Fiscal Office. The bill passed Full Ways and Means and is now headed to the House and Senate chambers. LFO Recommendation . There is a bill related to contracting rules that is passing and another, SB 565 , that would move the Capitol State Park back to the control of the Dept. of Administrative Services. Back in 2007, the League objected to the move to State Parks as a cost burden to Parks, but it was approved in part because of the lottery revenue available while the General Fund was struggling. Now the reverse is true. We understand that this bill may not move this session but may come back in 2026 where the League may be called on to engage. Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Sheet Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Info Mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 18-20. Meeting Materials . LWVOR testimony . And the fee bills: support HB 2808 (Bill moved to Ways and Means) and support HB 2803 (The - 3 amendment was adopted, reducing the fees significantly which will cause the department a revenue shortfall should the amendment stand the scrutiny of Ways and Means where it now lies.) The budget and fee bills are scheduled for a work session in Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 10 along with HB 3544A , a bill that revises current statutes on contested case procedures related to new water right applications and water right transfer applications (contested cases). Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-27 LWVOR testimony . Meeting Materials . Work Session June 2 where it passed the Subcommittee and passed Full Ways and Means on June 6 . Now headed to both chambers for a vote. LFO Recommendation Of special interest to the League is converting a staffer from “limited duration” (only through a biennium) permanent to oversee the agency’s land and water acquisitions, stewardship activities, the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP) and the Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP) Program. The League has supported the DWSP Program. We were disappointed that no additional monies were added to the program under this budget bill and will continue to hope for an infusion of monies by the end of session. However, the OAHP received another $2 million General Funds. We see nothing in the bill for funding the Climate Fund for the current biennium. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Info mtg. & Public hearing Feb. 25-26. Work Session June 2 where it passed the Subcommittee and passed Full Ways and Means on June 6 . Now headed to both chambers for a vote. LFO Recommendation Oregon Dept. of Transportation (ODOT): SB 5541 info hearing 3/03-6, public hearing 3/11. The League signed on to a letter in support of increased transit funding. The Joint Committee on Transportation ended its work on May 23rd but a new committee ( Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment ) has taken over in hopes of coming to agreement on a comprehensive package before the end of session. On June 6, notice was given that a proposed package will be heard next week. This budget will await those actions. Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Info hearings 4/29-30. Public hearing May 1st. Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium. Public hearing May 9 and May 16.. The League supported two of the requests: $160 million for preservation of rental housing and $25 million to preserve manufactured housing and $100 million Housing Infrastructure Fund in Section 14. There are over $2 billion in requests for a variety of projects around Oregon! Emergency Board: HB 5006 This bill will be populated with an amount for the Emergency Board to spend at will and amounts in Special Purpose Appropriations if needed when the legislature is not in session. General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium. Public hearing held April 18. Second public hearing, this time on university and community college requests, was held May 2. Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, payment of expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) Public hearing held May 2. CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. There are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL ISSUES Cuts to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will affect Oregon coastal communities per this article in Columbia Insight. “ Lower catch limits for fish and compromised maritime safety are just some of the ways Trump’s proposed budget could weaken the Pacific Northwest. In the Pacific Northwest, cuts to NOAA are likely to negatively impact everyone from fishers and crabbers to rural communities responding to climate change. Cuts to NOAA are also likely to make it harder to track and respond to environmental harms, including climate change impacts, as well as threats to the health of our region’s fisheries and the safety of the food it produces.” OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION The League supports HB 3580 eelgrass stabilization LWVOR signed letter of support and HB 3587A Protection of Rocky Habitat LWVOR signed letter of support ( fiscal impact statement ). To help these bills get funded, consider LWVOR’s Action Alert . The League signed on to a letter of support for HB 3963 , a bill that extends the timeline for the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development to provide a report on offshore wind conversations from 2025 to 2027. A public hearing was held May 19. The League signed on to testimony in support. A work session was held May 29 where the bill passed committee in a partisan vote. The bill passed the House floor (34/18 with 2 excused) and now is headed to the Senate chamber for a vote. OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) is currently developing its 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy. Draft Strategy The OCMP has selected to focus on wetlands, coastal hazards, and ocean resources in this 2026-2030 planning horizon. See the Draft Assessment and Strategy and provide feedback during the comment period of May 12 - June 12, 2025. The draft 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy can be found on their Public Comment webpage . Please provide comments on or before June 12. Send comments: E-mail Comments: coastal.policy@dlcd.oregon.gov Written Comments: OCMP-DLCD, 635 Capitol St. NE, Suite 150, Salem, OR 97301-2540. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch SB 1154 was filed by the Governor to address the groundwater/nitrate issue in Morrow and Umatilla counties per this OPB article . See also in the Water section for a presentation of interest. The bill has a public hearing and possible work session for June 9 in Senate Rules. An A3 amendment is posted. DEPT. OF GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES (DOGAMI) By Joan Fryxell The Grassy-Mountain Gold Project Technical Review Team will meet June 16th. Information can be found here . The League continues to follow this project as the first consolidated permitting project to be held in Oregon. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) The ESRF Board of Directors will meet in North Bend June 11, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The public may attend in person or via Zoom. Click here to download the meeting agenda and materials . FORESTRY The Board of Forestry met June 4 and 5 per this press release . May 30: Today, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) deployed 14 firefighters to Alberta, Canada, four firefighters to Alaska, three to Minnesota, and one to Florida. With fire season beginning in some parts of the state, this will be the agency’s last big out-of-state resource push until the rainy fall returns in Oregon. ODF is continuing to sign mutual aid contracts with states around the country as each needs help during their specific fire seasons. GOVERNANCE HB 3569 , a bill that would require a Chief Sponsor (legislator) of a bill to be a part of a rules advisory committee (RAC) for legislation they had a hand in passing, passed the House. The League provided testimony with our concerns and opposition to the bill. The bill passed Senate Rules on June 5 and now goes to the Senate floor for a vote. The League continues to have discussions with Legislative Leadership and the Governor’s office on these RACs bills, explaining our concerns. Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we regularly comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures. The League joined others in sharing concerns about this bill to members of House Rules. It was pulled from the scheduled work session on May 28th. The League continues to follow the bills listed on the March 17 agenda of the Senate Committee On Rules since some of the bills relate to the process of rulemaking ( SB 437 , SB 1006 , SB 370 , SB 483 ) and SB 411 , SB 895 also in Senate Rules. HB 2454 passed House Rules with the -1 amendment and sent to Ways and Means. The bill creates a new Audits Officer (with possible additional staff). The Jt. Audits Committee would hire the Officer. From Leader Bowman’s office: “ HB 2454 changes the statutory authority related to audits and audit reviews from the Legislative Fiscal Office to the Legislative Audit Officer (LAO) and authorizes the LAO to hire necessary staff to carry out assigned functions. The LAO and his/her staff will be housed under the new Legislative Performance Oversight and Government Accountability Office. The bill does substitute LFO for the LAO on a number of responsibilities. LFO will continue fiscal analyses and other duties, while audits and oversight will be housed under the LAO.” We are concerned with HB 3382 , since the requirements of the Secretary of State to gather ALL the state agencies’ rulemaking, including all materials, would be overwhelming. Individual state agencies provide that information on their rulemaking websites. A work session was held May 28 where the -2 amendment was adopted to delay the web work and the bill sent to Ways and Means. Separately, the League was invited to a conversation among state agency rules staff on addressing concerns of the Governor and in an attempt to standardize the process statewide. The Governor has provided Rulemaking Guidance to state agencies: This document includes questions received from agencies since the Governor’s letter. This document includes additional resources for agencies including direction to post updates to the Transparency site, a website template that agencies can use (if they choose) to develop their pages, and links to other comprehensive agency rule making sites to review. There is a broader discussion to increase transparency and consistency in the state agencies’ rulemaking process. A second meeting related to the state agency rules process is set for June with an invitation to the League to continue to participate. See also the Governance section of this Legislative Report. LAND USE & HOUSING By Sandra U. Bishop/Peggy Lynch HB 2647 passed the House floor and was assigned to the Senate Housing and Development Committee where it passed the committee with the A 5 amendment , passed the Senate and has returned to the House floor for concurrence. The League provided testimony in support of HB 3939 , a bill that provides a list of infrastructure projects to fund for smaller Oregon cities so they can build more housing. We have also supported HB 3031 A (already sitting in Ways and Means) but know there might be limited dollars this session so called out that link in our letter. The -1 amendment to HB 3939 was adopted and the bill moved to Ways and Means. HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. HB 2316 -4 frees up approximately 3,500 acres of state land of which can now be used for housing production, all within the urban growth boundaries. It provides revenue to the state from the sale of the land, and it also provides revenue to our cities because the land becomes taxable for property taxes five years after purchase. The bill was sent to Revenue where a public hearing was held on May 15 and a work session was held May 27. The A6 amendment was adopted and the bill sent to Ways and Means. HB 2138 , the Governor’s follow up on the middle housing bill has a work session along with the Housing agency’s budget bill on June 10. “ The measure expands and streamlines middle housing requirements, applies them to more jurisdictions and certain unincorporated areas, clarifies definitions, and sets new deadlines for local governments to update land use regulations accordingly. It removes private covenants restricting middle housing or accessory dwelling units, eases traffic analysis requirements for small middle housing developments, and allows density bonuses for projects that include accessible or affordable units. The measure revises and simplifies the expedited land division process, limiting public notice and appeals, and requires local governments to process certain partitions as expedited if requested. It allows single room occupancies to be developed in greater numbers where multiunit housing is allowed, with capped parking requirements. It also directs the Land Conservation and Development Commission to adopt rules by 2028 .” The League engaged on elements of this bill over the summer but chose to stay silent due to some of the provisions in the bill. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. RECYCLING RECYCLING FLYER The Recycling Modernization Act that the League supported in 2021 is reaping rewards. Expanded options are coming July 1. Here is a DEQ flyer to help. STATE LAND BOARD (SLB) The State Land Board will meet on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Shutter Creek Facility in North Bend. Among the agenda items are: Appoint the Oregon Department of State Lands Director. (The SLB will meet in executive session on June 9th to consider this appointment.) Begin rulemaking for undersea cables in Oregon’s territorial sea. Acquire an 80-acre parcel of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in La Pine. Authorize a permanent easement on an existing freeway overpass in Portland’s Rose Quarter. Authorize the sale of and release of 274 acres of subsurface rights currently owned by the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) in Morrow County. The Land Board will also hear an update on bills the Department is tracking in the 2025 legislative session, as well as a guest presentation from the Department of Geology and Mineral Industries on geologic carbon sequestration. TRANSPORTATION The latest transportation funding proposal was revealed June 4th by a group of Democratic lawmakers. Per the Oregonian article, it would “significantly boost funding for public transit and climate-friendly pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.” See a flyer briefly describing it. June 6, the House and Senate Republicans released their legislative concept (bill) to fund the transportation budget for 2025. Rep. Susan McLain, Co-Chair of the Transportation Reinvestment Committee, has announced a schedule for hearings on a proposed 2025 transportation plan. The hearing schedule for HB 2025 includes: Monday, June 9, 5 p.m.Informational Hearing Tuesday, June 10, 5 p.m. Public Hearing: Anchor projects and ODOT accountability Wednesday, June 11, 4 p.m. Public Hearing: Transit, rail, bike, and pedestrian safety Thursday, June 12, 4 p.m. Public Hearing: Operations, maintenance, and preservation From Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis: “ The bill, which sounds like it will be officially introduced on Monday will be HB 2025 and seems to try to bridge the Democrats’ initial plan, with this other one from this week that proposed a 100% increase in the gas tax to bring the tax to $.80/gallon (highest in the nation!), a 400% increase in the tax on workers' wages, car sales taxes, and big hikes on title and registration fees, all to fund empty buses, bike lanes, and costly climate initiatives.” WATER By Peggy Lynch A slate of water bills are being considered per this article in the Oregon Capital Chronicle. In an effort to modernize and streamline how state officials allocate what’s left of Oregon’s ground and surface waters, lawmakers are considering a slate of bills meant to get resource agencies collaborating on permitting reform, data collection and “management” rather than “regulation.” The status of the bills covered range from one awaiting the Governor’s signature to the many sitting in Rules Committees where work groups negotiate their content to those sitting in Ways and Means where they may or may not be funded. Due to capacity issues, the League has not engaged in many of these bills. HB 2169 had a work session on June 3 in Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee. LFO Recommendation The bill directs the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to establish and lead an interagency water reuse team to encourage and expand water reuse in Oregon. Full Ways and Means passed the bill on June 6 so it now goes to both chambers for a vote. HB 2947 also had a work session on June 3. “ Directs the Oregon State University Extension Service and the College of Agricultural Sciences of Oregon State University to study the distribution and occurrence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in biosolids applied to agricultural fields that do not produce crops intended for human consumption.” LFO Recommendation . Full Ways and Means passed the bill on June 6 so it now goes to both chambers for a vote. HB 3806 , a bill that authorizes the Oregon Water Resources Commission to approve a Deschutes River water bank pilot program if the charter is approved by the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and adheres to all requirements. It sunsets the pilot program on January 2, 2034, had a work session in Jt. Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources on May 29th. It was noted that funding for this pilot will be provided by the Deschutes River Conservancy. The bill passed and was sent to Full Ways and Means where it passed on June 6 and now goes to both chambers for a vote. LWV Deschutes County submitted a letter in support of SB 427 , a water rights transfer bill meant to protect instream water flows. A work session was held April 8 in Natural Resources and Wildfire, then the bill was sent to Senate Rules. SB 1153 , an alternate bill provided with help from the Governor’s office had a work session April 8 where the bill was sent to Senate Rules. After weeks of negotiations, a public hearing is set for June 3 with a work session held June 5 where no action was taken so a second work session is set for June 9 on SB 1153. A -10 amendment is now proposed. The June 3rd hearing included presentations by the large work group that developed the proposed legislation. “ Directs the Water Resources Department to consider whether certain water right transfers will result in a loss of in-stream habitat for sensitive, threatened or endangered aquatic species in stream reaches not protected by an existing water right or contribute to water quality impairment in water quality limited streams.” Water Right Process Improvements ( HB 3342 ). A - 4 amendment was adopted and the bill passed the House. Amended by the A 8 amendment, it passed the Senate. On May 29th the House concurred with the Senate amendment and passed the House floor and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. Harney Basin Groundwater Management ( HB 3800 ). A work session was held and the bill was sent to House Rules without recommendation as to passage. Water Rights and Public Interest ( HB 3501 ) A work session was held and the bill was referred to House Rules without recommendation as to passage on a 6 to 3 vote. HB 3525 is related to tenants’ right to well water testing. The League submitted testimony in support. House Rules had a public hearing April 30. A work session scheduled for May 12 has been cancelled. A number of amendments have been offered. The controversy seems to be around timelines for testing—how often—and what exactly gets tested. The League hopes to see this bill move forward, even if there are constraints. It would be a beginning and a recognition that water needs to be safe for everyone-homeowners and renters. SUMMER PREPARATION TIPS League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. An Abnormally Dry designation has increased in NE and NW Oregon and now we also see our first level of Drought (Moderate) in some of those areas (over 8% of Oregon is in moderate drought (D1) and over 35% is abnormally dry (D0)). Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon and a long range climate prediction . We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms (HABs). “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Information on current advisories can be found on the OHA’s cyanobacteria bloom webpage at healthoregon.org/hab . The OHA has an online photo gallery to help community members identify signs of potentially harmful blooms. WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers Along with the transportation package, wildfire funding has been a challenge for the legislature. The Governor has weighed in on the concept of taking at least a part of the “kicker” to fund wildfire: lawmakers have an option if they can agree on a better use for the kicker money. With a two-thirds supermajority (meaning at least two Senate Republicans and four House Republicans would need to approve along with all legislative Democrats.) vote in each chamber, they can opt to suspend the refund. That’s happened once since the policy was enacted in the late 70s. Because our Rural Fire Protection Associations (RFPAs) are seeing a huge increase in their fire fees, Rep. Owens has offered the following: “ I introduced HB 3349 and HB 3350 to ensure our RFPAs have access to the tools they need. These bills propose establishing a dedicated funding stream to help RFPAs obtain gear from the Oregon Department of Forestry and better access federal resources. Importantly, this support does not change their volunteer status but simply gives them the resources to be more effective and safe while serving our communities.” Then the House Leadership decided to move SB 83 , which would repeal the State Wildfire Hazard Map and accompanying statues related to it, to House Rules at a Work Session on May 20. It seems that the bill is now being used as trade bait to find funding for wildfire according to a news release from Sen. David Brock Smith. SB 75 A , removes the wildfire hazard map as a guide for allowing ADUs and requiring higher building codes in rural areas. The bill was moved to House Rules on May 22nd by the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment where it is likely to stay while negotiations continue on wildfire funding. The Oregon Capital Insider provides information on the Dept. of Forestry’s budget and what’s happening at the federal level. The League heard a report from ODF staff from a meeting with the USForest Service: The agency is down 1,600 staff nationwide. Currently, they can't work for USFS for 5 years after. That issue is being worked on. Because they may need to bring people back this summer!! In 2024 the USFS had 44 Incident Management Teams. They are down to 37. These are leadership groups "running/management" for fires. They also have issues with "purchase cards"...credit cards used to purchase food/shelter/misc. equipment for fires. AND there are support people who have been let go. Others have chosen to take early retirement. Here is a short report on status of the bills mentioned last week: The Omnibus wildfire funding bill, HB 3940A , had a robust Public Hearing before the House Committee on Revenue on May 1. Legislative Revenue staff provided a table to help understand the various elements of the bill. Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office have stated the minimum annual need for wildfire funding to address the growing wildfire crisis is around $280 million. The bill has a provision related to increasing the bottle deposit to help pay for wildfire funding. This provision was widely opposed, but another concept has been floated where the unclaimed deposits (now used to help pay for the collection system) would be instead used for wildfire funding. This bill is still part of the wildfire funding conversation. SB 1177 is still before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. It had a public hearing on April 7. This bill would establish the Oregon Wildfire Mitigation and Adaptation Fund and redirect the “kicker” to it, one- time, for financing wildfire related expenses, by using the interest earned. A 5% return would yield approximately $170-180 million per year, or just over half of the aforementioned projected ongoing costs to fund wildfire mitigation and suppression. (The Governor has expressed interest in using only the amount of kicker that would go to large income earners for wildfire costs.) SJR 11 also remains before the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue after its April 7 public hearing. It would dedicate a fixed, to-be-determined percentage of net proceeds of the State Lottery to a wildfire fund created by the Legislature. Its passage would mean an amendment to the Oregon Constitution, which would have to go to the voters for approval. Finally, HB 3489 , which imposes a severance tax on owners of timber harvested from public or private forestland, had a Public Hearing April 24 before the House Committee on Revenue. The League has supported a severance tax in past sessions and provided testimony at the hearing. The League is also still following other non-funding related bills, such as SB 926 , which would prohibit the recovery of certain costs and expenses from customers that an electric company incurs as a result of allegations of a wildfire resulting from the negligence or fault on the part of the electric company. It was passed by the Senate and had a work session on May 20 in the House Committee on Judiciary where the A 10 amendment was adopted. The Speaker sent the bill to Ways and Means. HB 3666 remains in the Rules Committee. This bill would establish wildfire mitigation actions and an accompanying certification for electric utilities in an attempt to standardize their approach. SB 1051 , which transfers the authority to appoint a State Forester from the State Board of Forestry to the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, is scheduled for a Work Session June 11 in the Senate Rules Committee where amendments may be considered. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Climate Emergency , Revenue , Governance , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 6/9 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: Claudia Keith Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here. Jump to a topic: Federal Oregon Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics Environmental Justice Bills Natural and Working Lands Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment Oregon Treasury Other Climate Bills Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee Chamber Votes Just 22 days left until the end of session. Priority Climate Emergency legislation policy and related budgets are dependent on an end of session collaborative process. Related, the numerous federal budgeting issues (including timing issues) and active court cases, add to the challenges. ‘Legislature heading toward a bumpy ending ’ Oregon Capital Insider. Special Session? The League is aware of a possible special Sept session that could address some of these issues. Progress: On June 3 Senate passed the POWER Act, HB 3546 Enrolled , with amendments , June 5 House passed. Once House Speaker and Senate President sign, it will be on its way to the Governor. ‘Oregon Legislature passes ‘POWER Act,’ targeting industrial energy users like data centers’ – OPB Four of six Dept of Energy ODOE 2025 Legislative bills have passed , 5/29/25 Session Update . Federal While the primary focus of the LWVOR Action Committee is on Legislation in Oregon, what is happening at the federal level is likely to affect budgeting and other decisions in our state. US Senate panel seeks to cut unspent US climate , clean energy funds | Reuters How Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ hits wind, solar and batteries | EEnews Science policy this week : Jun 2, 2025 - AIP.ORG (American Institute of Physics AIP.ORG ) 
 How the Five Pillars of U.S. Climate Policy are Threatened – Environmental and Energy Law Program | Harvard Oregon Oregon Got a Massive Federal Recovery Grant After 2020 Wildfires. Most of the Money Remains Unspent .| Willamette Week Progressive Democrats unveil plan for transportation funding driven by doubling of gas tax Oregon Capital Chronicle 6-4-25 Oregon Victory for Oregonians: We Passed the POWER Act!| Latest News | News | Oregon CUB Oregon Bills Would Advance Microgrids by Creating Resiliency Corridors and Boosting Community Powers . (With increasing numbers of outages due to wildfires and storms in Oregon and the Northwest, a coalition of stakeholders helped develop two bills now in the Oregon Legislature that aim to overcome regulatory and other barriers to microgrid development.) | Microgrid Knowledge May 2025. Joint Ways and Means CE Funding Topics The League supports full funding for all the following 5 JWM budget topics: 1). Transportation ODOT Package Priorities The League supports OCN and other statewide NGO budget priorities: Increase funding above 2017 levels for public transit
 
 
 Increase funding above 2017 levels for a safe, complete multimodal system (i.e. GreatStreets, Safe Routes to School, Oregon Community Paths, and bike/ped both on-street and trails, etc.) 
 
 
 Dedicated or increased revenue for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicle incentives, including for charging and purchasing of ZEVs (🡪 See NR LR for additional details) 
 
 
 ( Please see Natural Resources Legislative Report on Transportation) 2) Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability The League joined a coalition sign-on letter in April r equesting funding to support building resilience. The goal is to use affordable measures to protect people from extreme weather. 3). One Stop Shop 2.0/Energy Efficiency Navigation ( HB 3081A ): In JWM: This bill would create a navigation program at ODOE to help Oregonians access federal, state, local, and utility energy efficiency incentives all in one place 4). Get the Junk Out of Rates ( SB 88 ): still in Senate Rules: This bill would stop utilities from charging certain expenses like lobbying, advertising, association fees to customers. Protecting Oregonians with Energy Responsibility (POWER Act) ( HB 3546 ): This bill ensures Oregon households are not unfairly burdened by large energy users with grid and transmission costs. 5). Full Funding for Climate Resilience programs Reinvesting the same amount as last biennium in three programs: 
 
 Rental Home Heat Pump Program (ODOE), $30m 
 
 
 Community Heat Pump Deployment Program (ODOE), $15m 
 
 
 Community Resilience Hubs (OREM), $10m ( House Bill 3170 ) 
 
 
 Environmental Justice Bills. (disadvantaged communities) HB 3170 : Community Resilience Hubs and networks : Fiscal $10M Work Session 3/4, passed to JWM, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. League testimony 
 
 
 
 HB2548 : new 5/23 amendment and new SMS now. An agriculture workforce labor standards study, HR PH was 5/29. New -7 amendment changing the bill to a study with $616K fiscal. League Testimony . Natural and Working Lands HB 3489 Timber Severance Tax. House Committee on Revenue. League Testimony for original bill and for -1 Amendment . 
 
 
 
 
 HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM NR SC, League testimony 


 
 
 HB 3103A – work session was 3/31. Moved to JWM, Overweight Timber Harvest , League Testimony , new adopted -5 amendment . 
 
 
 
 Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Emergency Management Package Update By Claudia Keith HB 2152 : Testimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed, moved to Joint Ways and Means (JWM) -2 amendments , Staff Measure Summar y (SMS). $1M+ fiscal 
 
 
 
 
 HB 2949 : T estimony ; work session held 4/8 , passed to JWM w -5 amendment new SMS. Fiscal is not available, will be completed if the bill gets a hearing in JWM NR SC. 
 
 
 
 
 HB 3450 A Testimony , work session held, 4/8 passed adopted amendment -1 . fisca l >1M$. referred to JWM 4/11 
 
 
 
 
 Early in the 2025 legislative session, the Oregon League testified in support of what are now HB 2949 A and HB 2152 A . Each bill focused on the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub. Recently both bills passed out of the House Emergency Management, General Management and Veterans Committee, chaired by Representative Tran. HB 2949 passed with unanimous approval. On Wednesday, May 28, the League of Women Voters of Oregon, and the League of Women Voters of Portland, helped co-sponsor an online presentation titled: " T he Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub is a Ticking Time Bomb. Why is that a Statewide Danger? ". Our goal was to engage residents across the state. We were pleased that 68 people from 6 different counties and affiliated with 16 organizations attended. Nikki Mandell, a retired history professor, provided an overview of the CEI Hub, discussed potential statewide impacts in the event of an earthquake, then turned to a discussion of the bills. Now we are waiting for the bills to be assigned to a subcommittee of the Joint Ways and Means Committee. See CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis (The study, Impacts of Fuel Releases from the CEI Hub, is intended to characterize and quantify the anticipated damages from the CEI Hub in the event of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) Earthquake.) See Climate Emergency April 28: CEI emergency management package update. The Bigger Picture: ASCE's ( American Society of Civil Engineers , founded in 1852), Oregon received a C- grade Infrastructure Report Card . Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment At this point in the session, it is doubtful SJR 28 has enough support to move out of Sen Rules. SJR 28 proposed -1 amendment , Environmental Rights Constitutional amendment (ERA) S enate Joint Resolution - with referral to the 2026 ballot, public hearing was 3/26 . The League provided support with comments testimony . The bill is in Senate Rules , so the Legislative first chamber deadlines are not applicable. A Work Session is not yet scheduled. The -1 a mendment is a partial rewrite and may address the League’s concerns. The OCERA coalition appears to be planning a ballot initiative campaign. ‘ Supporters of Oregon Green Amendment rally at the Oregon State Capitol ‘ | Salem Statesman Journal. Oregon Treasury: Oregon Divest/ Environmental, Social, and Governance Updates By Claudia Keith Oregon Divest / ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance Updates HB 2081A : Senate vote will be 6/9. Senate Finance and Revenue WS was 6/2. Directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to take certain actions to manage the risks of climate change to the Public Employees Retirement Fund. Passed House along party lines. WS Senate Finance & Rev was 5/28. Oregon Public Financing / BANK 

 HB 2966 A: Establishes the State Public Financing / public bank Task Force, Work Session was 3/6/2025 passed to Joint Ways and Means (JWM), fiscal: .94M League Testimony Other Climate Bills HB 3963 Offshore Wind: Senate vote June 9, House passed June 5. Extends the deadline from Sept 1, 2025, to Jan 1, 2027, for the DLCD to draft and submit a report to the Legislative Assembly on the department's activities to develop an Offshore Wind Roadmap and its assessment of enforceable state policies related to offshore wind energy development off the Oregon coast. 
 HB 2566 A : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects , Work Session was 3/20, moved to JWM, Rep Gamba was the only nay. At the request of Governor Tina Kotek (H CEE), DOE presentation 


 
 HB 3365 B: Senate vote 6/9. climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, League Testimony , NO Fiscal noted , Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, Rep McDonald 


 
 SB 688 A: -5 , Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, PH 3/12,& 3/19, work session was 3/24, updated $ 974K fiscal , moved to JWM , Sub Cmt Natural Resources. League testimony , Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham 
 SB 827A : Solar and Storage Rebate , SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate voted 21-7, moved to House 3/4, House passed, 5/20. Governor signed 5/28 
 HB 3546 Enrolled , POWER Act , Senate passed 6/3 House concurred 6/5. new GIS The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. (data centers and other high-volume users). These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. NO Fiscal, The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter . 

 
 HB 3189 in JWM . Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV , Citizens Utility Board CUB presentation here . 
 
 
 
 SB 1143A : -3 , moved to JWM, with bipartisan vote, PH was 3/19, Work session was 4/7 SEE, PUC established a pilot program that allows each natural gas Co to develop a utility-scale thermal energy network (TEN) pilot project to provide heating and cooling services to customers. Senator Lieber, Sollman, Representative Levy B, Senator Smith DB, Representative Andersen, Marsh. Example: Introduction to the MIT Thermal Energy Networks (MITTEN) Plan for Rapid and Cost-Effective Campus Decarbonization. HB 3609 work session 4/8, moved to JWM. The measure requires electric companies to develop and file with the Oregon Public Utility Commission a distributed power plant program for the procurement of grid services from customers of the electric company who enroll in the program. HB 3653 Enrolled Gov signed 5/27 Allows authorized state agencies to enter into energy performance contracts without requiring a competitive procurement if the authorized state agency follows rules that the Attorney General adopts, negotiates a performance guarantee, and enters into the contract with a qualified energy service company that the ODOE prequalifies and approves. 
 
 HB 2065 A and HB 2066 A : Microgrid Package in JWM – see League sign on letter. Climate Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Here is one example of how to track ODEQ Climate Protection Program cases. Basically, there are a number of active federal lawsuits , Climate Litigation May 30 Updates Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 85 lawsuits , (active and dismissed) mentioning Oregon. No new press releases from OCT. Highlights of House and Senate Policy Committee and Chamber Votes June 3 By a vote of 18-12, the Senate passed HB 3546 B (the POWER Act), the top priority bill on this week's OCN Hot List. It orders the PUC to create a service classification for large energy use facilities, principally data centers and crypto mining facilities. Rates for this customer class would have to be proportional to the costs of serving them. (Currently, such users are classified as industrial customers, which pay the lowest rate for electricity, followed by commercial and then residential customers.) The PUC would have to require electric utilities to enter into a long-term (at least 10 years) contract with such users to pay a minimum amount or percentage for the contract term, which could include a charge for excess demand. The bill would apply only to large users that apply for service on or after the effective date of the act, or that make significant investments or incur costs after the effective date that could result in increased costs or risks to other retail customers. On June 5th, the House concurred with the Senate amendments and repassed the bill 37-17. June 4 By a vote of 32-22, the House passed SB 685 A , r equiring a natural gas utility to notify each customer and the PUC if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen blended with natural gas and the ratio of the volume of hydrogen to the volume of natural gas will exceed 2.5% for the first time. A utility that has a program for blending hydrogen with natural gas must maintain information about the program on its website, including how a customer may communicate with the utility about the program. June 4: The Senate concurred with House amendments to SB 726 B and repassed the bill by 18-12. The House had narrowed the focus of municipal landfills' required methane emissions monitoring to Benton County, targeting Coffin Butte. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED : What is your passion related to Climate Emergency ? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The short legislative session begins in January of 2026. Many State Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of climate or natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, or Claudia Keith Climate Emergency at peggylynchor@gmail.com Or climatepolicy@lwvor.org . Training will be offered. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Revenue , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report section

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 2/17 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Air Quality Agriculture Bottle Bills Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Dept. Of State Lands (DSL) Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) Emergency Services Forestry (ODF) Governance Land Use & Housing Natural Resources Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) State Land Board Water Weather Wetlands Wildfire AIR QUALITY Bills we are watching: SB 726 : Requires the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to conduct surface emissions monitoring and report data as specified in the Act. LWVOR to support. HB 3244 : Replaces the requirement that an owner or operator of a municipal solid waste incinerator conduct continuous monitoring or sampling of specified air contaminants with a requirement that the monitoring or sampling be conducted annually. LWVOR would oppose. The bill relates to the Reworld facility out of Keizer and League members have testified of their concerns in past years. AGRICULTURE By Sandra Bishop Chair Jeff Golden announced four specific Senate bills that will be considered by the committee: SB 78 – Replacement dwelling bill SB 77 – Home occupation reform bill SB 73 – Spot zoning reform SB 79 – Prohibits certain dwellings on resource lands LWVOR will watch and may support with our strong positions on protection of Oregon’s valuable agricultural lands. Also, we are watching HB 3158 relating to photovoltaic solar power generation facilities on lands zoned for exclusive farm use. Allows certain photovoltaic solar power generation facilities on lands zoned for exclusive farm use to operate alongside farm or allowed nonfarm uses on a tract. LWVOR is watching this one before taking a position. BOTTLE BILLS By Sandra Bishop So far this session six bills have been introduced that would make changes to the Oregon beverage container return system; the iconic Oregon bottle bill that was passed in 1971. The League has been a consistent supporter of this program. SB 992 calls for an Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) study on how to modernize the Oregon bottle bill system. A hearing is scheduled on Feb 17th in the Senate Committee On Energy and Environment . The emergence of this committee bill may be an indication that legislators do not expect to pass any major changes this session to the current system for collecting, accounting for, and recycling beverage containers in Oregon. Requiring a study that is not due to be reported to the Legislature until late in 2026 is kicking the can down the road (pun intended). There are major opportunities and challenges with the current bottle bill system and recycling in the state. Distributors, who benefit most from the current beverage container collection system, may be supporting such a study to ensure no substantive changes will be made to Oregon’s bottle bill for at least another three or four years. SB 963 would require beverage container redemption centers in cities with a population of more than 10,000. HB 2921 would change the criteria for location of redemption centers. SB 869 would allow restricting the hours during which retailers and other dealers are required to take back returned beverage containers. HB 3433 would add wine bottles to the deposit return system. SB 329 is intended to increase the use of reusable beverage containers. BUDGETS/REVENUE By Peggy Lynch Following are the budget bills we are watching in Natural Resources: Dept. of Agriculture: SB 5502 tentative 3rd week of March Dept. of Agriculture Fees: SB 5503 tentative 3rd week of March Columbia River Gorge Commission: SB 5508 DEQ: SB 5520 . Governor’s budget DEQ Fact Sheet Public hearing tentative set for mid-March Oregon Dept. of Energy: SB 5518 info hearing 2/10, Meeting Materials , public hearing 2/11 Oregon Dept. of Energy Fees: SB 5519 info hearing 2/10, public hearing 2/11 Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife: HB 5009 , tentative public hearings Mar. 31 & Apr. 1-2 Oregon Dept. of Forestry: SB 5521 . Tentative public hearings March 10-12; Department of Forestry / Department of the State Fire Marshal - Wildfire Funding Workgroup Work Session/report to be a part of the ODF budget presentation Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: HB 5010 Public hearing Feb. 5-6; Meeting materials ; LWVOR testimony ; Aggregate industry testified against the staffing and fee increases. LWVOR points out that KPM #4 , mine inspections, has consistently NOT met the small 20% target so, if staffing is needed to meet that target AND fees increased to pay for them, we will continue to support Dept. of Land Conservation and Development: SB 5528 ; Governor’s budget; DLCD Fact Sheet ; Public hearing Feb. 3-4; LCDC 1/24 presentation ; Meeting Materials ; LWVOR testimony Land Use Board of Appeals: SB 5529 Oregon State Marine Board: HB 5021 ; Public hearing Feb. 17 Oregon State Parks and Recreation Dept.: HB 5026 ; Public hearing tentative set for March 8 Dept. of State Lands: SB 5539 Water Resources Dept.: SB 5543 Governor’s budget WRD Fact Shee t ; Here is a summary of the Governor’s budget. Governor's Budget and Agency Request Budget documents are available online here . Public hearing Feb. 18-20 Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: HB 5039 . Public hearing Feb. 25-26 Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board 6-Year Limitation: HB 5040 (Limits expenditures of lottery funds from the Watershed Conservation Grant Fund for local grant expenditures by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for a six-year period beginning July 1, 2025.) Public hearing Feb. 25-26 Oregon Business Development Dept.: HB 5024 Oregon Dept. of Emergency Management: SB 5517 Office of the Governor: SB 5523 Oregon State Fire Marshal: SB 5538 info hearing 2/19, public hearing 2/20 Dept. of Transportation: SB 5541 Dept. of Administrative Services: HB 5002 Legislative Administration Committee, Legislative Assembly, Legislative Counsel Committee, Legislative Fiscal Officer, Legislative Revenue Officer, Commission on Indian Services and Legislative Policy and Research Committee: HB 5016 Lottery Bonds: SB 5531 : an average debt capacity of $564 million in each Biennium Emergency Board: HB 5006 General Obligation Bonds, etc.: SB 5505 : an average debt capacity of $2.22 billion per Biennium Six-Year Limitation/Bonds: SB 5506 (Limits for the six-year period beginning July 1, 2025, expenses from fees, moneys or other revenues, including Miscellaneous Receipts, but excluding lottery funds and federal funds, collected or received by various state agencies for capital construction.) The next Revenue Forecast will be Feb. 26th. The legislature will use that forecast to do a final rebalance of the 2023-25 budget. Then the May 14th forecast will be the basis for the legislature to determine the 2025-27 state budget. Oregon receives substantial funding from the federal government, so the legislature is watching closely as the March 14th deadline for a federal budget to be passed again looms. Congress also needs to address raising the federal debt limit to authorize paying for bills we’ve already incurred. The federal budget is annual and runs Oct. 1-Sept. 30. Currently there is only a federal budget until end of day March 14. CLIMATE By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report. T here are overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. COASTAL A bill League is following is SB 504 related to shoreline stabilization. Our coastal partners have been working with the sponsor, and we are hoping for a positive amendment to talk about “non-structural nature-based solutions” instead of “bioengineering”. A work session is scheduled for Feb. 18 in the Senate Committee On Natural Resources and Wildfire . We now have bill numbers for kelp and eel grass conservation (HB 3580) and protection of Rocky Habitat (HB 3587) —both bills the League will support. We asked for funding for a staffer in the Dept. of Land Development and Conservation budget to continue to address rocky habitat, an element of the Territorial Sea Plan which the League has supported. The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) is currently developing its 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy ( Link to draft 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy ). A Draft Assessment and Strategy has been published, and the public was invited to provide feedback. The draft 2026-2030 Program Enhancement Assessment and Strategy can be found on their Public Comment webpage . UPDATE : The program received updated guidance from its federal funders – the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on February 10. As a result, OCMP needs to revise the draft developed between October 2024 and January 2025. See the announcement on Offshore Wind Energy Roundtable Feb. 20-21 in Lincoln City or you can watch on Zoom. DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (DEQ) By Peggy Lynch The League supports SB 830 , a bill that modifies provisions of the on-site septic system loan program to allow for grants. It also allows for the program to consider mobile home parks in need of septic upgrades. A work session is scheduled for Feb. 18 in the Senate Committee On Natural Resources and Wildfire . HB 2947 had a public hearing in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water on Feb. 10th related to treated sewage being used on farms. OP B provided great coverage of the concerns related to this usage. Here is the Onsite Wastewater Management Program 2025 Rulemaking webpage . Because of the League’s work on SB 391 (2021) and additional bills in 2023, a League member is serving on the rules advisory committee to address sewer availability and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) issues. There is a meeting set for Feb. 26. You are welcome to s ign up for email updates about this rulemaking via GovDelivery . The League will again serve on an annual rulemaking advisory committee on water quality fee increases. A meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25th. To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee you can view the rulemaking web page at: Water Quality Fees 2025 . DEPT. OF STATE LANDS (DSL) By Peggy Lynch The next State Land Board meeting is a special meeting in March (date still unknown), followed by a regular meeting April 8. See below for more information on the State Land Board. ELLIOTT STATE RESEARCH FOREST (ESRF) You can read the latest about the Elliott State Research Forest in their latest press release. Included is that t he Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) is seeking comments on administrative rules for the Elliott State Research Forest. The comment period is open from February 3 - March 5 (closes at 5 p.m. Pacific). Then DSL is seeking comments on the proposed Elliott State Research Forest Operations Plan. Click here to view or download the proposed plan, project overview map, and appendices. Click here to view only the proposed plan (PDF) The 45-day comment period is open until 5 p.m. on March 31. Here is a more complete notice of the plan with opportunities for virtual public meetings. At the State Land Board meeting on Feb. 11, Kaitlin Lovell was appointed to the Elliott State Research Forest Board to fill the vacancy created by the loss of Bob Sallinger. EMERGENCY SERVICES By Rebecca Gladstone HB 2581 : The League spoke and filed testimony in support of a statute change, substituting the word “seismic” with “hazards”, to coordinate coverage efforts through the State Resiliency Officer. A work session was held on Feb 6 in H Comm On Emergency Management, Gen Gov, and Veterans where the bill passed unanimously. It now goes to the House Floor for a vote. FORESTRY (ODF) Curry County Commissioners are discussing the possibility of taking over management of federal lands in their jurisdiction See also the Wildfire section of this report below and the separate Climate section. GOVERNANCE Because the League is often engaged in rulemaking, we frequently comment on legislation that would affect changes in Oregon’s current Administrative Rules. We have provided testimony in opposition to HB 2692 , a bill that would create complicated and burdensome processes for agencies to implement legislation with their rulemaking procedures. We were pleased to see an attorney who has represented businesses also provided opposition testimony . The sponsor of the bill shared an instance where OHSA may have exceeded their authority when adopting rules related to farmworker housing. The League believes that agencies should adopt rules to implement legislation but should NOT exceed their authority by creating policies not passed by the legislature. LAND USE & HOUSING By Peggy Lynch On Feb. 10th the House Committee on Housing heard testimony on the following bills that the League believes would allow housing outside of cities and some could violate Goals 3 and 4 of our land use system so we will follow these bills and may provide testimony with our concerns: HB 2316 : Allows designation of Home Start Lands to be used for housing. These lands are currently a variety of state-owned lands scattered around the state. HB 2400 : Allows the owner of property outside an urban growth boundary to site an additional dwelling on the property for occupancy by a relative of the owner. HB 2422 : Requires that lands zoned to allow density of one or fewer dwellings per acre to be considered a rural use. We are pleased to learn that Business Oregon’s Infrastructure bill, HB 3031 , with an amendment to clarify the criteria to be used to access the proposed $100 million fund has been filed. The League looks forward to supporting this important bill. The amendment to the bill will be filed shortly. Other bills we are following: HB 3013 : Details the process by which a permit or zone change that is based on provisions of a comprehensive plan or land use regulation that fail to gain. acknowledgment is voided and any resulting improvements or uses are removed or revoked. LWVOR supports with -1 amendment. HB 3062 : Requires local governments to map sensitive uses as part of a comprehensive plan. LWVOR may support. HB 2138 : Expands allowable middle housing and expands middle housing requirements to include urban unincorporated lands. LWVOR may have comments. Some provisions we support; others not so much. We expect a -1 and then a -2 amendment. Will wait to read them before making a decision on the bill. HB 3145 : Allows the Housing and Community Services Department to use Local Innovation and Fast Track Housing Program Fund monies for factory-built housing. LWVOR should support. HB 2347 : Authorizes the Department of Land Conservation and Development to provide planning assistance for housing production to federally-recognized Indian tribes and makes other technical changes to laws relating to land use planning. A public hearing was held on Feb. 5th in House Housing. A Work Session is scheduled on Feb. 19th where a -2 amendment may be considered. HB 2950 : A bill to update Goal One and Public Participation is being sponsored by Oregon’s American Planning Association. The League is interested in the bill, but has some concerns. We understand there will be an amendment proffered. A public hearing was held Feb. 12th in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water . Because of the requirement to do rulemaking, the bill, if passing the Committee, will be sent to Ways and Means. SB 462 : Requires the Oregon Business Development Department to establish an education course for land use planners for local governments, special districts and state agencies. LWVOR supports educational efforts but there are other training opportunities so this proposal might be redundant. SB 525 : Amends expedited land division criteria and processes. LWVOR has concerns. May need to oppose. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. NATURAL RESOURCES HB 3173 – Establishing OregonFlora in statute passed committee with a -3 amendment on Feb. 12th and it was sent to Ways and Means. OregonFlora provides comprehensive information about ~4,700 vascular plants in Oregon to the public; state and federal agencies; educational institutions; businesses; consumers; and scientists, providing significant economic, social, and educational benefits. HB 3173 info sheet . The bill has widespread support statewide and the League hopes to see this program that supports many natural resource areas funded this session. OREGON WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT BOARD (OWEB) By Lucie La Bonte Our League volunteer interviewed an OWEB staffer related to OWEB’s funding for 2025: The staffer shared that the lottery funding is a stable source of funding for OWEB. In the Governor’s Budget recommendation there is adequate funding for the new programs OWEB has been tasked to take on. This includes enough funding for staffing the new programs. Some funding will be for a limited duration, and some is permanent funding. The Natural Resources Ways and Means Subcommittee will meet to discuss OWEB on February 25th and 26th . On the 25th there will be discussion with staff, on the 26th there will be public comment. OWEB has many partners and much support on both sides of the aisle. The outlook is positive. A recommendation will go to the full Ways and Means Committee after the revenue forecast in May. STATE LAND BOARD (SLB) By Peggy Lynch The Governor, Secretary of State and State Treasurer (SLB members) held a quarterly meeting on Feb. 11th that you can watch on their YouTube channel. Here . They shared a great report on their Real Property Program, sharing the lands owned by the state, their market potential and actions taken to increase revenue. The meeting materials packet is here . The Board adopted rules on Rocky Habitat Designations and approved initiating a potential land sale o f a portion of West Hayden Island to ODOT. The purpose of the proposed sale is to provide mitigation land for the proposed new I-5 bridge project. They appointed Kaitlin Lovell to the Elliott State Research Forest Board to fill the loss of Bob Sallinger to that Board. The Common School Fund passed its audit. The Director reported that the state may have completed negotiations for 80 acres of Bureau of Land Management land near La Pine (and Roslyn Elementary School) to be deeded to the state as part of its still-needed statehood-owed lands. Lastly, Director Walker has announced her retirement plans as of June so an open public recruitment process for a new Dept. of State Lands Director has begun with the intent for the SLB to select their choice at their June 10th meeting. For many this is an obscure agency, but the League believes this agency, with its mission to protect the waters of the state (including our wetlands), to assure stewardship of the Common School Fund, oversight of the South Slough National Estuarine Reserve and now the Elliott State Research Forest are all critical. LWVOR has positions related to support of each of these programs. WATER By Peggy Lynch On Feb. 17 in the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water two bills of interest to the League will have a public hearing: HB 3525 related to tenants’ right to well water testing and HB 3526 that would require well water test reporting in property sales. The League has provided support in past sessions and may do so again this session. Water bills we are following: HB 2988 : Instructs the Water Resources Department to take certain actions related to aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery. A public hearing was held Feb. 12th. HB 3108 : Requires the Water Resources Department to implement additional rules and requirements for the review of limited license applications for an aquifer storage and recovery permit HB 2803 : Increases certain fees related to water. LWVOR will support. Expect amendments. Fees are needed to provide current service level staffing at WRD. The Co-Chairs of the House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water are working on a broad package of water-related bills. There is a Water Caucus raising the awareness of the urgency to address Oregon’s water needs. Oregon Water Data Portal debuted Jan. 31st. The multi-agency effort to release a beta version of the pilot portal for the Oregon Water Data Portal project debuted on January 31. The pilot portal is accessible here . Users can provide feedback about the beta version of the pilot portal by completing a survey or emailing OWDP@deq.oregon.gov . League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Here is a more complete website about drought in Oregon. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” V isit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. WEATHER Oregon’s state climatologist provides a view of Oregon’s January and our warm, cold and snowfall changes. As Americans depend on weather forecasts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Oregon has a NOAA facility in Newport, here is a concerning statement as reported by the New York Times Climate: NOAA staff members have been told to search their existing grants for terms that include “climate science,” “climate crisis,” “clean energy,” “environmental quality” and “pollution.” WETLANDS The League testified in opposition to SB 511 , a perennial salmon tax credit bill filed by Sen. David Brock Smith that would create a new program to allow private property owners to get a tax credit for salmon habitat on their property if allowed to be used by a developer to destroy wetlands in another area of Coos and Curry County. This session’s version of the bill narrows the use of the credit from statewide to the two coastal counties. But the concept is complicated and this area of the coast is a critical salmon habitat. A bill of concern to the League related to our removal/fill program has been filed: SB 400 . As proposed, the League will oppose. Another wetlands-related bill we will be watching: HB 2054 . WILDFIRE By Carolyn Mayers It was a slow week for wildfire legislation, but there has been press coverage of issues that the League feels are worth mentioning. This February 10th article from the Oregon Capital Chronicle, describes how Senator Golden, in response to negative feedback from constituents, is proposing revisiting how the recently- released second version of the Oregon Wildfire Hazard (previously “Risk”) Map has areas of hazard broken down. Where the previous map had assigned risk on a broader area scale, an approach that was determined to be a problem, the new map assigned risk at the parcel level. Now, it appears there is some question as to the wisdom of that decision in accomplishing the goals set out for the map. Time will tell if this idea gains momentum. There was news of another $50 million in settlements paid out by Pacificorp for the role of its subsidiary, Pacific Power, in the devastating 2020 wildfires. This February 7th piece from Oregon Public Broadcasting provides details. According to the article, “At least eight more trials are scheduled, and the company could be on the hook for billions in damages.” It also states that rates for Pacific Power customers are up 50% since 2021, a trend that will continue as our wildfire seasons worsen, and mitigation efforts by electric utilities increase their operating costs. Finally, the Wildfire Funding Workgroup established by the Governor at the end of the 2023 short session, to look for a solution to the wildfire funding problem, will be presenting its recommendations to the Legislature soon. No firm date is available as of this writing. This much- anticipated report, the culmination of months of effort by 35 individuals, will set the stage for the Legislature’s work to find a long term, durable and equitable solution to the growing wildfire funding shortfall. Stay tuned! Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

CHLOE ACOSTA (she/her) CHLOE ACOSTA (she/her) Youth Legislative Communications Director Chloe Acosta is the Legislative Communications Director for the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council. She is passionate about issues facing youth and health equity. Chloe has been working with the Oregon School-Based Health Alliance since 2021. She was previously a Student Health Advocate, Legislative Advocacy Intern, and an Events and Programming Intern. Chloe was recently unanimously voted into the Board of Directors and continues to advocate for school based healthcare. Chloe is also a part of Next Up Oregon’s Community Action Team where she focuses on voter education and community events. She is also a member of the Next Up Oregon’s Participatory Budgeting Committee and the Candidate Endorsement Committee. Chloe is honored to use her advocacy skills in her local community of rural Southern Oregon with the Jackson Youth Systems of Care Network. In this role, she collaborates with 80 local community professionals on accessible, effective, community-based services and supports for youth’s health and wellbeing. Chloe Acosta is a communications and political science major at Southern Oregon University. She plans to continue working in legislative advocacy and grassroots organizing after receiving her degree. Chloe is excited to be working with the League of Women Voters of Oregon to deepen advocacy skills, especially for young rural Oregonians. youthcommunications@lwvor.org

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 3/3 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: Claudia Keith Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Please see Climate Emergency Overview here . Jump to a topic: Climate Priorities with League Testimony Natural and Working Lands Other Priorities Transportation Priorities House Climate Energy and Environment (CE&E) Public Hearing Notes Senate Energy and Environment 2/24, Landfill Gas Monitoring Bill Pro-Nuclear Bills At this point in the session, we have identified a number of League policy and/or budget Climate Emergency priorities, and some of those now have posted League testimony. This year most of our priorities are included in the bipartisan 2025 Legislative Environmental Caucus Priorities , Citizens Utility Board (CUB) Priorities and/or Oregon Conservation Network (OCN) priorities. OCN is the only formal environmental lobby coalition group in the building. Consequently, for some of these bills (especially those in a package) the League may just join coalition sign-on letters rather than providing individual testimony. Climate Priorities with League Testimony HB 2966 : Establishes the State Public Financing Task Force, Work Session 3/6/2025 Representative Gamba, Senator Golden, Frederick, Representative Andersen, Evans , House Commerce and Consumer Protection (H CCP) 
 League Testimony , HB 3170 , Community Resilience Hubs and networks: Work Session 3/4, H CEE, DHS, Sponsors, Rep. Marsh, Sen Pham and Rep Tan. 
 League testimony , House Climate, Energy, and Environment HB 2151 , League Testimony 2152 , Testimony 2949 , testimony 3450 : Testimony , Critical Energy Infrastructure CEI Emergency Management Package, PH 2/27, H EMGGV. CEI Hub Seismic Risk Analysis Natural and Working Lands HB 5039 financial administration of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board; JWM SC NR League testimony HB3103-1 - Overweight Timber Harvest, H ALUNRW, League Oppose Testimony is planned for 3/3 PH. Other Priorities HB 3477 : Update to Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Goals. LC 1440. Bringing back SB 1559 (2024) moved to H CEE, Sponsored by Rep GAMBA, Sen Frederick, Golden, Patterson, Pham K, Taylor
 
 HB 2566 : Stand-alone Energy resilience Projects – H Governor Tina Kotek
, Public Hearing held 2/11/2024, 2 amendments proposed (H CEE), DOE presentation 
 HB 3365 : climate change instruction /curriculum in public schools, Chief Sponsors: Rep Fragala, McDonald , House Education Committee Rep Andersen, Gamba, Lively, Neron, Senator Patterson, Pham, Taylor. House Cm Educ. 
 SJR 28 : Environmental Rights Constitutional – Referral, Senate Rules, Amendment Leg Referral - Senator Golden, Representatives Andersen, Gamba, Senators Manning Jr, Prozanski, Representative Tran 
. The League has tentative plans to write testimony (comments) on this bill later this month. 
 SB 679 : Climate Liability, (Sen. Golden, Senate Energy and Environment 
 SB 680 : Climate Science / Greenwashing, Sen. Golden and Manning, moved to Judiciary, no recommendation, (S J) PH 2/26 Campos, Frederick, Gorsek, Patterson, Prozanski, Taylor 
 SB 681 : Treasury: Fossil Fuel investment moratorium
, Sen Golden, Senate Finance and Revenue 
 SB 682 : Climate Super Fund, Sen. Golden, Rep. Andersen, Gamba, Sen. Campos, Pham , SEE 
 SB 688 : Public Utility Commission performance-based regulation of electric utilities, Sen. Golden, Sen. Pham, SEE 
 SB 827 : Solar and Storage Rebate, SEE Work session 2/17, Gov. Kotek & DOE, Senate vote 21-7, moves to House 3/4 Energy Affordability and Utility Accountability Package Oregonians are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing utility bills in the face of ever-worsening climate impacts. HB 3081 would create an active navigator to help Oregonians access energy efficiency incentives all in one place. SB 88 limits the ability of utility companies to charge ratepayers for lobbying, litigation costs, fines, marketing, industry fees, and political spending. LWVOR has signed on to letter support each of these bills. HB 3 546 , the POWER Act, The bill requires the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to create a new rate class for the largest energy users in the state. ( data centers and other high volume users) . These regulations would only apply to customers in the for-profit utility's service areas of PGE, Pacific Power, and Idaho Power. The League has approved being listed on a coalition sign on advocacy letter ( please link to letter) . See the article here: Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills | KPTV Carbon sequestration/storage: See DOGAMI Agency Budget (see Natural Resources Legislative Report) – Geologic Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Interactive Map | U.S. Geological Survey ( usgs.gov ) .
 
 Transportation Priorities Transportation package that prioritizes climate, equity, and wildlife This package would build on the historic gains of HB 2017 (which included investments in public transit, safe routes to School, and vehicle electrification), to shift the focus to multimodal, safety, and climate-forward investments. This promises to create a system that saves money over time and builds a more resilient, equitable, and healthy future for all Oregonians. (see OCN Press Rel ease) I n Extraordinary Hearing, ODOT Explains Billion-Dollar Budget Blunder “Monday night’s presentation from the Oregon Department of Transportation to the Joint Committee on Transportation, however, was anything but routine, leaving one lawmaker sputtering in frustration. About one hour and ten minutes into a hearing on the state highway fund, Travis Brouwer, ODOT’s assistant director and top finance official told lawmakers how the agency made a more than $1 billion error in its 2023-25 budget. To put the “error” in perspective, a January audit of ODOT pegged the actual damage as $1.1 billion out of a $5.9 billion biennial budget. In other words, the agency expected to have nearly 19% more revenue than it actually generated.” House Climate Energy and Environment (CE&E) Public Hearing Notes House CE&E heard testimony on two bills, both supported by Oregon Climate Equity Network (OCEN), focused on expanding Oregon's electric transmission grid capacity. HB 3628 would create the Oregon Electric Transmission Authority (OETA) to support the expansion of transmission capacity by financing, developing, building, upgrading, owning and operating transmission infrastructure. The OETA would establish transmission corridors with statewide significance and could finance transmission projects by issuing revenue bonds and collecting a charge from large industrial electricity customers. The bill would also establish a Tribal Advisory Council of members appointed by Oregon tribes. Sunset date would be January 2, 2032. Supporters noted that Oregon has one of the nation's longest backlogs of generation projects waiting to connect to the grid, with 182 gigawatts of renewable energy in the queue. Without doubling our transmission capacity, these projects will not be able to connect. OETA would develop a statewide strategy for transmission development. Seven other states have implemented ETAs successfully and others (including Washington) are considering creating them. OETA would not be a new state agency duplicating what others are doing, but an independent public corporation with an annual budget limited to $2 million. This low-risk investment by the state could deliver significant economic benefits over time. Amendments are likely coming to address labor language and other issues with the bill. Republicans on the committee raised concern that the new authority, if granted the power of eminent domain, could “bully” landowners into giving up their land for transmission right of way. The Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities, and The Oregon People’s Utility District Association opposed the bill, voicing a number of specific concerns. PGE did not oppose the bill but questioned how much the authority could accomplish with limited budget and staff in terms of resolving siting and permitting bottlenecks and stated that the authority should focus first on upgrading the capacity of existing transmission lines rather than building new lines. Supporters and opponents alike decried the new federal administration's threat to the funding and staffing of the Bonneville Power Administration, the backbone of the Northwest transmission system. HB 3336 would declare state policy that electric companies must: a. Meet the required clean energy targets in ORS 469A.410; b. Develop sufficient resources to meet load growth. c. Create efficiencies and resilience in the transmission system; and d. Maintain energy affordability. Electric utilities would have to file strategic plans with PUC to use cost-effective grid enhancing technologies (GETS, defined in the bill) and update the plans every two years. A utility would have to carry out its first filed strategic plan by January 1, 2030. Climate Solutions and other supporters said grid enhancement is a least-cost, least-risk alternative to development of new transmission lines. These new technologies are ramping up to deployment at scale, though they challenge the business model of utilities, which can’t monetize investments in GETS as they would with investments in capital projects. Wide-scale deployment should make a positive (downward) impact on utility rates. PGE expressed no opposition and noted that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is working at the federal level to encourage the use of GETs to improve the electrical grid. Senate Energy and Environment 2/24, Landfill Gas Monitoring Bill Senate E&E heard testimony on SB 726 , which would require the owner or operator of a municipal solid waste landfill to monitor surface emissions of methane gas and report the results to DEQ as specified in the bill, beginning July 1, 2026. To collect emissions data, the owner/operator would have to use advanced methane detection technology, defined as satellite monitoring, airflight monitoring, drones, or remote direct monitoring technology that yields emission volumes and point-source locations. The Environmental Quality Commission would have to establish monitoring and mitigation requirements by rule. Currently, the U.S. EPA requires large landfill operators to measure methane emissions using Method 21--basically walking the landfill surface with a handheld leak detection device--and report the data to the EPA. The EPA has approved only one alternative test method, using drone technology from a single vendor, Sniffer Robotics. Mounting concern about emissions from the Coffin Butte landfill in Benton County drove the introduction of this bill, and dozens of area residents submitted written and oral testimony in support, though the current version does not address Coffin Butte directly. Supporters called SB 726 a critical step for improving environmental protection and public health. Landfills are the third largest source of human-derived methane in the environment. The walking method misses methane that could be detected and captured -- a Lane County witness called it a "joke" providing opportunities to game the system to evade compliance requirements. Widely available advanced methods make it possible to cost-effectively monitor more of the landfill surface and gather the most accurate data possible. Most landfills in Oregon are privately operated and can afford to use advanced technology in addition to Method 21. The bill would not change enforcement or emission limits but does need some amendments to make sure we don’t require the use of technology that isn’t available yet. The landfill industry raised concerns about requiring the use of new technologies that may not be ready for use in regulatory compliance. Oregon Refuse and Recycling Assn. opposed the bill on grounds that it is overly broad and would impose a cost burden on smaller landfill operations of some counties. Sen. Golden noted that the required DEQ rulemaking through a RAC would likely be able to address those concerns. Pro-Nuclear Bills House CE&E heard testimony on two pro-nuclear bills: HB 2038 – Requires ODOE to study and report on nuclear energy advantages, construction feasibility, support for current energy systems, economic impacts, safety, reliability, waste disposal, etc. HB 2410 – Allows issuance of a site certificate for a small modular reactor (SMR) demonstration project in Umatilla County, subject to a referendum of county residents. Max Woods, ODOE's assistant director for nuclear safety and energy security, gave invited testimony on Measure 7 background, status of current U.S. nuclear facilities, waste disposal issues, and multibillion-dollar investments in SMRs especially by tech companies. HB 2038 sponsors touted the advantages of nuclear energy for driving down costs, reducing reliance on foreign sources, increasing localization of electricity generation, providing reliability and stability, economic growth, workforce development, etc. They acknowledged long lead times for project development and said Oregon's permitting processes need to be speeded up in order to bring SMRs online soon. They brought forward other witnesses to testify as to the industry's track record of safety and risk management. Reps. Marsh and Gamba asked whether the sponsors would entertain amendments aimed at making the bill's language more neutral rather than promotional, e.g. by requiring the study to address advantages "and disadvantages." Rep. Diehl said OK. Columbia Riverkeeper and Physicians for Social Responsibility strongly opposed the bill, saying ODOE should not spend time and money to promote nuclear power but should use any spare resources to study how to increase safe renewable energy. Another witness called the bill "absurd" drawing a reprimand from Rep. Osborne. HB 2410 sponsors said Oregon needs to explore this sustainable source of electric power in a responsible, forward-thinking manner. Rural communities especially need reliable power. The bill has sideboards including the required county referendum. Umatilla County Commissioner Dan Dorran strongly supported the bill. Maureen McGee, an attorney for the county, stated that Measure 7 "did not place a constitutional prohibition on nuclear in Oregon, nor does such a prohibition exist. Instead, it created new provisions within the Energy Facility Siting Council (EFSC) statute that produced insurmountable barriers to EFSC's ability to approve new siting of nuclear facilities, thus serving as a practical moratorium on development of nuclear energy." She acknowledged the need for amendments to HB 2410 aimed at technical fixes and ensuring tribal consultation. Opponents noted that nuclear projects around the world have taken much longer to build and cost much more than originally estimated by proponents, creating significant financial risk for investors and ratepayers. In Georgia, ratepayers were recently hit with a 23% rate hike to cover cost overruns of the state's new nuclear plant. Members of the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla presented emotional testimony bearing on their exclusion from decisions about use of their tribal land and insisted on the need for consultation re siting of nuclear facilities. Columbia Riverkeeper and Sierra Club joined in strong opposition. League of Oregon Cities supported the bill if limited to the SMR option. Senate E&E has scheduled public hearings next Thursday 3/5 on Sen. Brock Smith's bills SB 215 and SB 216 to repeal the statutory prohibition against issuing a site certificate for a nuclear power plant unless and until the federal government has established a licensed repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste; also a hearing on Sen. Bonham's SB 635 , directing OSU to conduct a feasibility study on nuclear energy generation in Oregon. Interested in reading additional reports? Please see our Governance , Natural Resources , and Social Policy report sections.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 2/6 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: Claudia Keith Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Climate Emergency Priorities Other CE Bills Clean Energy Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Treasury Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… State, Regional, National, and Global CE News Local League Climate Updates National Governments Volunteers Needed Note: Members of the public are invited to join an upcoming workshop series hosted by the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). “DLCD is pleased to announce six workshops in western Oregon where the public will be invited to share how climate change is affecting their quality of life.” Events happening throughout March. Register online . Climate Emergency Priorities The League has identified six priority CE policy and budget topics. Find in previous LR reports additional background on each priority. Following are updates on those six topics: 1. Natural and Working Lands : Establishes Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Fund, carbon sequestration opportunities…: Natural Climate Solutions SB 530 . Public Hearing is Scheduled 2/15/23 in SEN E&E . Josie Koehne is the CE team member leading this effort. Please see recent 2/6 LWVOR Action NWL Alert . 2. Resilient Buildings (RB): Refer to the adopted Legislative Joint Task Force on Resilient Efficient Buildings (REB) Dec 13 Report . It’s likely these will be posted to OLIS in mid Feb. by Senator Lieber and Rep Marsh. The League is an active RB coalition partner. BR campaign guiding principles . Oregon RB in the news , here. and here . A big welcome to Arlene Sherrett, a new League and new CE team member; she will focus on REB, and Transportation portfolios. 3. Environmental Justice (EJ): 2023 Leg bills are still being posted, which address (support or oppose) new or on-going EJ topics. Find DEQ EJ work: Performance Partnership Agreement : Oregon Department of Environmental Qualityand U.S. EPA Region 10 Performance Partnership Agreement . In the news: ‘Farmworker advocate legislative priorities include language access’ | Statesman Journal. The League is following this topic and likely will support. A conversation with Robert Bullard, ‘ father of environmental justice’ » Yale Climate Connections 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 , will change "Oregon Global Warming Commission" to "Oregon Climate Action Commission" and modify membership and duties of commission and state greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets/goals. Find more about this Bill in Clean Energy LR below. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/ reductions and new clean renewable energy (DOE), OHA public health, and DOT Dept of Transportation policy and funding bills. 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget * was published Jan 31; Kotek’s budget priorities . A main funding problem concerns how the favorable ending current period balance, estimated to be >$765M, can be used. It will take a 3/5 vote to pass this proposed change. ‘Kotek proposes spending $765M from reserves on homeless , other crises’| Statesman Journal. It’s unclear at this point if the estimated >$100M in CE related state agency POPs and new Legislative funding (* budget items will come from over 22 state agencies including 14 NR agencies, OHA, DAS, ODOT, ODOE, etc.) is reflected in Governor Kotek’s new 1/31 Budget. More specifics next week. It is expected some portion of the agency funding requests are specifically related to addressing multiple federal grant opportunities . (see Congressional major new funding since 2020: IIJA, IRA, Chips and what’s left in the ARPA and Dec 2022 Omnibus compromise) Other CE Bills By Claudia Keith The League may support or just follow these bills. (This is a preliminary list; a number of bills are not yet posted to OLIS.) Natural Working Lands: See Rep Pham’s urban forestry bill, HB 3016 , Rep Holvey’s severance tax bill, HB 3025 to replace the harvest tax, and ODF’s Regular Harvest tax bill, HB 2087 . SB 88 climate smart Ag increases net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands. Requested: Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery. See Keep Oregon Cool, Natural Working Lands. Fossil Fuel (FF) Divestment: HB 2601 Oregon FF Divestment … Requires State Treasurer to address the urgency and risk associated with Fossil Fuel energy investments. Chief Sponsors: Rep Pham K, Senator Golden, Rep Gamba. Green Infrastructure: HB 3016 community green infrastructure, Rep Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Rep Gamba. Public & Green Banking: SB501 Bank of the state of Oregon Sen Golden. HB 2763 Create a State public bank Task Force, Rep Gamba, Sen Golden, Rep Walters. Interstate 5 Bridge Legislation: Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBRP) factsheet ODOT and WDOT . 12 Things the Oregon Legislature Should Know About IBRP - Just Crossing Alliance. It is likely policy and or just funding bills will be heard and likely moved by this IBRP Legislative Joint Committee . The goal: ‘Replacing the aging Interstate Bridge with a modern, earthquake resilient, multimodal structure is a high priority for Oregon and Washington…. ‘. We welcome Liz Steward (LWVPDX) who has agreed to be a League Observer on the topic. Clean Energy By Kathy Moyd Activity Last Week and Next Week. We did not provide testimony for any bills. HB 2530 Renewable Hydrogen The House Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee (HCEE) held a public hearing February 6 on HB 2530, which as introduced would require the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) to convene a work group to "examine, evaluate and develop statewide strategies to accelerate the development of a state renewable hydrogen industry and related infrastructure, technologies and end uses." Testimony focused on a -1 amendment that would replace the entire original bill with just the proposed definitions of "renewable" and "green electrolytic" hydrogen for purposes of future legislation. The definitions are based on existing statutory language in CA and WA to promote regional consistency. The League opted not to provide testimony because the amendment had not been posted. The reason given for eliminating the rest of the bill was that generation and use of hydrogen should be included in the bill in development dealing with the energy use in the state, not stand-alone. We will start working on testimony for that bill as soon as text is available. No testimony is planned for next week. Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The next Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast is scheduled for Feb 22. It is unclear how the congressional debt ceiling issue, security market volatility, inflation – Fed/banking issues and other global risks will develop. The last State of Oregon quarterly forecast assumed a likely mild recession in 2023. Oregon Bond rating continues to be above average. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has never conformed to what is now recommended in the SEC Climate Risk disclosure rule. SEC Plans to Finalize See supportive LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Oregon Treasury By Claudia Keith It is unclear how Oregon Treasury / Treasurer Tobias will assist with addressing the $20B Federal IRA funds which are contingent on formation of an Oregon Green Bank. ‘'Green Banks,' Poised for Billions in Climate Funds , Draw States' Attention | The Pew Charitable Trusts. Related, The start of America’s infrastructure decade: How macroeconomic factors may shape local strategies | Brookings. Additionally, the SEC new Climate risk guidelines will affect investing and reporting decisions. Perhaps a temporary reprieve, ‘Pushback On The SEC’s Proposed Climate Risk Disclosure Rules Is A Good Sign ‘ | Forbes. Corporate Boards Are Ramping Up These Sustainability Priorities | Bloomberg. SEC’s Gensler weighs scaling back climate rule as lawsuits loom - POLITICO It's concerning to the League how these major issues will affect Oregon’s economy. Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… By Claudia Keith Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (Feb 2023 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 60 lawsuits with OREGON mentioned. News: How the Supreme Court could finally force Big Oil to face trial | Grist State, Regional, National, and Global CE News By Claudia Keith The Real Obstacle to Nuclear Power - The Atlantic. Eugene becomes first Oregon city to ban natural gas hookups | Energy News Network. A Portland high school student has Oregon governor’s ear on environmental justice - oregonlive.com The Oregon Lab Where Scientists Are Riding the Waves to a Brighter Future - Atlas Obscura. Farmers, gardeners collaborate on dry farming in Oregon – OPB. Oregon could give consumers right to repair phones, computers | Statesman Journal. Fighting climate change was costly. Now it’s profitable . - The Atlantic. Opinion | Greta Thunberg: ‘ The World Is Getting More Grim by the Day ’ - The New York Times. How the EPA values human lives lost to climate change | NPR. Vice President Kamala Harris talks about climate change at Georgia Tech – UPI. Renewables are on track to satiate the world's appetite for electricity - The Washington Post. Biden takes victory lap on climate bill in State of the Union | The Hill and E&E. Busting three myths about materials and renewable energy | MIT Technology Review Local League Climate Updates By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Each city and county in Oregon should have a Climate and or Resiliency Plan. Only these Oregon 14 cities have CAPs. Over 2300 countries, cities, counties have pledged ‘ Climate emergency declarations ’ in 2,318 jurisdictions and local governments cover 1 billion citizens - Climate Emergency Declaration…. National Governments 18 national governments and the EU have declared a climate emergency. The EU is counted as one jurisdiction in the ‘jurisdictions total’ but has not been included in the country count.’ Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy and law areas: Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: The 2023 legislative session began Jan 17. If any area of Climate Emergency interests you, please contact Claudia Keith , CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 2/13 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Governance Land Use/Housing Parks and Recreation Recycling Toxics Water Volunteers Needed By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team More bills filed and more bills scheduled for public hearings. We need to decide if LWVOR should testify or stay silent. Part of the time, we listen to the hearing and provide testimony after we better understand the purpose of the bill. In some cases, bills were filed before being complete, so we are seeing substantial amendments. Budgets/Revenue The League provided testimony on HB 5027 , the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development budget, on Feb. 14. Last week, we provided testimony on SB 5527 , the budget bill for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. The Dept. of Geology and Mineral Services budget ( SB 5510 ) was up Feb. 15 with public testimony on Feb. 16. The Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ) is tentatively set to be heard on Feb. 20 and 21. We understand that tentatively the Oregon Dept. of Forestry budget ( HB 5020 ) will be scheduled at the end of February. Oregon Fish and Wildlife budget ( SB 5509 ) week of March 20. Dept. of State Lands ( HB 5037 ) mid-March and Dept. of Environmental Quality ( HB 5018 and HB 5019 ) end of March. No date has been announced for the Oregon Water Resources Dept. budget ( HB 5043 ). The agency provided their one-pager on the Governor’s Recommended Budget with the list of Policy Option Packages included. See Governor Kotek’s biennial budget . For natural resource agency budgets, start on page 146 of the web document. The Governor’s budget is “balanced” with the use of the ending fund balances of $765 million from 2021-23 that would have gone to the Rainy-Day Fund. Oregon’s reserves are at $2 billion and those funds are not expected to be used, nor is the kicker money that is expected to be returned to taxpayers. More information on potential kicker distribution amounts will be provided during the Feb. 22 Revenue Forecast. Kicker amounts won’t be finalized until the 2021-23 budget is closed in Sept. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See Climate Report in the Climate Emergency section of this Legislative Report which overlaps with this Natural Resources Report. We encourage you to read both sections. Dept. of Environmental Quality The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission Feb. 10 appointed current interim Director Leah Feldon as the new director of the Department of Environmental Quality. The League is reviewing SB 835 , a bill that seems to require that a single septic system be used for both the main home and an accessory dwelling unit placed on a lot where a septic system is used. Although we would agree that using the same system could be a best choice, we also know that the system and drainfield must be adequate to process the waste. An inspector is required when a new residence is added to a lot. That inspection should determine the need for a new or upgraded system if the current system is not adequate. LWVOR has supported an on-site septic grant and loan program for a number of years to assure that failing systems can be addressed. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Peggy Lynch The DOGAMI budget ( SB 5510 ) was up Feb. 15 with public testimony on Feb. 16. The League provided testimony, both supporting the Geologic Survey and Services Division where science is king and acknowledging the importance of the Mined Land Regulation and Reclamation (MLRR) Division, although we have concerns about the new General Funds proposed for the MLRR program—a program once only funded by fees. Governance By Peggy Lynch The League noticed a couple of bills in Senate Rules and provided testimony in opposition. LWVOR often engages in rulemaking after legislation is passed. That is especially true in the natural resources area. SB 42 would require agencies to add even more factors related to business when calculating the cost of doing rulemaking and the consequences of the same. It goes so far as to allow only a few people to file a petition to hold rules hostage. The League provided testimony in opposition. SB 38 would require certain agencies to process permits even if state or federal laws or rules changed during the permit processing. The League will provide testimony (link when approved) in opposition. See also in the Governance section of this report. Land Use/Housing By Peggy Lynch The League continues to watch the Joint Semiconductor Committee as they push for more land for industrial use as noted in this OPB article. The League notes that often lands were rezoned from industrial use or used for less than really intended industrial uses. We supported the concept of “shovel-ready” lands for industry as well as housing, but infrastructure takes investment. During the DLCD budget hearing, many local governments requested $30 million in General Funds to help implement the Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rules recently adopted by the Land Conservation and Development Commission. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Parks and Recreation From the Feb. 9 Statesman Journal: The number of people visiting Oregon’s outdoors plateaued just below record numbers in 2022 during another year of packed campgrounds and busy trailheads across the state. Oregon’s state park system recorded 52.2 million day visits and 2.97 million camper nights last year, the second-highest in the agency’s 100-year history. The numbers were down slightly from the record-setting 53.6 million day visits and 3 million camper nights in 2021. Recycling By Kathy Moyd SB 542 requires original equipment manufacturers to make available repair information to owners of consumer electronic equipment or independent repair providers. The League provided testimony in support, but pointed out two areas where changes should be made: deal with clarifying what was included under the bill and deal with the enforcement method. Preferred versions were included in the New York law. The remaining three bills have had public hearings: SB 543 prohibits food vendors from using polystyrene foam containers in sales of prepared food. A -1 amendment was posted three hours before the public hearing; LWVOR is in the process of evaluating the amendment and developing testimony. SB 544 directs the Environmental Quality Commission to establish a program for source reduction of single-use plastic food ware and single-use packaging and achieve 25% source reductions compared to 2023 levels by 2030. A -1 amendment was posted three hours before the public hearing; LWVOR is in the process of evaluating the amendment and developing testimony. SB 545 directs the State Department of Agriculture and Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules allowing consumers to use their own containers for refilling with food at food establishments. Directs department and authority to adopt rules allowing food establishments to reuse take-home food containers returned to restaurants by consumers. LWVOR is in the process of checking for amendments and developing testimony. Toxics By Paula Grisafi LWVOR is following SB 426 , the Toxics Free Schools bill. It has been assigned to Senate Education, with a hearing on Feb. 21. The League will provide testimony in support. Water By Peggy Lynch Due to widespread drought and decreasing groundwater levels, if a drought emergency is declared in Klamath County, it is unlikely that the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) will issue Emergency Use Permits for groundwater. These permits are also known as drought permits. Exceptions may be made in cases where groundwater levels are found to be less impacted. … the Klamath Project Area has declined by approximately 20-30 feet over the past three years, with some parts experiencing a decline of over 40 feet since 2001. The League has participated in the past two Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) documents. That document is set to be updated again and OWRD is partnering with Oregon’s Kitchen Table (OKT) to provide outreach and engagement for the IWRS 2023 update. The League has been asked to reach out to our members. Here are opportunities: OWRD and OKT will hold two identical Zoom calls for this discussion. If you are interested, please register for the one time slot that works best for your schedule, using these links: February 21 at 2:00-3:00 pm https://bit.ly/Feb21OKT February 23 at 9:00-10:00 am https://bit.ly/Feb23OKT We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” We will review HB 2647 , a bill that declares harmful algal blooms to be a public health and welfare menace. The bill was heard in the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water on Feb. 16. Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line: 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. We have an on-going drought throughout Oregon and League members may want to check the U.S. Drought Monitor MAP , updated every Thursday. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Above you can see the names of League volunteers who covered one or more issues. Volunteers are needed. What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. The 2023 legislative session is at hand with over 2,000 bills already filed. Help! Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

NIVEDITA GIANI (she, her) NIVEDITA GIANI (she, her) Youth Advocacy Chair Nivedita Giani is attending Sunset High School and is a member of the League of Women Voters of Portland. She is passionate about advocating for climate justice, reproductive rights, and workplace equity. She is currently the national delegate for Sunrise PDX, an organization committed to combating climate change. She is actively involved in a local campaign as well as a national campaign to help make public transportation more accessible and widespread. She is a staunch advocate for the Green New Deal due to the prospect of decarbonization and sustainable good paying union jobs for all. Nivi hopes to go to university and then law school to become a human rights lawyer. She is excited to be part of the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council to build effective civic engagement in Oregon communities, get youth involved in politics, and share the importance of making your voice heard. youthadvocacy@lwvor.org

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 2/19 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Budgets/Revenue Climate Coastal Issues Dept. of State Lands (DSL) Elliott State Research Forest Forestry Land Use and Housing Reduce/Recycle Water Wildfire Volunteers Needed By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team Budgets/Revenue By Peggy Lynch SB 5701 is the 2024 omnibus budget bill. It is currently populated with the items approved during the November and January Legislative Days. Budget requests are being considered as the Co-Chairs determine the money to be spent or saved. It has been reported that the cost for behavior health and community safety will be between $180 and $235 million. The main housing bills are expected to cost about $350 million. Legislators have shared that there may be another $1-2 billion funding requests to consider, but not enough revenue to allocate. Look for bills sent to Ways and Means (W&Ms) to be considered in their Subcommittees ONLY when they have been approved by the W&Ms Co-Chairs and Senate and House Leadership. We should see those bills posted to those Subcommittees this week and next. Many bills sent to W&Ms will still be there at the end of session. HB 5201 and HB 5202 are the bonding bills. Like General Fund requests, there are more bonding requests than money to allocate. The Feb. 16 public hearing in W&Ms Capital Construction was evidence of that fact. Like the budget bill, these bills will reflect changes and possible additions to the 2025 approved bonds. Bonding capacity remains the same: $65.8 million in remaining general obligation bond capacity and $27.4 million in remaining lottery bond capacity for the 2023-25 biennium. SB 5702 will be populated with new or increased fees adopted by state agencies since the 2025 session. HB 5203 and HB 5204 were also filed. One will be the “program change bill” to address miscellaneous changes to agency programs. The other is held in case it is needed. It may be used for containing revenue requests due to Measure 110 changes. SB 1562 with the -1 amendment has passed Senate Finance and Revenue. It increases the limit for making contributions into the Rainy Day Fund from 7.5% to 12.5% of General Fund revenue but leaves the contribution cap unchanged at 1% of General Fund appropriations. The Joint W&Ms met Feb. 23rd and approved a list of grant requests and reports. The agency budget process for 2025-27 is beginning. Look for presentations to agency Boards and Commissions soon. Quarterly revenue forecasts will be provided on May 29 and August 28. Then the November 20 th forecast will be the basis of the Governor’s Recommended Budget to be presented on December 1 st . One concern is that mediocre returns and rapidly inflating payrolls are causing actuaries to predict that PERS will need about $6 billion in 2025-2027, hundreds of millions more than in the current biennium. Personal income taxpayers can determine their kicker amount using a “What’s My Kicker?” calculator on Revenue Online . Climate By Claudia Keith and Team See the Climate Emergency section for overlaps. We encourage you to read both sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch HB 4080 A was moved to Ways and Means on Feb. 14 th related to offshore wind energy. Important to the League will be financing the public engagement in the Dept. of Land Conservation and Development’s (DLCD) Coastal Program as required by the bill. The League provided comments on HB 4080-1 and continues to advocate for funding for public engagement and staff at DLCD. On Feb. 22nd, “the Oregon Legislative Coastal Caucus has issued a resounding call for the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to address significant concerns before advancing offshore wind projects off the coast of Oregon. In a letter to BOEM Director Heidi Klein, the Caucus expressed extreme disappointment with BOEM's decision to finalize two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) without adequately addressing the concerns of coastal communities, industries, and tribes.” The League signed on to a letter in support of HB 4132 , Marine Reserves. Currently there is a fiscal request of just under $900 M for this biennium. The bill is scheduled for a Feb. 26 th work session in W&Ms Natural Resources. Oregon’s Coos Bay Estuary is reported to be a “blue carbon”source that will help Oregon address climate change. That is no news to our local Coos Bay League who continue to advocate for this largest of Oregon’s estuaries. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is working with DSL to identify In Lieu lands (part of the 1,400 acres of lands owed the State of Oregon on statehood that have not yet been allotted to Oregon). Click here to view the BLM Proposed Classification Decision , and a public notice that two forestland properties in Linn County that have been identified to meet the criteria for some of those In Lieu lands. Learn more and provide public comment through April 9, 2024. Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch The League supports the $4.1 million that had been set aside in 2023 for the former proposed separate ESRF state agency to instead be added to the DSL budget as the managers of the ESRF. The League encourages you to listen to the one-hour Feb. 19 th Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee meeting where a diverse set of groups provided testimony. LWVOR has been engaged in the Elliott discussion since 2014. Work is continuing on eventual adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Forest Management Plan for the forest. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . A recommendation with structural governance may be before the State Land Board on April 9. If approved, look for appointments to the new ESRF Board at their June 11 tth meeting. Forestry (ODF) The Oregon Dept. of Forestry is holding the last of their community conversations on February 28th as they do strategic planning. The public is encouraged to participate. On Feb. 23 rd the Board of Forestry had a special meeting on Post-Disturbance Harvest Rulemaking. A number of bills this session are around funding wildfire. For information on the various bills, see the Wildfire section of this report below. Land Use & Housing By Peggy Lynch The major housing bills, SB 1537 and SB 1530 A , have been scheduled for a Work Session in the Ways and Means SubCommittee on Transportation and Economic Development. We understand that there may be some “technical fixes” in SB 1537 in W&Mw. A news release by the Senate President explains the elements of both bills. Also on the agenda is League supported HB 4134 -A that includes a list of infrastructure projects in small towns around Oregon to be funded with a promise of new housing. We may see elements of HB 4128 A . The League is concerned that HB 4128A lists monetary grant awards to certain cities for water infrastructure without clarity on what projects will be funded. We are hopeful that, if some of those projects are added to HB 4134, the criteria in HB 4134 will apply. The Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee is recruiting a new member from Oregon’s Third Congressional District. Applications are due by March 18, 9 a.m. Follow the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA) Rulemaking Committee on the Housing Rulemaking webpage . And watch their meetings on the department’s YouTube channel. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Reduce/Recycle By Camille Freitag The League weighed in again this year on a Right to Repair bill, SB 1596 . We joined others in support of the bill. The bill passed the Senate Chamber on Feb. 19 th and is headed to the House Committee on Business and Labor for a Feb. 26 th Public Hearing and Work Session. DEQ is conducting rulemaking to clarify and implement HB 3220 (2023) , which updates and makes necessary changes to the statewide electronics recycling program, Oregon E-Cycles. DEQ is holding its first meeting for the Oregon E-Cycles Rulemaking Advisory Committee on March 7 at 9 a.m. – noon. To attend this virtual meeting, please pre-register via the Zoom online platform . To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee please visit the Oregon E-Cycles rulemaking web page . Water By Peggy Lynch The amended HB 4128 sent to Ways and Means includes a $3 million allocation to be added to the Water Well Abandonment, Repair and Replacement Fund . The League was engaged in helping create this fund in 2021 and supports this allocation. On Feb. 27, there will be an Informational Meeting on “Needs of Very Small Community Water Systems”. The League continues to advocate for clean, safe drinking water for all and the issues of trained staff as well as cost of repairs and upgrades are very real. On Feb. 22, in the House Committee on Housing and Homelessness, Rep. Hartman presented concepts to be considered in 2025, including a number of water related programs, many of which the League has advocated for in the past. We hope Leaguers will engage with the Oregon Water Resources Dept. as they consider changes to Oregon’s groundwater rules. This slide deck was presented at their last rules advisory committee meeting. A written public comment period will be open March 1 st - June 1 st . Regional meetings will be held April 4 th in Bend, April 18 in La Grande, May 16 in Central Point and May 21 st in Salem, with the Salem meeting available on the internet as well as in person. The Department of State Lands is creating a new statewide program (Abandoned and Derelict Vessels) to address hazardous vessels across Oregon. They want your feedback on the proposed program framework. Share your input by March 8th! See the proposed framework for the ADV program here (PDF). The League has supported creation of this program and the funding needed to remove these hazardous vessels from Oregon’s waterways. OWRD anticipates releasing a draft of the updated Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) for public review and comment starting March 5th. An updated draft is then anticipated to be available for a second public comment opportunity in May. The Oregon Water Resources Commission will hear public testimony and consider adoption of the 2024 IWRS at their September meeting. For more information about this process, please visit the IWRS page . The League hopes members will engage since we were actively engaged in the original legislation and in the first two IWRS documents. We understand this new draft takes an entirely new slant from the current IWRS. It will be important that the original documents not be invalidated but instead enhanced by this proposal. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco, Harney, Sherman, Lake, Jackson, Gilliam, Douglas, Lincoln and Morrow counties. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers The week began with some welcome progress on at least one of the wildfire funding bills the League has been following. On February 19, the House Climate and Energy met and voted to send Rep Marsh’s omnibus wildfire bill, HB 4016-1 , on home hardening and prescribed fire liability, to the floor with a do-pass recommendation. The amendment removed the portion of this bill set up to fund wildfire smoke programs, eliminating the need to refer the bill to Ways and Means. It subsequently passed the House on Feb 21, referred to Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire, for Feb. 27 public hearing and Feb. 29 th work session. Next up was a Sen Vets, etc. mtg on emergency preparedness. Chief Mariana Ruiz-Temple, Dept of the State Fire Marshal (DFSM) gave a “State of the State” presentation on Oregon fire service and challenges faced. She referred to the fire service “crisis”. Among challenges are a decreasing volunteer pool, recruitment and retention problems, increasing homeless impacts including tent fires, growing wildfire event intensity and size, and firefighter behavioral health issues due to trauma and stress associated with job demands. A KTVZ study report recently released by Oregon State University reinforces current and future increase in wildfires, both geographically and in intensity, trending towards more fire on the “Westside”, west of the Cascades. The bad news is these fires have the capacity to become mega-fires due to the very factors that make them less frequent - seasonal moisture combined with lots of vegetative growth, which accumulates fuel for fires. Chief Ruiz-Temple was followed by the Row River Fire Response. This is a Rural Fire District established by community members in response to having NO fire protection DURING a fire that occurred in a neighborhood that burned 5 homes. They believe their successful public/private partnership could serve as a model for other communities around Oregon. A slide show describing their inspiring journey is worth a look, revealing a fire protection system gap. The League is following two bills, SB 1520 -2 and HB 4007 , relating to an income tax subtraction for settlements or judgments received by wildfire damage victims. Subtle differences between the two bills are being worked out in Sen Finance and Revenue and House Revenue. The impetus is that legal settlement and judgment proceeds are taxed at 70%, with the remaining 30% also being taxable income, and legal fees paid are not deductible. This results in homeowners hoping to rebuild being left with a small fraction of the initial reward, sometimes a little as 15%. California has passed similar legislation. To complicate things, Federal tax law in this area is also under review and the outcome will affect the final details of how these bills are implemented, since there is some overlap. On February 22, Sen Finance and Revenue adopted the SB 1520-2 amendment, which fixed some problems identified during public testimony, and sent it to the floor with a do pass recommendation. At this meeting, a SB 1545 work session was held, which would allow counties to offer a property tax break (using assessment from ’20-21) to owners of destroyed homes rebuilt after the 2020 wildfires. A Feb 26 work session is scheduled before the same Committee. The League has also observed some limited movement on the various wildfire funding bills. A good summary of their various stages may be found in this excellent Capital Chronicle Feb 22nd overview . Rep Evans’ public safety and wildfire funding bills, HJR 201 and HB 4075 , are “effectively dead”, according to the article, having received over 1,400 written comments, 99% opposing. Sen Golden’s wildfire funding bill, SB 1593 with amendment , would fund a study of the use of a severance tax to fund wildfire programs. (A severance tax applies to the value of trees harvested. A forest products harvest tax which Oregon currently has is levied on the volume of harvested timber.) That bill has a Feb. 28 th public hearing before Sen Finance and Revenue. The League will provide testimony in support of the proposed amendment. Sen. Steiner is also scheduled to share “Funding Wildfire Mitigation and Suppression” information. We can assume she will be discussing her HB 4133-3 bill, still in House Revenue. Last but certainly not least, the latest version of Rep Marsh and Sen Steiner’s bill, HB 4133 -3, was heard on Feb 22 before House Revenue. Sen Steiner and Doug Grafe, the Governor’s Wildfire and Military Advisor explained explained several bill changes. The first change relates to a split of funds raised by the measure between the General Fund and the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Large Fire Fund, which this bill would establish. The second, in a needed attempt to broaden the conversation, directs ODF and DSFM to work with stakeholders to develop options for sustainable funding for wildfire suppression and mitigation. It was noted that Rep Marsh and SenGolden, and various fire agencies, would most likely be at the table. This is, at least in part, in response to opposition/reservations voiced by several State firefighter organizations. Toward that end, Senator Steiner submitted this letter to presiding officers. The final change relates to a land reclassification moratorium which affects the rates landowners pay for fire protection while details continue to be ironed out. Ironically, several members of the Committee expressed their difficulties in understanding this complex bill which was, in theory, designed to make the wildfire funding model less complex. A Work Session was scheduled for February 26 before this Committee. The League is so concerned with wildfire funding needs that we signed on to a budget request for additional monies to the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Dept. of Forestry to address Community Wildfire Protection and Landscape Resiliency. On Feb 28, there will be an informational meeting on the Wildfire Hazard Map in the House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. The long legislative session begins in January of 2025. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - September Legislative Days Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: Claudia Keith Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Jump to a topic: Climate Emergency Oregon Climate Action Commission - OCAC OCAC Biennial Report Environmental Quality Commission Meeting Highlights Climate Litigation and Congressional Climate Resolution Volunteers Needed Climate Emergency By Claudia Keith, Climate Emergency Coordinator and Team Department of Environmental Quality Climate Protection Program: Action Alert and Testimony LWVOR published a September ALERT related to an Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) Climate Protection Program Sept 26 rulemaking public hearing. This meeting was scheduled late August to provide for more public comments. OPB: ‘Public will get a little longer to weigh in on Oregon’s program to cut carbon emissions.’ The League continues to advocate for strong ODEQ Climate Protection Program (CPP) rules. We have been participating in the CPP rulemaking process since its inception in 2021. Find the most recent LWVOR testimony for the CPP rulemaking public hearing here . Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) action: DEQ plans to present the final CPP rulemaking proposal, including any modifications made in response to public comments, to the EQC for a decision at its Nov. 21-22 meeting. The goal continues to be a 2025 CPP implementation. Oregon Climate Action Commission - OCAC (formally Global Warming Commission): September 17, Meeting Highlights DEQ Consumption-Based Emissions (CBE) Inventory and Project Report DEQ staff briefed OCAC on the agency’s draft report and recommendations on opportunities to reduce Oregon’s consumption-based GHG emissions , mandated by 2024 HB 3409. Staff had previewed an earlier draft of this report during OCAC’s August meeting. While Oregon’s sector-based emissions peaked in the first decade of this century, CBE have continued to soar, so our overall carbon footprint has gone up, not down. DEQ and its consultant, the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI), identified many ways Oregon can reduce its CBE—e.g., by reducing embodied emissions in new construction, the largest governmental source, through green building codes, product regulations and standards, financial incentives, etc. The report also presents marginal abatement cost curves (“bang for the buck”) for various policy initiatives. Draft recommendations: 1. The Legislature, in consultation with OCAC, should adopt a goal to reduce CBE. 2. The Legislature, OCAC, and state agencies should take more action to reduce CBE. Address high-impact categories of emissions and activities with high emissions- reduction potential. Enable consumer awareness and choices through structural and policy changes that make low-carbon choices more easy, affordable, equitable, and accessible. Align with other statewide priorities, such as increasing affordable housing, reducing negative health outcomes, and reducing food insecurity. Consider “product stewardship” approaches that engage producers of products and materials sold into Oregon. Center human well-being in policy design, paying particular attention to equity considerations, including needs and opportunities for low-income, BIPOC, and residents in rural areas. Engage cross-cutting/cross-sector approaches that can reduce multiple sets of emissions while also generating co-benefits to society. Minimize rebound effects by focusing on reducing consumption of commodities with high emissions intensities. 3. DEQ should update its CBE inventory on a timely and more frequent basis. OCAC Biennial Report The Commission reviewed and discussed draft recommendations for potential inclusion in its Biennial Report, due to the Legislature on 12/1/2024. OCAC intends to adopt the final recommendations in October. Sources of the following draft recs were OCAC’s Roadmap to 2030, the Natural and Working Land’s (N&WL)priorities, and DEQ’s CBE work. Recommendation 1: Support robust and continuous implementation of existing climate programs and regulations. Restore the CPP with same scope and ambition as before. Develop policies and programs that maximize the existing grid infrastructure, accelerate new transmission and renewable energy siting, and advance regional energy markets. Increase funding for Oregon Public Utility Commission oversight of HB 2021 and CPP implementation. Increase funding for ODOE’s Community Renewable Energy Grant program, Heat Pump programs, and Solar + Storage program; ODHS’s Community Resilience Hubs and Network Grant program; DEQ’s EV Rebate programs; and OHA’s Healthy Homes program. Recommendation 2: Update Oregon’s statutory Green House Gas (GHG) emission goals consistent with best available science – revisiting Senator Dembrow’s bill, SB522A , which failed to pass in 2023. Recommendation 3: Appropriate an additional $10 million to the N&WL Fund and to the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program to increase carbon sequestration. Recommendation 4: Investigate options and create a sustained source of state funding to increase sequestration in N&WL, including consideration of a setting up a Green Bank to use the state’s bonding capacity to incentivize private investments. Recommendation 5: Adopt a goal to reduce Oregon’s CBE. Recommendation 6: Take targeted actions to reduce CBE from transportation, the built environment, and food waste. Recommendation 7: Direct and fund DEQ to update the CBE inventory every 2 years, and direct OCAC to report on progress toward the state’s CBE reduction goals as part of OCAC’s Biennial Report to the Legislature. Senator Dembrow and Commissioner Apter urged a special focus on transportation-related measures to prevent the expected transportation package from increasing GHG emissions. Other commissioners suggested developing additional recommendations related to climate adaptation and resilience. Oregon Environmental Justice Council Environmental Justice Mapping Tool Extension Request was adopted in Aug . New proposed deadline moves to June 2027. Other past and future OEJC meeting details find HERE. Environmental Quality Commission Meeting Highlights Report on the portions of the 9/26-27 EQC meeting bearing on the CPP 2024 rulemaking. Oral public comment on Thursday afternoon heavily favored the OCEN partners' positions. The commissioners' Friday morning discussion made it clear that they had also heard plenty from the regulated businesses, some of whom had suggested that EQC drop this rulemaking and invite the legislature to develop a cap and trade program. The commissioners expressed their determination to move forward with rules for a climate program that will be a model for best practices, providing Oregon businesses with long-term regulatory certainty to bring forth the appropriate investments and giving climate skeptics no reason to point to Oregon as an example of what not to do. The following major issues rose to the top. Community Climate Investments (CCI) program accountability: Industry, especially NW Natural, has challenged the validity and expense of this program as the primary alternative vehicle for CPP compliance. Commissioners expressed support for the program but with guardrails to ensure maximum accountability and investment performance. Chair Donegan stressed the need for a laser focus on the quality, tradability, and bankability of CCI projects to make sure these are attractive investments for potential buyers. Do the CPP rules need to define the vetting process for eligible CCI entities and projects more rigorously? DEQ's McConnaha noted that the Equity Advisory Council is set up to help prioritize work plans and that the proposed third-party fees will fund a full FTE for DEQ to oversee CCI performance. Comm. Schlusser noted that many CCI projects are likely to link with and leverage existing programs such as those of Energy Trust, but attribution of results may become challenging. Donegan suggested that the final rules should clarify EQC's role, if any, in overseeing fund allocation. CCI prices are a related concern. Donegan said the proposed price of $126 per CCI appears less expensive than the cost of neighboring states' compliance instruments, given that the CPP would award most emission allowances free off the top. Real worry is the decarbonization cost passed on to consumers over time. As our emissions cap declines and covered entities have to buy more CCIs, our program could become more expensive than California’s. McConnaha said in 2 years of experience with the CPP, we saw overcompliance with the program requirements without the CCI program in place. So while the focus on the CCI price is understandable, it’s only one of many variables affecting CPP compliance. Treatment of Energy-Intensive Trade Exposed (EITEs) industries: Public comments show widespread support for creating this new category of regulated entities (manufacturers that face competition from outside Oregon), favored with a slower emissions cap trajectory to prevent job losses in Oregon and emissions "leakage" to other states. A movement emerged late in the rulemaking process advocating that DEQ develop a method to regulate these entities according to the specific carbon intensity (MT CO2e/per unit produced) of each manufacturing process. DEQ has pledged to address this proposition and the regulation of industrial process emissions in a near-future rulemaking. Recognition of “early” emission reductions: DEQ proposes a large one-time distribution of compliance instruments to fossil fuel suppliers in 2025 to recognize what those suppliers would have banked or traded by the time the program was invalidated. DEQ believes it is important to honor those suppliers’ early emissions reductions. Environmentalists vehemently oppose this on the grounds that it would oversupply the market with compliance instruments and could derail the CCI program early on. McConnaha maintained that the move to shorter compliance periods (2 years vs. 3) will spur overall market activity for compliance instruments, including CCI investments. Comm. Moynahan asked what would be the consequence if DEQ rescinded this proposal. McConnaha replied: a tighter market with fewer instruments available and less certainty for the regulated entities. OCEN has urged DEQ to consider adopting several changes to mitigate the worst impacts of this measure, including distributing the additional compliance instruments over 10 years, beginning with the second compliance period. It is hard to know whether DEQ will revise any of the proposed rules before EQC votes on the final rulemaking in November, but formal public input is done. Stay tuned! OEA: Oregon Revenue Forecast Sept Report published 8/28/24 I encourage you to notice the number of times climate is mentioned in this report, it appears a model for climate risk disclosure. This may be the only state revenue forecast in the country that clearly addresses most climate related risks. Climate Litigation and Congressional Climate Resolution Sept 2024 Updates to the Climate Case Charts | Columbia University Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Oregon Cases – 78 as of Sept 2024 News: Some of these topics may be addressed in 2025 session Oregon continues to be in the top ten states, the State Energy Efficiency Scorecard , released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), evaluates states across six key policy areas related to renewable energy Bill McKibben in Portland: July 5, 2024. - Greg Martin McKibben gave an address on climate change at the First Unitarian Church in Portland last week. He spoke compellingly for some 40 minutes, starting with the worst disaster news and moving on to more optimistic themes, including the potential of senior activism to make a critical difference. This recording begins with a series of intros, including promotion for Third Act Oregon. McKibben starts at around the 25-minute mark . His advocacy on this subject is nothing short of amazing. Where are Fracking Bans in Place? ‘Statewide fracking bans are in place in five states: Vermont, New York, Maryland, Washington, and Oregon (Oregon’s moratorium ends on January 2, 2025). California currently has a moratorium on fracking in place and a full ban will start in October 2024. Individual counties across the country have also passed their own fracking bans.’ POSTED IN POLLUTION: HCN.: Preventing the next ‘Fukushima’ As oil and gas operations at Portland’s CEI Hub grow , so do the chances of a catastrophic spill. Isobel Whitcomb September 1, 2024 OPB : Energy demand from data centers growing faster than West can supply, experts say “In a webinar hosted by regional transmission authorities, data centers were called a “major challenge” for the energy industry, as well as extreme weather” US delays Oregon floating offshore wind lease auction amid 'low interest' | Windpower Monthly US shelves Oregon offshore wind auction after protest from governor – MarketScreener :Reuters: (Reuters) -The Biden administration on Friday canceled a planned auction of offshore wind development rights off the coast of Oregon after the state's governor said she did not support the sale. Oregon’s biggest gas company isn’t as green as it claims- EHN Agency that approves energy rate hikes explains How and Why Behind Decisions. Volunteers Needed Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Please consider joining the Climate Emergency portfolio team; We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Governance Internships Legislative Report - Week of 2/12 Governance Team Coordinator: Norman Turrill Campaign Finance Reform: Norman Turrill Cybersecurity Privacy, Election Issues, Electronic Portal Advisory Board: Becky Gladstone Election Systems: Barbara Klein Redistricting: Norman Turrill, Chris Cobey Voting Rights of Incarcerated People: Marge Easley Jump to a topic: Senate and House Rules Committees House Rules Committee Senate Committee on Education Elections, Campaign Finance, and In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt By Norman Turrill, Governance Coordinator, and Team Senate Rules Committee SB 1538 is an election law clean-up bill that makes many changes, was amended in several details and passed out of the Senate Rules Committee on 2/15. The amendments concerned translating voters’ pamphlets; removing the redundant vote tally machine certification just before tallying begins; reducing the number of voter registration cards to 500 that could be obtained, issuing a certificate of ascertainment of presidential electors; increasing the upper limits for a candidate not to be required to file campaign finance reports; and allowing campaign contributions to be used to pay civil penalties for campaign violations. House Rules Committee HB 4021 , which requires the Governor to fill a vacancy in the office of U.S. Senator by appointment within 30 days until a special election can fill the vacancy, had a public hearing. HB 4031 , which requires the Public Records Advisory Council to study public records, passed out of committee without recommendation and was sent to the Revenue Committee. HB 4032 , which removes the requirement that the word “incumbent” appear on the ballot with the name of incumbent candidates for the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Oregon Tax Court, and circuit court, had a public hearing. HB 4117 , which authorizes the Oregon Government Ethics Commission to issue advisory opinions on the application of the public meetings law, and which provides a technical fix to a bill passed in 2023 session, passed out of committee to 2 nd reading, the rules of the House were suspended, and the bill was passed immediately and unanimously. Senate Committee on Education SB 1502 requires public schools and college boards to livestream their meetings and post the meeting recordings on their websites and social media sites. It allows remote testimony for most school and college board meetings. The bill passed out of committee and was referred to Ways and Means. Elections, Campaign Finance, and In Memoriam for Alice Bartelt By Rebecca Gladstone Three bills that received League testimony passed from committees this week. News swirls for others, and we are poised to act on them. These two bills were heard in Senate Rules and both passed, with League support: Increase Voters’ Pamphlet Languages SB 1533 : This bill would increase the number of languages other than English for State Voters’ Pamphlets, adjusted for predominating languages by county. We provided written testimony . As well as virtual League testimony starts at 1:25) . The bill passed unanimously, with one excused. Synthetic Media in Campaign Ads, aka Deep Fakes SB 1571 -1 : League testimony was quickly revised for the -1 amendment and our verbal testimony, (video starting at 50 minutes ), was targeted to issues raised during the public hearing. The -1 amendment replaced “artificial intelligence” with the applied term “synthetic media”. The bill passed unanimously, with four more amendments filed. See Oregon lawmakers consider regulating use of AI in campaign ads , OPB, 14 Feb, 2024. A third bill, from sponsor Sen. Manning, was heard in Senate Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs Committee: Automatic Voter Registration for students SB 1577 -3 : The original bill would have automatically registered students from their college applications via the Dept of Revenue. The amended bill would have Elections and County Elections departments study the feasibility of registering student citizen voters. The clear emphasis on eligible voters, with only citizens being eligible, was not clear to many who sent testimony. It passed from committee on partisan lines, with supportive League testimony (video starting at 1:19), and on the record . Campaign Finance: LWVOR supports IP 9 and is actively collecting signatures, as part of the Honest Elections Coalition . LWVOR and Common Cause are the good government groups mentioned in OPB this week: Democrats and Republicans often clash on the subject, but are hoping to avoid a messy ballot fight . A placeholder bill, HB 4024 , could be pressed into service from unusual partners, labor and business, who are otherwise promoting IP 42, against IP 9. This is presumably hoping to forestall the impending faceoff between the two competing campaign finance petitions. Campaign work for IP 9 is in high gear with discussions between Honest Elections, legislative members, top state leadership, and the press. Senate Commemorative Resolution, In Memoriam: Alice Bartelt, 1947-2023 , SCR 203: We understand from staff that the bill sponsor, Senate President Wagner, has moved the hearing date to Feb. 22, 3pm. It is not yet posted on OLIS. Staff requests that anyone wishing to testify please contact their office at carol.suzuki@oregonlegislature.gov , so that timing can be arranged.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Week of 6/5 Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Air Quality Budgets Coastal Issues Elliott State Research Forest Land Use/Housing Radioactive Waste Recycling Toxics Water Wildfire By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team The end of the session may be seen soon, although the official sine die is June 25 th ... (Oops! “Sine die” doesn’t pass the reading test…it’s "end of the session" I should use.) Bills are stacking up in the Senate as there is still no quorum to be able to vote on those bills—policies and budgets. If there is no resolution by the 25, look for a special session before the Sept. 15 t deadline when many agencies will be unfunded. Air Quality HB 3229 LWVOR joined with others in support. The bill would increase federal air quality (Title V) operating permit program fees, not increased for many years. The bill is in W&M Capital Construction Subcommittee, discussing amendments. In the meantime, the DEQ budget passed out of the Natural Resources Subcommittee and authorized the 11 staff requested in HB 3229. But that staffing approval needs HB 3229. Some of our partners are considering a direct application to the EPA to help assure Oregon addresses the U.S. Air Quality Act. Budgets The Full W&Ms met June 7, agenda , and on June 9 with this agenda . Most budget bills have now been scheduled or passed. The W&M Co-Chairs did announce a new Full meeting, Monday, June 12, at 9:30am. The Capital Construction Subcommittee met June 9 th , agenda . Bills and agency budgets we have been watching that are moving—some in total and some with amendments—are listed here. HB 5043, the budget bill for the Water Resources Department, was heard in the W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 5. The LFO Recommendation includes $1 million to the Water Well Repair, Replacement and Abandonment Fund which the League supported in 2021 and a permanent staffer for the Integrated Water Resources Strategy. See the Subcommittee’s recommendation . SB 5539 the budget bill for the Oregon Water Enhancement Board (OWEB), was heard in the W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 6 as was SB 5540 the budget bill to provide for 6-year limitation for grants from OWEB. SB 5539 LFO Recommendation and the Subcommittee recommendation . HB 5018 the budget bill for the Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was heard in the W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 6. LFO Recommendation. The bill was in Full W&M on June 9. Here is a short explanation of the Subcommittee’s recommendation. SB 80A , the omnibus Wildfire Programs bill, was heard in W&M Capital Construction on June 9. See the posted amendments and listen to the hearing. The W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee recommended approval of a climate package: HB 3409 with the 112-page -3 amendment that includes a number of bills supported by LWVOR. See the LFO Recommendation that addresses 14 policy bills! One bill included and followed by Natural Resources is HB 2647 A . The League supports HB 2647 A to continue to address harmful algal blooms, a public health issue. Portions of the four building resilience bills and $10 million for SB 530, the natural and working lands bill, are included. The W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee recommended approval of an energy package: HB 3630 with the -1 amendment . LFO Recommendation . The W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee used HB 2010 for the water package instead of HB 3124 , the bill to which LWVOR provided comments . The -6 amendment was adopted and includes elements of HB 3163 ($800,000 in budget bill), HB 3130 , HB 3103 and HB 2813 as well as other bills per this Drought Package Press Release . See our last Legislative Report for links to our testimonies on these bills. LFO Recommendation SB 538 A would allow DOGAMI and other agencies to offer permittees the ability to use a credit card to pay fees and the agencies can charge for the processing costs charged by those card businesses. On May 25, the bill moved to House Rules. The Governor signed HB 5046 , to allow state agencies to continue to operate until Sept. 15 at current levels. With the current Senate Republican walkout, this bill is increasingly important. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch LWVOR encourages you to attend “Oregon Beaches and Dunes Presentations” , a series of programs around the state from June to Sep.. HB 3382 B passed the House June 8 by 53 to 3. The League is disappointed as we, along with others, opposed the bill, even after the bill was narrowed to just Coos Bay. Our March testimony ; May 16 Coalition testimony . Rumor has it that the Port of Coos Bay, on behalf of the container ship development, has again applied for federal funding. They were not approved for funding in 2022. HB 2903 A , funding to continue work on marine reserves, is in W&Ms, LWVOR supports . This 10-year-old program now has support by a diverse set of interests in coastal communities. We were disappointed this position was not included in the ODFW budget but Sens. Anderson and Dembrow both encouraged inclusion in the end-of-session bill. At Full W&Ms Rep. Gomberg joined in encouraging funding. Dept. of State Lands HB 2238 A , filed to provide permission for robust rulemaking to increase fees for the removal/fill awaits a Senate vote. It will need to go back to the House for “concurrence”—to agree with the Senate amendment. The League continues to support . Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch The prospective ESRF Board met June 6 via Zoom, meeting agenda . The meeting video is posted to the Department of State Lands YouTube channel and meeting notes are posted here . They tentatively plan to meet again July 24th (time and location TBD). Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . On June 2 the OSU Board of Trustees met and received a Report and a Presentation as they consider approving their engagement on the ESRF, with an OSU Board decision in October or December. Land Use/Housing By Peggy Lynch HB 3414 would create a new Housing Accountability and Production Office in DLCD and also include a section related to processing variances under certain circumstances, now called “adjustments”. Variances are used to address exceptions to a code’s “clear and objective standards”. Added to the bill in other amendments is a new provision around a process for urban growth boundary expansions. The bill’s 27-page -19 amendment was not posted on OLIS until 7pm, June 7, but had a new public hearing in House Rules June 8 where the League provided verbal testimony based on our Nov. 2022 LCDC testimony , pointing out that it’s not more raw land we need; it’s funding for infrastructure and planning staff. The UGB section relates to SB 1096 , to “expand development into farmland”, similar to SB 1051 which the League vigorously opposed and has died. Although there are sideboards around what lands can be considered, the HB 3414 -19 amendment continues the false narrative that simply adding land to urban growth boundaries will solve Oregon's housing crises. We are waiting to see if one of the amendments (-18 or -19) will be added to HB 3395 , the Housing package bill being heard in Capital Construction on June 9 or if other actions will be taken on this bill. League members’ voices in opposition to much of this bill would be appreciated. Contact your representatives. HB 3179 A7 sits awaiting a vote on the Senate floor. The bill would double the maximum allowable acreage for solar photovoltaic power generation facility siting in the context of county land-use planning, allowing counties to approve more and larger solar projects while preserving existing protections for land use and wildlife. The Siting Table group will continue during the interim to continue to address ways to site renewable energy projects while also protecting farmland and addressing environmental concerns. A number of land use planning bills are still sitting in the Senate and House Rules Committees or awaiting a Senate vote. Those committees are not subject to deadlines until the Leadership closes them so we wait and watch—holding our breath that these bills are not trade bait should the Republican Senators return to vote before the end of session. No new news on SB 1087 , filed on behalf of a farm in Lane County where they want to add a “café” (with seating for 250-300 people) on their Exclusive Farm Use (EFU)-zoned property. The League opposes this overreach of our land use program. The bill is in Senate Rules. SB 70 A would allow housing on acreage in Malheur County. The League provided testimony in opposition on Feb. 8. On April 3, the bill was moved without recommendation as to passage to Senate Rules. LWVOR still opposes. SB 1013 , a bill that would allow a recreational vehicle to be sited on a rural property, was amended by the -4 amendment and passed the House floor. The League worked with the sponsor and Sen. Hayden to assure that, should a recreational vehicle be allowed, issues of sewage and clean drinking water would be addressed by the counties. This bill will require “concurrence” with the Senate. HB 3442 A would allow coastal communities to develop in-hazard areas under certain conditions, passed to the Senate floor on May 10 where it sits until there is a quorum. The amended bill responded to League concerns on the original bill. HB 2983 A would help with manufactured housing and housing parks, now in Ways and Means. LWVOR supports . We believe that money is in the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget but some monies might also show up in Capital Construction. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Radioactive Waste By Shirley Weathers Since the more substantive May 15, 2023 LR entry on this topic, the deadline for RAC member input on Part I of recommended rules for OAR 345-050 designed to implement SB 246 (2021) has been extended by 15 days to June 30. The League will provide input by the new date. ODOE staff indicated the new timeline will still allow them to prepare materials for a report to EFSC for a July council meeting. A public comment period on that segment of the proposed rules will likely follow that meeting; LWVOR will participate and encourage others with concerns about public health and safety and environmental risks to consider doing so, as well. Regarding the longer-term process for developing proposed rules designed by ODOE staff as Part II, the alternate proposal by Waste Management and allies among RAC membership is now posted on the ODOE Rulemaking page for this RAC. ODOE staff reports technical difficulties to getting the video of the first half of the April 24, 2023 meeting to be uploaded there, as well, but they are continuing to work on it. Reduce/Recycle DEQ is proposing rules to clarify and implement the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act of 2021. More information on this rulemaking, including the draft rules, can be found on the Recycling Updates 2023 Rulemaking Page . DEQ will accept comments by email, postal mail or verbally at the public hearing. Anyone can submit comments and questions about this rulemaking. Email comments to recycling.2023@deq.oregon.gov or mail to Oregon DEQ, Attn: Roxann Nayar/Materials Management, 700 NE Multnomah Street, Suite 600, Portland, Oregon 97232-4100. Public Hearings: Two meeting times are offered. DEQ will only consider comments on the proposed rules that DEQ receives by 4 pm, on July 6. Tuesday, June 27,11am. Please Register via Zoom prior to the meeting. Thursday, June 29, 5pm. Please Register via Zoom prior to the meeting. DEQ will hold the first Recycling Modernization Act Rulemaking Advisory Committee meeting for the second rulemaking from 9 am to 12:30 pm on July 13. DEQ will provide an overview of the Act, the rulemaking process, and present the Commingled Processing Facility Worker Living Wage and Supportive Benefits rule concept. To attend, please Register via Zoom . To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee, view the rulemaking web page at: Recycling Updates 2024 . SB 542 A (Right to Repair) continues to sit in the Senate Rules Committee until more amendments are made or until there are enough votes to pass it in the full Senate. The League provided testimony in support on Feb. 14. Toxics By Paula Grisafi HB 3043 A was amended by the A3 amendment and is awaiting a quorum on the Senate floor. The bill revises provisions relating to chemicals in children’s products. SB 426 A (toxic free schools) was sent to Ways and Means without clarity on the fiscal impact. The bill’s advocates are working to assure that the fiscal impact statement is not over inflated by agency staff. Water By Peggy Lynch It’s time to engage in the Integrated Water Resources Strategy 2023 update. See the survey link on the webpage. HB 3207 A , related to domestic well testing and data collection, is in W&Ms. LWVOR supports . HB 3125 would create a Ratepayer Assistance Fund to help low-income people pay for sewer and water bills, in Ways and Means. LWVOR supports . We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. “When in doubt, stay out.” Visit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. Thanks to a substantial snowpack, our drought in many parts of Oregon has lessened. However, the recent hot weather is melting that “storage”. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco, Harney, Sherman and Lake counties. Jackson County has requested a drought declaration. In addition, many counties in eastern and southern Oregon have received Secretarial Disaster Designations from the US Department of Agriculture due to continuing drought conditions. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers SB 509 A , in W&M, aims to scale out neighborhood collaboratives to help whole neighborhoods reduce risk. LWVOR provided support for SB 509 A. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. Volunteers are needed. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.

LILY YAO (she/her) LILY YAO (she/her) Youth Voter Strategist Co-Chair Lily attends South Eugene High School where she is actively involved in student government, competes in Speech and Debate, and plays varsity tennis and club Ultimate. As an environmental advocate, Lily has served as a regional leader intern with Our Future, a project of Partners for Sustainable Schools that has aimed to create a statewide, student-led climate justice network since 2022. At the same time, in roles as a City of Eugene Sustainability Commissioner and member of the Eugene Youth Advisory Council, she seeks to educate herself and others about the climate while becoming more civically aware. Similarly, as a founding member of the Lane County delegation of the Oregon YMCA Youth and Government program, she has had the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience advocating for policy solutions and participating in government simulations of the legislative process, which has further sparked her interest in civics education. Alongside her commitment to environmental issues, Lily is passionate about disaster preparedness. In her role as a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council, she has educated youth in her local community and collaborated with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) to promote disaster resilience. Her experience includes presenting at the 2024 Oregon Prepared: Emergency Preparedness Workshop, hosted by OEM, and as a panelist with Resource Tap Disaster Support Services at the 2024 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference, the largest and oldest conference of its kind. In addition to her advocacy work, Lily believes in promoting cultural diversity and understanding. In addition to English, she speaks both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese and is involved in various efforts to foster inclusivity and celebrate cultural heritage. This has included acting as a Mainstage Production Assistant for the Oregon Asian Celebration. Her commitment to bridging cultural gaps, as well as her passion for S.T.E.M., are demonstrated by her selection as a 2024 TechGirls Finalist. This year, Lily is taking on the role of Co-Voter Strategist with the League of Women Voters of Oregon Youth Council. She is dedicated to empowering young voters and increasing voter turnout among young people. In serving on the Youth Council, Lily hopes to learn more about the civic process, reach out to her community, and advocate for voters across Oregon. youthoutreach@lwvor.org

Back to All Legislative Reports Climate Emergency Legislative Report - Week of 2/13 Climate Emergency Team Coordinator: Claudia Keith Efficient and Resilient Buildings: Bill Glassmire Environmental Justice: Nancy Rosenberger Environmental Rights Amendment: Claudia Keith Natural Climate Solution - Forestry: Josie Koehne CEI - Critical Energy Infrastructure : Nikki Mandell and Laura Rogers Community Resilince & Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Transportation: Claudia Keith Joint Ways and Means - Budgets, Lawsuits, Green/Public Banking, Divestment/ESG: Claudia Keith Find additional Climate Change Advocacy volunteers in Natural Resources Climate Emergency Priorities Other CE Bills Clean Energy Oregon Economic Analysis Oregon Treasury Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… Volunteers Needed Climate Emergency Priorities By Claudia Keith The League has identified six priority CE policy and budget topics. Find in previous LR reports additional background on each priority. Following are updates on those six topics: 1. Natural and Working Lands : Establishes Natural and Working Lands (NWL) Fund, carbon sequestration opportunities…: Natural Climate Solutions SB 530 . Public Hearing was 2/15/23 in SEN E&E . Josie Koehne is leading this effort. The League provided supportive testimony . Sen Dembrow and OGWC Chair MacDonald testified . Here are the meeting materials . 2. Resilient Buildings (RB): Refer to the adopted Legislative Joint Task Force on Resilient Efficient Buildings (REB) Dec 13 Report . The League is an active RB coalition partner. BR campaign guiding principles . SB 868 , 869 , 870 and 871 were posted 2/9. They seem to be placeholders, watch for amendments. 3. Environmental Justice (EJ): 2023 Leg bills. The League joined the Worker Advocate Coalition on 2/13 and SB 593 is one of a number of bills the League will follow and likely support. The ‘Right to Refuse‘ dangerous work bill LC has not been posted yet. 4. Oregon Climate Action Commission (currently Oregon Global Warming Commission): Roadmap , SB 522 , will change "Oregon Global Warming Commission" to "Oregon Climate Action Commission" and modify membership and duties of commission and state greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets/goals. Find more about this Bill in Clean Energy LR below. SB 522 public hearing is Tuesday Feb 21 in Sen E&E . The League will provide supportive testimony. See OGWC Feb 3 Final Draft Roadmap Recommendations , the Roadmap Next Steps Commission Subcommittee’s final review of report is due February 21-24. The Roadmap is scheduled to be published and delivered to the Legislature by March 1. 5. Other Governor Climate / Carbon Policy Topics: See 20-04 Executive Order topics . This area includes other GHG emission mitigation/ reductions and new clean renewable energy (DOE), OHA public health, and DOT Dept of Transportation policy and funding bills. 6. CE related total 2023-2025 biennium budget: The governor’s budget * was published Jan 31; Kotek’s budget priorities . A main funding problem concerns how the favorable ending current period balance, estimated to be >$765M, can be used. It will take a 3/5 vote to pass this proposed change. ‘Kotek proposes spending $765M from reserves on homeless , other crises’| Statesman Journal. Other CE Bills - Supporting By Claudia Keith House Committee On Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans Feb 16 2023 Hearing includes these climate related bills with League testimony. HB 2601 Oregon FF Divestment: The League provided supportive testimony for Fossil Fuel (FF) Divestment: … Requires State Treasurer to address the urgency and risk associated with Fossil Fuel energy investments. Chief Sponsors: Rep Pham K, Senator Golden, Rep Gamba. HB 2763 Create a State public bank Task Force, Rep Gamba, Sen Golden, Rep Walters. The League provided testimony . Other CE Bills – May Support By Claudia Keith The League may support or just follow these bills. This is a preliminary list; a number of bills are not yet posted to OLIS. Natural Working Lands: See Rep Pham’s urban forestry bill, HB 3016 , Rep Holvey’s severance tax bill, HB 3025 to replace the harvest tax, and ODF’s Regular Harvest tax bill, HB 2087 . SB 88 climate smart Ag increases net carbon sequestration and storage in natural and working lands. Requested: Senate Interim Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery. See Keep Oregon Cool, Natural Working Lands. Green Infrastructure: HB 3016 community green infrastructure, Rep Pham K, Senator Dembrow, Rep Gamba. Public & Green Banking: SB501 Bank of the state of Oregon Sen Golden. Interstate 5 Bridge Legislation: Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBRP) factsheet ODOT and WDOT . 12 Things the Oregon Legislature Should Know About IBRP - Just Crossing Alliance. It is likely policy and or just funding bills will be heard and likely moved by this IBRP Legislative Joint Committee . The goal: ‘Replacing the aging Interstate Bridge with a modern, earthquake resilient, multimodal structure is a high priority for Oregon and Washington…. ‘. Clean Energy By Kathy Moyd Activity Last Week and Next Week. There were no Clean Energy bill Public Hearings during the period prior to 2/14.Two Clean Energy bills have public hearings between 2/14 and next week. Oregon Economic Analysis By Claudia Keith The next Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast is scheduled for Feb 22. It is unclear how the congressional debt ceiling issue, security market volatility, inflation – Fed/banking issues and other global risks will develop. The last State of Oregon quarterly forecast assumed a likely mild recession in 2023. Oregon Bond rating continues to be above average. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis has never conformed to what is now recommended in the SEC Climate Risk disclosure rule. SEC Plans to Finalize See supportive LWVOR-initiated LWVUS Testimony , June 2022. Oregon Treasury By Claudia Keith It is unclear how Oregon Treasury / Treasurer Tobias will assist with addressing the $27B Federal funds, which are contingent on formation of an Oregon Green Bank. New York, California, and Connecticut Green Bank; some are a function of the State Treasury. EPA outlines $27B 'green bank' for clean energy projects | AP News. EPA giving out $27 billion in 'green bank' loans | Fortune. Related News: Why your company may soon be hiring an 'ESG controller' | Fortune. SEC weighs making 'adjustments' to controversial climate risk disclosure rule , Chairman Gensler says| CNBS. Investors should not expect much relief from volatility | Financial Times. Rescuing ESG from the Culture Wars | HBR. It's concerning to the League how these major issues will affect Oregon’s economy. Climate Related Lawsuits: Oregon and… By Claudia Keith Numerous lawsuits are challenging Oregon’s DEQ CPP regulations. Here is one example of how to track them. Basically, there are a number of active state and federal lawsuits , (Feb 2023 update) some of which could assist in meeting Oregon's Net Zero GHG Emissions before 2050 targets and other lawsuits, which challenge current Oregon DEQ CPP policy, which would limit the use of fossil fuels, including diesel, natural gas, and propane over time. Another source: Columbia University Law - Sabin Climate DB lists 60 lawsuits with OREGON mentioned. A Lawsuit Against Big Oil Gets Personal - The New York Times Oregon and National News: Oregon city's gas ban continues spread across the West | Energy News Network. Possible oil pipeline expansion on the table in Oregon | KTVL. Rogue Valley residents call for more input on Northwest pipeline expansion – OPB. Why officials in the Pacific Northwest are only now deciding how to regulate crypto mining – OPB. Alert! Tougher Reporting Mandates Ahead for Data Centers | Data Center Knowledge | News and analysis for the data center industry. Oregon State University researcher to help lead $25 million nuclear forensics project | Oregon State University. Tolls are coming to Portland-area freeways , and even tolling fans worry they’ll stack up - oregonlive.com . Interstate Bridge Design Could Change to Single Level | WW. 3 Alarming Threats To The U.S. Energy Grid – Cyber, Physical, And Existential Events| Forbes. Utility Explores Converting Coal Plants into Nuclear Power - Scientific American. FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Standards and Major Progress for a Made-in-America National Network of Electric Vehicle Chargers - The White House Volunteers Needed By Claudia Keith Request to Local Leagues; please let us know your climate, resilience, or sustainability advocacy actions. Please consider joining the CE portfolio team; we lack volunteers in these critical policy and law areas: Natural and Working lands, specifically Agriculture/ODA Climate Related Lawsuits/Our Children’s Trust Public Health Climate Adaptation (OHA) Regional Solutions / Infrastructure (with NR team) State Procurement Practices (DAS: Dept. of Admin. Services) CE Portfolio State Agency and Commission Budgets Oregon Treasury: ESG investing/Fossil Fuel divestment We collaborate with Natural Resource Action members on many Climate Change mitigation and adaptation policy topics. Volunteers are needed: The 2023 legislative session began Jan 17. If any area of Climate Emergency interests you, please contact Claudia Keith , CE Coordinator. Orientation to Legislative and State Agency advocacy processes is available.

Back to All Legislative Reports Natural Resources Legislative Report - Sine Die Natural Resources Team Coordinator: Peggy Lynch Agriculture/Goal 3 Land Use: Sandra U. Bishop Coastal Issues: Christine Moffitt, Peggy Lynch Columbia River Treaty: Philip Thor Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries: Joan Fryxell Emergency Management: Rebecca Gladstone Forestry: Josie Koehne Elliott State Research Forest: Peggy Lynch Northwest Energy Coalition: Robin Tokmakian Oregon Health Authority Drinking Water Advisory Committee: Sandra Bishop Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board: Lucie La Bonte Water: Peggy Lynch Wildfire: Carolyn Mayers Ways and Means Natural Resource Budgets/Revenue: Peggy Lynch Jump to a topic: Agriculture Air Quality Budgets Climate Coastal Issues State Agencies Elliott State Research Forest Fish and Wildlife Parks and Recreation Radioactive Waste Northwest Energy Coalition Land Use/Housing Recycling Toxics Water Wildfire Natural Resources By Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, and Team The League’s Natural Resources Team added volunteers Paula Grisafi (Toxics) and Carolyn Mayers (Wildfire) and sadly lost a member, Kathy Moyd, who worked on both Climate and Natural Resource issues and was a valuable former NASA engineer with a variety of expertise and willingness to attend meetings virtually, provide written and verbal League testimony using League positions and personal expertise. You will see others’ names listed below under the issues they covered. The League is a member of many coalitions. One of the most critical for Natural Resources is the Oregon Conservation Network , a group of now over 40 conservation and environmental organizations who declare "Priorities for a Healthy Oregon" each legislative session. They also provide an opportunity for the groups to share support or opposition for other legislation to legislators. Legislators saw LWVOR’s name on bills listed in the weekly Hotlist as we advocated for or against bills. This session, the Oregon Legislature introduced an impressive 2,970 measures — more than any other session in the last decade. After months of hard work, 653 of them passed— about 22% of the measures that were introduced. (From Rep. Gomberg’s newsletter) The Legislative Policy and Research Office provided this report on Natural Resource issues and this report on Energy and Environment. The League was engaged in some of the bills listed in these reports. The Governor provided letters with some of the final decisions she made to sign or veto bills. The following bills were accompanied by signing letters: HB 2010, HB 2426, HB 2772, HB 3561, HB 5026, SB 80, SB 283, SB 488, SB 1089, SB 1095 (explanation of line-item veto for emergency clause). Additionally, HB 3440 and SB 5535 will become law without the Governor’s signature. HCR 38 passed and sets the process for the February 2024 short session that runs Feb. 5 through March 10th. The legislative calendar is posted on the Oregon Legislature website . There will be interim legislative days in Sept., Nov., and January. Agriculture Much of the work under this section was done by the Climate Team. However, we provided a letter to the Oregon Board of Agriculture sharing our natural resource area priorities for 2023. And we provided a letter on HB 5002 , the Dept. of Agriculture’s budget. SB 530 , the Natural Climate Solutions bill, was included in HB 3409 , the omnibus climate bill, Sections 53-63. Air Quality By Kathy Moyd & Peggy Lynch LWVOR joined with others in support of HB 3229 . Under the Clean Air Act, funding must be from fees on permittees for this program. Per DEQ’s own testimony , without this funding, a critical part of their Air Quality program was in jeopardy. The bill was amended by the -2 amendment, passed the legislature and was signed by the Governor. It increases fees for polluters who require Title V permits 43% in 2023 and another 40% in 2024. Fees had not been increased for 13 years. DEQ is to review its permitting methodology and how it charges fees due to complexity instead of the amount of pollution emitted and report to the legislature by Dec. 2023. T he DEQ Budget ( HB 5018 ) includes POP 110 and authorized the 11 staff for the Title V program. HB 3229 was effective as of July 13. The Governor plans additional work on this issue in 2024. Although we did not provide written testimony on SB 488 , the Medical Waste Incinerator Bill (Covanta facility in Marion County), League members did engage. The bill was amended many times and was signed by the Governor, although she is concerned about sections of the bill related to limiting medical waste disposal. Budgets By Peggy Lynch Each long session the Governor provides a statewide budget with individual agency budget requests. Governor Kotek’s first biennial budget is here . For natural resource agency budgets, start on page 143 of the web document. The Governor’s budget was based on the December 2022 forecast when there was still a great deal of concern around a potential recession. The Governor proposes; the Legislature disposes. The League follows the Ways and Means Committee and Subcommittees. The Legislative Fiscal Office website provides a great deal of information on this process, the legislature’s involvement, research and reports on the state’s expenditures. They also coordinate fiscal impact statements on individual pieces of legislation as it moves through the legislature. The Ways and Means Committee always does a “rebalance” of the current (2021-23) budget after the March forecast and that was done again this year. T he Office of Economic Analysis also provided sobering data on Oregon’s population. Without an increase in young people—with in-migration--our need for a variety of long-term care services will explode without the incoming revenue to pay for those services! In late March, the Ways and Means Co-Chairs Budget Framework was provided to guide Subcommittees considering all the agency budgets. The Framework provides the amount of money each Subcommittee should expect to spend for their assigned budgets and any policy bills that might be assigned to them. A series of meetings around the state provided the public with opportunities to share their priorities with legislators. The Treasurer’s Office reported to the legislature in March on the state’s bonding capacity : General Fund debt capacity results in $1.94 billion issuance for each biennium, or $969 million annually ($320 million greater than 2021-23). The State’s Lottery Revenue debt issuance capacity for Lottery Bonds is $506.4 million in each biennium or $253.2 million annually over the forecast period ($9 million decline from 2021-23). Governor Kotek’s office then provided their 2023-25 bond proposal list . HB 5005 , the General Fund bonding bill, passed and was signed by the Governor. HB 5030 is the Lottery Bonds projects budget bill. HB 5046 is the Continuing Resolution bill that allows agencies to continue expending funds on July 1 based on their 2021-23 budgets until their new budgets for 2023-25 are signed by the Governor passed or until Sept. 15 th . The bill passed and was signed by the Governor. All agency budgets were signed by the Governor by the August 4 deadline, but some agencies needed to take advantage of HB 5046 until those budgets were signed. The League followed HB 3349 , with an amendment that would have provided $300,000 each to eight different entities to create “navigators” to help access federal funding. The League was disappointed that HB 3349 , with the 3 amendment , was passed to Ways and Means. We believe there are better uses for the $2.4 million in the Higher Education budget although we supported staffing in state agencies to facilitate federal funding. The bill did not pass. The May forecast declared an additional $1.96 billion available for the 2023-25 session that were used to balance the 2023-25 budget. Here are the Governor’s new spending requests . A new process around budget requests was used this session: Packages of policy bills were created to reduce the need for individual bill votes when they were sent to Ways and Means for funding. That practice also allowed controversial policies to be packaged with more benign policies to gain support and passage. (That practice may occur in the future.) Senate Republicans decided not to provide a quorum in the Senate chamber for a number of weeks so, in case they returned, it would be easier to move these packaged bills. See below under the water bills-- HB 2010 , HB 3409 under Climate, and HB 3395 for Housing . HB 3410-2 , another “package” bill, includes a variety of economic development funds/grant programs, mostly for rural Oregon. Sen. Dembrow provided climate and drought package spreadsheets. Expect a final 2023 session reconciliation by the end of August and the August 30 Revenue Forecast where the final “kicker” amount will be announced. ( T axpayers can use the credit on their 2024 tax returns—2023 taxes) Look for about $5.5 billion to be returned. (The 1979 Oregon Legislature passed the "Two percent kicker" law, which requires the state to refund excess revenue to taxpayers when actual General Fund revenues exceed the previous odd-year May forecast amount by more than two percent.) The League’s Natural Resource Team not only provided testimony on many of the 14 natural resource agency budgets, but encouraged the Governor and legislature to provide staffing, create new programs and provide matching funds for the many substantial federal programs made available by federal budgets, by the bipartisan infrastructure bill, the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. By August 4 the natural resource budgets had all been signed by the Governor. To learn more about their content, look for the LFO Recommendation posted for each budget. More info is listed below under each agency. The end-of-session bill had over $1.4 billion in funding items. Here is the 33-page list , called “ornaments'' as the bill, SB 5506 , is also called the Christmas Tree bill. The Oregon Capital Chronicle provided a summary . The Emergency Board met right after Sine Die to adopt rules for their work during the interim. They were provided $50 million to spend on emergencies until the next session, as well as a number of “special purpose appropriations” for expected expenses such as additional wildfire funding and salary increases. Otherwise, agency budgets are only changed by an act of the entire legislature. Climate By Claudia Keith and Team One bill included in HB 3409 (Sections 82 and 83 of the climate package) and followed by Natural Resources was HB 2647 A , which the League supported to continue to address harmful algal blooms, a public health issue. SB 530 , the Natural Climate Solutions bill, was included in HB 3409 , the omnibus climate bill, Sections 53-63. We encourage you to read both of the overlapping Climate Emergency Natural Resources sections. Coastal Issues By Christine Moffitt/Peggy Lynch HB 3382 B was amended to create a new exception to Goal 16 to allow deeper and wider Coos Bay channel dredging. It passed and was signed by the Governor. The League provided testimony in opposition. A number of sideboards were placed in the bill should any dredging take place. Only the Port of Coos Bay or recognized Oregon tribes can request the exception. The League is disappointed the bill passed, but worked hard to assure as many requirements as we could get would be in the bill. We encourage you to read the two-page bill . Of note is $20 million bonding for the Coos Bay Channel Modification project; it was included in a bonding bill and an additional $20 million is authorized for the project in the 2025-27 biennium. Coastal League members originally raised alarm about the bill. HB 3382 would have provided certain Ports with an exception from our land use planning system to allow dredging and other activities around these Ports without the current public process and federal consistency requirements. The League has shared our concerns with others. State agencies that administer permits that could be affected by the legislation provided information on their processes and the implications of the proposed legislation on certain state permits. See LWV Coos and LWVOR testimonies: March 14 , second , third . Coalition testimony , and LWVOR testimony . On May 14, LWVOR issued an Action Alert to oppose the bill. As a result of ours and others who did the same, many opposition testimonies were filed and a second public hearing was allowed on May 16 where more League members and others testified in opposition. The -7 amendment was negotiated on May 17 and posted by noon on May 18 for the night’s work session in the Joint Committee on Transportation. League members from across the state submitted opposition testimony. It made a difference. We took the opportunity to share our 2012 Coastal Study that explains the CZMA and other coastal issues with some legislators and staff. Informative, well researched League studies are a hallmark of League expertise. After many meetings and conversations, the League agreed to not oppose the -7 amendment to HB 3382 that limits the bill to ONLY the International Port of Coos Bay, places requirements around proof of financial viability and reporting on the number of jobs to be created, to be submitted with any actual project application. Only the Port and tribes would be qualified to submit an application. We don’t support the bill, but the votes seemed to be there so we worked to make it as narrow as we could. Any project application would be for a new Goal 16 exception and would go through the usual local land use processes for any Goal exception. Also, all the other federal and state agency permits would be required for any process. The bill was amended to clarify that no fossil fuel projects would be allowed approval. (Remember Jordan Cove?) The -7s “save” the Yaquina and Astoria estuaries, but could damage the Coos Bay estuary, even though the amendment requires no net loss of important environmental values. A major expansion of the navigation channel cannot help but do damage. To listen to the sausage making, go to the 1 hour mark here. Rumor has it that the Port of Coos Bay, on behalf of a container ship development, has again applied for federal funding. They were not approved for federal funding in 2022. Additionally, the Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan (CBEMP) is continuing to be updated. The County file for this project is AM-22-005 . SB 5524 is the Oregon Business Development Dept. budget: LFO Recommendation includes $10 million for distribution to the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay to support the continuation and final completion of the engineering and design work related to the deepening and widening of the Federal Navigation Channel at Coos Bay to support existing businesses and promote new business opportunities. The original appropriation of $15 million was provided to the agency in the 2022 legislative session. The League provided testimony in support of HB 2903 , to require Fish and Wildlife and State Lands to provide communications staff to help continue to implement and support Oregon’s marine reserves and new management areas. The bill did not pass nor were the requested staffing positions funded. League and partners will be back in 2024 or 2025. According to ODFW, “ a new survey shows that coastal Oregon’s recreational industry joins more conventional, store-front businesses in believing the state’s Marine Reserves do not negatively impact their bottom lines, continuing a vast shift in what businesses feared just before the first reserves were established more than a decade ago. ” Good news! OSU’s wave energy testing facility is ready to be tested off the coast of Newport per Oregon Capital Insider . The ocean test site will be on a sandy-bottomed stretch of the Pacific Ocean away from popular commercial and recreational fishing reefs about seven miles off the coast of Newport. The site will have four test berths, which combined can accommodate up to 20 wave energy devices at any one time, per Rep. Gomberg. See the League’s 2012 Coastal Study to learn more about wave energy. Columbia River Gorge Commission The League provided testimony in support of the Columbia River Gorge Commission budget ( HB 5008 ). Columbia River Treaty By Phillip Thor The League continues to follow the potential Treaty resolution/update. You can find a written copy of U.S. Government representatives' remarks at the top of the meeting by accessing this website: https://www.state.gov/columbia-river-treaty/ . Y ou can reach the team with comments or questions by emailing ColumbiaRiverTreaty@state.gov . The 18 th round of negotiations is scheduled for August. Dept. of Environmental Quality (DEQ) The League provided testimony with comments on the Dept. of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) budget ( HB 5018 ). The Environmental Quality Commission received this legislative update on July 20. SB 1013 would have required counties to allow RVs to be sited on certain rural properties. League engaged with the sponsor and Sen. Hayden and was assured that appropriate sewer and water connections would be required for these special cases so we did not provide written testimony. The bill was amended to “allow” and not “require” counties to provide this use. The bill passed and signed by the Governor. Also, DEQ received monies to help assure that the sewer issue was addressed. The bill takes effect Jan. 1, 2024. The League provided testimony with concerns about SB 835 , a bill that would have required that a single septic system be used for both the main home and an accessory dwelling unit placed on a lot where a septic system is used. The bill was amended addressing our concerns, was passed and signed by the Governor, also effective Jan. 1, 2024. SB 931 allows DEQ to issue a permit to repair or replace a subsurface sewage disposal system or alternative sewage disposal system without regard to the availability of a community or areawide sewerage system under certain circumstances. Although the League did not engage, we are concerned that this bill perpetuates the use of septic systems that fail and pollute the groundwater when a sewer system is nearby. DEQ was provided funding for .88 FTE to do rulemaking for this and SB 835. The bill passed and was signed by the Governor. A League member participated in the 2023 Water Quality Fee Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) as in past years to provide a “public” voice to the RAC. Here is the WQ Fee RAC Meeting Summary link - May 5, 2023 . The EQC delegated authority to approve this rulemaking for 2023 to DEQ Director Feldon on May 19. Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) By Peggy Lynch The League provided testimony on the Dept. of Geology and Mineral Services budget ( SB 5510 ). The LFO recommendation i ncludes two Budget Notes on the new e-permitting system being funded. The League provided testimony in support of SB 220 that would have provided a fee to pay for implementation of a new e-permitting system for mining interests instead of using $2 million in General Funds. However, the legislature chose to provide the $2 million in GF. We also provided testimony in support of SB 221 to provide ongoing funding for this new system and testimony on SB 222 to allow DOGAMI to accept credit cards and to add the credit card fee to the permittees choosing to use a credit card. SB 222 failed in the Senate. Another bill, SB 538 A , would have provided general authorization to agencies. That bill also died in committee. SB 221 passed and was signed by the Governor. The League continues to follow the Grassy Mountain Gold Project in Malheur County, using a streamlined permitting process. Dept. of the State Fire Marshal HB 5036 is the budget bill funding and spending authority for the recently established Department of the State Fire Marshal, taking the place of the Office of the State Fire Marshal that was part of the Oregon State Police. Dept. of State Lands (DSL) By Peggy Lynch HB 2238 allows for rulemaking to increase fees related to removal or fill permit applications, wetland delineation reports and general authorizations. We will work with the agency to increase processes for clearly identifying wetlands in urban growth boundaries to be sure lands that should be developed can be and those that can’t should be are removed from the buildable lands inventory. We support the bill which passed and was signed by the Governor with an effective date of Sept. 24, 2023. In August the League discovered that the issue of wetlands was being discussed in the Land Availability Work Group of the Governor’s Housing Production Advisory Council (HPAC). We expressed concern that no wetlands expertise had been consulted during the initial round of meetings. The League will monitor this Work Group as it considers providing unvetted proposals to the Governor. If you want to receive notices of HPAC meetings, click here . HB 2914 establishes the Oregon Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Program in DSL LFO Recommendation The League has consistently supported funding for this program outside of the Common School Fund. Funding for this program was included in the end-of-session bill, SB 5506 : $18,763,236 from the Monsanto Settlement Agreement per the Governor’s recommendation. The League provided testimony in support of the DSL budget ( HB 5037 ) , as did League member Christine Moffitt on behalf of the Friends of South Slough. Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) By Peggy Lynch The League continues to engage in the ESRF, including attending their prospective Board meetings. The prospective ESRF Board met July 24th. Visit DSL's Elliott webpage to learn more . Additional meetings are set for August 16 (9a-5p in-person in Winchester Bay) and Sept. 22 nd 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Zoom. They WEplan to meet again October 16, Noon to 4 p.m. and December 4, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meeting locations TBD. Meeting videos are posted to the Department of State Lands YouTube channel and meeting notes are posted to DSL's Elliott website here . Work is continuing on eventual adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and a Forest Management Plan for the forest. Of concern to the League is how their plan can be financially viable without excessive timber harvest. SB 161 passed to change a date included in SB 1546 (2022) related to requirements in establishing the ESRF to December of 2023. The Governor signed with the bill’s effective date June 30, 2023. HB 5048 with the -2 amendment funds, starting Jan. 1, 2024, the new Elliott State Forest Research Authority Board staffing and expenses. LFO Recommendation . It is expected that the 2024 session will enhance this new agency’s budget and fiscal needs, but the 2023 funding provides for an Executive Director and two other positions. Public listening sessions on the HCP and Forest Management Plan (FMP) is scheduled for September 21: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Zoom links to join the listening sessions and more information about the forest management planning process can be found on the OSU College of Forestry website here . On June 2 OSU Board of Trustees met and received a Report and a Presentation as they considered approving their engagement on the ESRF, with a decision in October or December by the OSU Board on whether or not to accept a role in the ESRF. They will receive an update at their Aug. 25 and Oct. 19-20 meetings before a special OSU Board meeting in December. The State Land Board will meet Dec. 12 to provide a final decision on the ESRF going forward. The Shutter Creek former Oregon Dept. of Corrections facility was transferred by the federal government to the Dept. of State Lands in anticipation of the property being the home of the ESRF staff and research team. There is also discussion around a tribal role for the property. The property currently pays a significant fee for sewer to the City of Lakeside. Conversations with the city are on-going since that infrastructure is critical to keeping effluent out of Tenmile Lake where a significant number of failing septic systems also exist. Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) The League had no volunteer to follow the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife so we did not comment on their budget ( SB 5509 ) except to work with partners to assure staff for in-stream flows and water management would become permanent, in keeping with our support for water management across water agencies. Are you a fisherperson? High mercury levels detected in Oregon waters: Health advisories issued for summer fishing season addresses higher than healthy mercury and information on fish consumption in these waters. Forestry (ODF) We provided testimony on the Oregon Dept. of Forestry budget ( HB 5020 ), expressing concern that staffing for climate change issues around forest management and urban forestry weren’t included in the Governor’s budget. Those positions were not included in the final budget. However, HB 3409 includes a provision that directs ODF to acquire and maintain an urban tree canopy assessment tool and to develop and implement program related to loss of tree canopy. DLCD was given over $7 million and 5 staff to create and award grants under a new Community Green Infrastructure Fund. State Forester Cal Mukumoto has decided not to renew the state’s wildfire insurance policy for 2023-24. The state would have to incur over $75 million before accessing the $25 million policy. As the Board of Forestry makes decisions on our state forests, including potential adoption of a Habitat Conservation Plan and future harvest plans, we remind you that Oregon’s forests are managed for the greatest permanent value : “ healthy, productive, and sustainable forest ecosystems that over time and across the landscape provide a full range of social, economic, and environmental benefits to the people of Oregon.” LWVOR provided comments on the biennial Harvest Tax bill, HB 2087 , expressing concerns but supporting if this bill is all that is available for helping to fund forestry programs. The bill passed and was signed by the Governor on July 31. Governance By Peggy Lynch SB 42 would have required agencies to add even more factors related to business when calculating the costs of rulemaking and their consequences. The League provided testimony in opposition. SB 38 would have required certain agencies to process permits even if state or federal laws or rules changed during the permit processing. The League provided testimony in opposition. Neither bill passed this session. Hanford Cleanup Board By Marylou Schnoes The Oregon Hanford Cleanup Board meeting materials are available on their website . Per OPB , we are a long way from being safe as the cleanup continues. Rep. Mark Gamba has been appointed by the Speaker to join the Board. Oregon Department of Energy Assistant Director for Nuclear Safety and Emergency Preparedness Maxwell Woods and Hanford Hydrogeologist Tom Sicilia weigh in on the Dept of Energy blog, HISTORIC HANFORD CONTAMINATION IS WORSE THAN EXPECTED: OREGON EXPERTS WEIGH IN . Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) By Peggy Lynch Another League volunteer followed education this session but there were two areas under Natural Resources that we provided testimony. The League provided testimony on HB 5025 , the omnibus higher education budget, in support of the Oregon Consensus/Oregon Solutions programs at Portland State University. It is unclear if this funding was provided but the program will continue. The League provided testimony in support of funding for the Oregon Conservation Corps in HB 5025 , the omnibus Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget bill. $10 million was provided in the end-of-session bill, SB 5506 . Land Use/Dept. of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) & Housing By Peggy Lynch Land use and housing were front and center this session. The Governor came out early with a Housing Executive Order 23-02 . The l egislature followed up quickly with HB 2001 and HB 5019. A Budget Report was provided for HB 2001 that clarifies that some monies are coming from 2021-23 with most from the 2023-25 biennium. The same is true in th e Budget Report for HB 5019 . Also, there is a Budget Note on pages 3-4 of the LFO Recommendation. DLCD provided a helpful press release in understanding the land use nexus. The League provided testimony on SB 534 in support of a pilot $3 million fund to provide financing for the development of infrastructure and other costs, usable only for housing to remain affordable to moderate income households for at least 30 years. SB 534 was incorporated into HB 2001 , Section 51, and was passed and signed by the Governor on March 29. With the increase in staff of seven permanent positions at DLCD, they have created a new Housing Division under Senior Planner/Manager Ethan Stuckmayer. The League provided testimony on HB 5027 , the DLCD budget, and were disappointed that only the Housing Policy Option Packages were approved. Missing were positions for wildfire and climate planning. However, the agency received a number of positions related to housing and one surprise bill related to green infrastructure and another on solar siting: While HB 2727, Early Childhood Facilities, came with funds for DLCD to convene a Work Group to examine strategies for expanding early learning and care facilities in Oregon, the bill did not include any funding for positions. SB 5506 , Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities Program (CFEC), granted DLCD one permanent position and $2.7 million in one-time grant funds. SB 5506, Green Infrastructure and Solar Siting (TREES), provided five limited duration positions and $6.5 million in Green Infrastructure grant funds. Four of these positions are associated with the TREES program. One is assigned work to identify ways to reduce conflicts for solar facilities in Eastern Oregon. HB 3395 was the housing package and included sections on the Residential Use of Commercial Lands, new Approval Procedures around residential structures in Urban Growth Boundaries, Emergency Shelter Siting, and Subdividing Affordable Housing Developments as changes to our land use system. HB 2889 : Establishes Oregon Housing Needs Analysis within the Housing and Community Services Department. The League provided testimony in support. The Governor signed on July 18. The League provided testimony on HB 2983 in support of manufactured dwellings and dwellings parks. Although HB 2983 did not pass, t here is money in the Oregon Housing and Community Services budget or other housing bills that should help with this housing issue. SB 70 amends the definition of high-value farmlands for residential rezoning of lands within the Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Region from SB 16 (2021). LWVOR provided testimony in opposition, continuing to focus on water quality and quantity; however, the bill passed and has been signed by the Governor. SB 1013 , a bill that would allow a recreational vehicle to be sited on a rural property, was amended by the -4 amendment and was signed by the Governor with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2024. The League worked behind the scenes to be sure that water and sewer would be safely provided since the RV would likely be sharing the main residence's facilities. The League provided testimony in opposition to HB 3442 , a bill that would have required local governments to allow development of affordable housing on certain lands within a 100-year floodplain or subject to property development constraints under land use regulations related to natural disasters and hazards. The bill was amended to clarify those public safety concerns and passed. The Governor has signed. The League provided testimony with concerns on SB 835 , a bill that required that a single septic system be used for both the main home and an accessory dwelling unit placed on a lot where a septic system is used. The bill was amended addressing our concerns, was passed and signed by the Governor. The League was alerted to SB 1087 , a bill to allow restaurants, 25-car parking lots, and 5,000-square-foot seating areas for 250-300 people on land designated for exclusive farm use (EFU land). It set standards for the establishment of farm cafes on lands in Lane County zoned for exclusive farm use. It required the Oregon Health Authority to review the land use compatibility statement before licensing a farm cafe. The bill also authorized OHA to revoke, deny or suspend licenses upon certain violations of land use conditions. The League is concerned with the precedent that would be set by allowing this activity in Lane County as other counties could ask for the same use on their EFU lands in the future. The League did not provide testimony, but would have provided opposition testimony had the bill received a Work Session. The bill died in the Senate Rules Committee but could well return in 2024 or 2025. SB 4 , known as the CHIPS Act, includes $200 million in grants and loans with a commitment to provide a certain number of permanent full-time jobs to help semiconductor industries and would allow the Governor to “supersite” lands for this industry many acres of farmland “just in case” the semiconductor industry might want to build a new facility in Oregon. We provided testimony in opposition only to Section 10 of the bill. The bill passed and was signed by the Governor, but many sideboards were placed around the “supersiting” provision. With tax credits and other legislation, a total of $500 million was committed to this industry. On Aug. 1, the Governor approved $90 million to a proposed expansion of Intel at current facilities in Washington County. At this time, it doesn’t seem to include any “supersiting”. A total of 15 companies have applied for Oregon’s CHIPS Act funding. The League provided testimony in opposition to SB 1051 with the -2 amendment , a bill that would allow a property owner to request an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion of up to 200 acres outside of the current UGB process, but inside an urban reserve. The bill died in committee, but elements of the bill appeared in HB 3414 (see below) as did SB 1096 , HB 3620 and HB 3616 . HB 3414 with the -1 amendment would have created a new Housing Accountability and Production Office in DLCD and also included a Section 2 that says that local governments may not deny a variance under certain circumstances. Variances are used to address exceptions to a code’s “clear and objective standards”. It is unclear how this provision would have changed a community’s control over residential development. The insistence by the Governor to include a section in the bill that would have allowed private property owners to ask a city to add their lands (lands adjacent to current UGBs) for development was a non-starter for LWVOR and other land use advocates. Metro also had concerns that their role in the management of Metro’s UGB would be usurped by the Metro cities. The League provided verbal testimony based on our Nov. 2022 LCDC testimony , pointing out that it’s not more raw land we need; it’s funding for infrastructure and planning staff. The UGB section relates to SB 1096 , a bill that would “expand development into farmland” and was similar to SB 1051 which the League vigorously opposed and has since died. Although there are sideboards around what lands can be considered, the bill continued the false narrative that simply adding land to urban growth boundaries will solve Oregon's housing crises. HB 3414 B became the last drama of the 2023 session. OPB had a good article as did Willamette Week . Although it passed the House, it did not pass the Senate—by one vote. LWVOR appreciates that Senate members rejected the bill, but are also sad that the good portions of the bill were lost by the insistence that the UGB expansion sections be included. We look forward to a quick passage of a slimmed down version in 2024, although the Governor has indicated we will see the same bill. There were a number of bills filed ( HB 3180 , HB 3181 , HB 3179 and HB 2989 related to siting solar in Oregon. An Oregon Siting Table was formed to have conversations around potential conflicts among solar developers, the agricultural and environmental communities. The League engaged in meetings of the Oregon Siting Table, but did not provide testimony on any of these bills. HB 3179 was amended, passed and signed by the Governor. The bill doubles the maximum allowable acreage for solar photovoltaic power generation facility siting in the context of county land-use planning, allowing counties to approve more and larger solar projects while preserving existing protections for land use and wildlife. The amended bill now requires an applicant for a land use permit for a renewable energy facility to provide a decommissioning plan to restore the site to "a useful, nonhazardous condition," assured by bonding or other security. The Siting Table will continue and there may have been monies to continue conversations among the parties in other bills. As HB 2003 (2019) ( helpful DLCD website ) is implemented by cities, you might want to read pages 3 and 4 of Monmouth’s DRAFT Housing Production Strategy . (The cities of Milwaukie and Grants Pass have also completed a DRAFT—all of which can be commented on.) As cities are required to review their Housing every 6 (Metro) or 8 years, they are required to consider how to address their housing needs. You don’t have to wait until your city is required to do this exercise. You can begin the conversation now to help address your housing shortage. As part of the information on cost of housing, in January a presentation on Systems Development Charges (SDCs) was provided. The League supports state help with SDC costs and other infrastructure costs, especially for low-income housing, but also help for cities to provide infrastructure to create buildable lots within cities and to make urban growth boundary lands buildable. The Legislative Policy and Research Office provided this report on housing and land use. See also the Housing Report in the Social Policy section of this Legislative Report. Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) By Peggy Lynch The League provided support for the Land Use Board of Appeals budget ( HB 5028 ). Northwest Energy Coalition By Robin Tokmakian Our League representative worked on a resolution regarding gas utility decarbonization. LWVOR signed on to support the resolution . Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) The League provided testimony in support of the Oregon Dept. of Energy (ODOE) budget ( HB 5016 ). Oregon Marine Board The League provided testimony in support of the Oregon Marine Board budget ( SB 5521 ). The League was pleased that the budget includes a focus on abandoned and derelict vessels. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) The League did not provide written testimony on the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) budget ( SB 5539 & SB 5540 ), but engaged during budget development and behind the scenes with legislators. Here is the July Director's Report on their budget and strategic plan. OWEB worked with others to review their 20 years of providing Operating Capacity Grants to Soil and Water Conservation Districts and others. Parks and Recreation The League provided comments on SB 5527 , the budget bill for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. Radioactive Waste By Shirley Weathers The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) continues its work to protect Oregon from acceptance, accumulation, and storage of hazardous levels of radioactive waste. For a quick recap, the current effort now going on three years was triggered in 2020 by discovery that almost 1,300 tons of such waste generated through fracking for oil and gas out-of-state had been illegally accepted by Chemical Waste Management (CWM) at their Arlington OR landfill between 2016 and 2019. That triggered the understanding that decades-old rules and statutes needed updating. During the interim after the 2020 Session, ODOE and the first Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC) worked on aspects of OAR 435.029 (Notice of Violation, Civil Penalties, Revocation or Suspension) that didn’t require statutory changes. The resultant final rules provide significantly better prevention of illegal out-of-state dumping and provide the state with enforcement authority if and when it occurs. After successful passage in the 2021 Session of SB 246 , Radioactive Waste Disposal Definitions and Enforcement, another RAC embarked on changes to ORS 469.300 (Definitions) and 469.525 (Radioactive Waste Facilities Prohibited). The bill retains in full force Oregon’s commitment to stringent restriction of radioactive waste storage and emphasis on protecting the health and safety of the public. It called for review and necessary revision of technical provisions to reflect current-day science and federal standards where there were deviations, as well as rule changes pertaining to the classification, handling, and disposal of radioactive waste generated within the state, commonly as a byproduct of other operations. Medical and manufacturing waste figure importantly in discussions, but there are a number of other sources. Many of the technical issues arising from SB 246 are therefore beyond the expertise of many RAC members, including the League. Some member organizations have hired consultants to act on their behalf to interact on draft rules with ODOE staff. However, there are other important issues that can and need to be addressed by laypersons. In fact, a stark division in approach that surfaced with the first draft led staff and RAC members to agree to divide pertinent subsections into two parts (more below). Part I issues have resulted in three drafts, but RAC members will provide input by August 30 and likely the Energy Facility Siting Commission (EFSC) will consider a final draft in its September meeting. If accepted, a 30-day public comment period will be opened. It is hoped that more individuals and organizations with concerns about public health and safety and environmental issues will become involved. The Part II controversy stems from the cost of transporting out-of-state materials produced here but prohibited from disposal in Oregon. Charging that this is cost-prohibitive, some RAC members rejected the staff draft and instead collaborated with Chemical Waste Management on a proposal that would have allowed retention of bona fide radioactive waste in-state under certain conditions. However, the League was not surprised when the Oregon DOJ ruled that the proposal would violate ORS 426.525. That subsection has been shelved for now and further steps are unknown at this time. LWVOR has supported new legislation and held a seat on the two RACs involved to date and will continue to participate. Reduce/Recycle By Kathy Moyd/Greg Martin There were three “Zero Waste” bills related to polystyrene and plastics: SB 543 , prohibits food vendors from using polystyrene foam containers in sales of prepared food. LWVOR provided Testimony . The Governor has signed the bill which takes effect Jan. 1, 2024. SB 544 , directs the Environmental Quality Commission to establish a program for source reduction of single-use plastic food ware and single-use packaging and achieve 25 percent source reductions compared to 2023 levels by 2030. LWVOR provided Testimony ; however, the bill did not pass. SB 545 , directs the State Department of Agriculture and Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules allowing consumers to use their own containers for refilling with food at food establishments. The League provided testimony in support. The bill passed, was signed by the Governor on May 8 and is immediately effective. The Right to Repair bill, SB 542 , required original equipment manufacturers to make available repair information to owners of consumer electronic equipment or independent repair providers. The League provided testimony supporting the bill, but pointed out two areas where changes should be made: one dealing with clarifying what was included under the bill and the other dealing with the enforcement method. Preferred versions were included in the New York law. The bill did not pass this session but we expect a version to return in 2024 or 2025. DEQ is proposing rules to clarify and implement the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act of 2021. More information on this rulemaking, including the draft rules, can be found on the Recycling Updates 2023 Rulemaking Page . DEQ continues to hold Recycling Modernization Act Rulemaking Advisory Committee meetings. To learn more about this rulemaking and the advisory committee, view the rulemaking web page at: Recycling Updates 2024 . Toxics By Paula Grisafi HB 3043 , a bill that revises provisions relating to chemicals in children’s products, was signed by the Governor and is effective as of Sept. 24, 2023. As a member of the Oregon Conservation Network, we were pleased to see the OCN Letter in support of HB 3043 , the Toxic Free Kids Act Modernization. LWVOR has engaged in this bill in past sessions. SB 546 requires the Oregon Health Authority to adopt and maintain a list of designated high priority chemicals of concern used in cosmetic products and to periodically review and revise the list. The bill was amended and passed. LWVOR provided testimony in support of SB 426 , the Toxics Free Schools bill, but again it did not pass the legislature. Water By Peggy Lynch The League provided testimony in support with comments on the Oregon Water Resources Dept. (OWRD) budget ( HB 5043 ). The budget includes a permanent staffer to follow the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS). The League has participated in the past two IWRS documents. That document is set to be updated again and OWRD is partnering with Oregon’s Kitchen Table (OKT) to provide outreach and engagement for the 2023 update to the IWRS. Here’s the latest Integrated Water Resources Strategy 2023 public engagement . Here's the agency’s full budget summary for 2023. A major water bill, HB 3124 , a $250 million Drought Relief and Water Scarcity pkg., was introduced and included some of the other bills we’ve seen this session . The League provided comments on the bill, including a list of our priorities, using our participation in the HB 5006 Work Group as our guide. The W&M Natural Resources Subcommittee used HB 2010 for the water package instead of HB 3124 , t he bill to which LWVOR provided comments . The -6 amendment was adopted and includes elements of: -Place-based Planning, a concept that the League has supported since its inception in 2014. We participated in the HB 5006 Work Group where members suggested updating that planning program. HB 3163 would have created a special Fund for these regional planning efforts. The League testified in support of the Fund. T he good news that the Place-Based Water Planning Fund, as described in HB 3163 , will become permanent with an initial $2,000,000 appropriation. See Sections 15, 16, 44, 57, 58,59, 60 & 61 of HB 2010 . - HB 3100 , a bill that updates requirements for the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) was included. See Sections 10 and 11 of HB 2010 . LWVOR testified on the original bill. -The League provided testimony in support of HB 2813 , the Safe Drinking Water bill that directed OWEB to provide grants to protect drinking water sources. See Sections 1-4 of HB 2010 . Here is the Drought Package Press Release . LFO Recommendation and the Budget Report that shares the many programs and agencies that will benefit from this bill. You might also note the amount of cross-agency cooperation and collaboration expected from this package. Sen. Dembrow provided spreadsheets for the climate and drought packages here. The League also provided testimony in support of HB 3125 to create a new Ratepayer Fund to help low income people pay for sewer and water bills. A study of this issue was funded in the Christmas Tree bill. The League has been a voice for the safety of domestic wells and provided testimony in support of HB 3207 , a bill that would have required reporting to DEQ the results of well water tests during a real estate transaction. The bill did not pass out of Ways and Means. HB 3208 that expands the Environmental Quality Commission’s authority to annually adjust additional water quality fees up to 3% per year passed. The League has participated in a rules advisory committee related to 3% fees for other water quality permits and has been invited to do so again this year. In 2021, the legislature provided funds for a contractor to provide a report on the Business Case for Oregon Water Investments. Here is the Executive Summary . There was also a requirement to engage the nine tribes. Here is the Tribal Water Task Force Summary Report. Statement from the EPA on Waters of the U.S. rule: “EPA and Army statement regarding intent to amend WOTUS rule in wake of U.S. Supreme Court’s Sackett decision – On June 26, EPA and Army released the following statement regarding next steps for the agencies’ WOTUS rule: “The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Army (agencies) are in receipt of the U.S. Supreme Court's May 25, 2023, decision in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. In light of this decision, the agencies are interpreting the phrase “waters of the United States” consistent with the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett.” Oregon is reviewing the effect of this decision on our own wetlands rules and laws. We all need to pay attention to the potential for harmful algal blooms. HB 3409 (Sections 82 and 83 of the climate package) included HB 2647 A . The League supported HB 2647 A to continue to address harmful algal blooms., a public health issue. “When in doubt, stay out.” V isit the Harmful Algae Bloom website or call the Oregon Public Health Division toll-free information line at 877-290-6767 to learn if an advisory has been issued or lifted for a specific water body. League members may want to check the U. S. Drought Monitor , a map that is updated every Thursday. Governor Kotek has signed drought declarations under ORS 536 for the counties of Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Deschutes, Wasco, Harney, Sherman and Lake counties . On June 27, the Governor declared a drought emergency in Jackson County through Executive Order 23-15 , and directed state agencies to coordinate and prioritize assistance to the region. Gilliam County has also submitted a request for a state declaration. In addition, many counties in eastern and southern Oregon have received Secretarial Disaster Designations from the US Department of Agriculture due to continuing drought conditions. Wildfire By Carolyn Mayers SB 80 , one of the important wildfire bills passed this session, is detailed in this press release and this OPB article . LWVOR provided testimony in support of SB 80 with the -2 amendments. Senator Golden spoke at length in support of this overall bill, at one point calling it a refinement of certain aspects of SB 762 , the Omnibus Wildfire Legislation of 2021. Regarding the map, which, in part, this bill improved and refined, he said “ Senate Bill 80 simplifies the structure of the map and makes some changes to the way that reflects NOT the way that single homeowners maintain their property for fire readiness, but rather the hazard that wildfire presents to the wider landscape .” The League is hopeful that the new, required county collaboration on the map-making process will give Oregonians a better understanding that the map is to point out areas of fire HAZARD so that we all might help be better prepared for wildfires. “ We no longer have a fire season. We have a fire year .” - Mark Bennett, Chair, Wildfire Programs Advisory Council. Throughout the session, the League followed closely the work of the Governor’s Wildfire Programs Advisory Council , which makes recommendations regarding wildfire legislation to the Governor and the Legislature. Among the most consequential recommendations they made was to change the name of the Statewide Wildfire RISK Map to Hazard Map (the importance of which is mentioned in the previous paragraph) as is the practice in California, and to reduce the number of Hazard Zones from the previous 5, to 3, namely High, Moderate and Low. Their year-round, ongoing work is and will continue to be pivotal in the mission to inform future wildfire preparedness and mitigation legislation for the State and its residents. The League provided testimony in support of funding for the Oregon Conservation Corps in HB 5025 , the omnibus Higher Education Coordinating Commission budget bill. $10 million was included in SB 5506 , the end-of-session bill. The League monitored SB 82 , which enhances insurance carriers’ obligation to consider property owner’s efforts to reduce wildfire risk in rate-setting and policy coverage decisions and increases information available to policy-holders. It passed the Senate per this press release . State Forester Cal Mukumoto has decided not to renew the state’s wildfire insurance policy for 2023-24. The state would have to incur over $75 million before accessing the $25 million policy. This policy was for the state to help pay for the cost of fighting wildfires, not for personal fire insurance. Oregon has been the ONLY state to have this policy (Lloyds of London). The deductible of $75 million made it less useful to help the state pay for state fire fighting expenses. We also followed SB 509 , which would have required the Oregon Department of Forestry to study community-based programs for reducing wildfire risk, among other things, and would declare an emergency upon passage so that grant fundings and other program items would have begun immediately. LWVOR provided support for SB 509 A, which did not pass. However, there was some funding provided in the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s budget at the end of session. SB 872 , a bill to enable better cooperation between Federal agencies and Oregon Department of Forestry with regard to wildfire mitigation efforts during the non-wildfire months passed with the -4 amendment . It directs the Oregon Department of Forestry to endeavor toward further shared stewardship of federal forests through partnership with federal agencies to expand certain Good Neighbor Authority activities, and to request that the federal agencies fund these activities. In addition, a number of bills passed which dealt with housekeeping elements of the change of status of the Office of the State Fire Marshal, under the Oregon State Police, to an independent Department of the State Fire Marshal, a move that gives the State Fire Marshal’s office significantly more responsibility and autonomy, especially in the area of wildfire. The department will still be referred to as OSFM, for Oregon State Fire Marshal, as opposed to “Office of” the State Fire Marshal previously. Unfortunately, the funding requested for this new office fell well short of expectations and there remains much work to be done. Nevertheless, OFSM has launched a Defensible Space website , which provides a multitude of resources to help Oregonians make their home more resilient in the face of increasing wildfire risk, including the ability to schedule a home assessment based on entering your home address. Volunteers Needed What is your passion related to Natural Resources? You can help. V olunteers are needed. The 2023 legislative session is over, but 2024 is just around the corner. Natural Resource Agency Boards and Commissions meet regularly year-round and need monitoring. If any area of natural resources is of interest to you, please contact Peggy Lynch, Natural Resources Coordinator, at peggylynchor@gmail.com . Training will be offered.