[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6371606,"mediaKeyId","2149461-28f125b96fac9e700d4b6803f5b8bf61","parentId",2149461,"title","Oregon reports early progress and federal leverage for Natural and Working Lands Fund","audioSeconds",2783,"startMs",2137000,"endMs",4920000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2149461-28f125b96fac9e700d4b6803f5b8bf61&start=2137&end=4920","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2149461-28f125b96fac9e700d4b6803f5b8bf61/thumbnail_2137000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6371606/Oregon/Oregon-reports-early-progress-and-federal-leverage-for-Natural-and-Working-Lands-Fund","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371606-1bdeb5ebfeeb72a90b70f902b13a177e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771001957&Signature=j23s5rP7dz0ZAZj8EGp8sqvSTsNTsGrzVfI3I67lHxvy2CloNt5GPILdLeAW0AtlG~3gkYX8lcx~uLhLC9H0etw2c2lwN7epFGj~NM5bpIgFs~LSZ~fZGhpWFAT4e~g1b-c2mACwbBvEsgDj--yYcXiQU5QhtsMkGFFUknMqbEYoXc3-Lz1xRVYJlKu9uiwD0n--lGRoWUyaE1F~UyL~ELqh4UJaqEPL~a2zHDCVwTSYGVT8-imzI08FqktQKdnWsLeYFKFBqs74XSJZXiE4kPe8TXDthWoOjYi7iNKOETudbzq9Gf1BrObuZrXuXR6k0oeY-igH8DxDnjsjb4CA-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-01-23T00:00:00Z","article","The Oregon Climate Action Commission and four state agencies told the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on Jan. 23, 2025, that the Natural and Working Lands Fund created by House Bill 3409 (2023) has supported early, voluntary conservation and restoration projects and leveraged additional federal and private funds.

Michael Dembrow, former state senator and member of the Oregon Climate Action Commission, told the committee the 2023 omnibus measure incorporated natural climate solutions and established a $10 million appropriation for initial investments. \"The notion of natural climate solutions ... is to make sure that we're keeping working lands working and invigorating our rural economies while encouraging and incorporating practices that do a better job of improving soil health and sequestering carbon,\" he said.

The nut graf: agencies reported that the $10 million state allocation has been distributed among eligible programs — including roughly $3 million to the Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), $2 million to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), several million to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and nearly $1 million to the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) — and that initial investments have already leveraged multiple millions in federal grants and matches.

Agency and partner highlights presented to the committee:

- ODFW (Sarah Reiff, interim deputy director, Habitat Division) said ODFW received a little over $3,000,000 to fund coastal estuary reconnections, floodplain reforestation with the Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde, Wasco County grassland restorations, and two limited-duration natural working‑lands biologist positions to support project delivery and federal grant pursuits. She said estuary projects have helped leverage about $3.7 million in federal funds alongside state dollars.

- OWEB (Alexa Schmidt, water and climate coordinator) described a two-phase public engagement process that informed project priorities. OWEB expanded eligible practices to include cover cropping, rotational grazing and cultural burns, and reduced match requirements for open solicitations from 25% to 5% to lower barriers for underrepresented applicants. OWEB expects to grant its full $2,000,000 allocation this biennium.

- ODF (Danny Norlander, forest climate analyst) described three investments: $1.5 million for climate-smart forestry delivered via Soil and Water Conservation Districts and watershed councils, incentives directed to tribes and underserved landowners, and $750,000 to the JE Schroeder seed orchard to increase availability of climate-ready seedlings. The seed-orchard work is long-term and intended to ensure future seed supplies.

- ODA (Troy Abercrombie, native plant conservation and noxious weed programs) reported \"just under $1,000,000\" across two projects: implementation of the Oregon native seed strategy and rangeland resilience work aimed at invasive annual grasses; the department said those funds leveraged a roughly $1.7 million federal NRCS agreement and supported hiring of a rangeland specialist.

Partners and implementers — including the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (Andrea Kreiner), Soil and Water Conservation Districts, watershed councils, tribes, and NRCS — described a high demand for technical assistance and urged continuity of funding so districts can build capacity to manage long-term projects. Andrea Kreiner noted that SWCDs are \"the state's boots on the ground\" for voluntary conservation and urged steady funding to retain landowner confidence.

Committee members asked about project selection and public engagement. ODFW and OWEB described data-driven prioritization that emphasized shovel‑ready projects, existing conservation priorities and partnerships; OWEB recounted surveys and listening sessions that informed eligible practices and changes to match requirements.

Agencies reported leveraging at least $9–12 million in additional funding so far and expect further federal funding to expand project scope. The committee received the agencies' biennial report and allocations; no formal committee action was taken during the informational hearing.

Ending: Commission and agency staff told senators they will continue to refine program delivery, report progress and work with the committee on any statutory or funding changes needed to scale the program.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Natural Resources and Wildfire 01/23/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Oregon Climate Action Commission and state agencies told the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire that initial investments from House Bill 3409's Natural and Working Lands Fund have funded voluntary restoration and conservation projects and leveraged federal funds.","taxTitle","Natural Resources, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17993,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6371611,"Oregon governor's office urges targeted reforms to groundwater law, water transfers as shortages rise",2028,72000,2100000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2149461-28f125b96fac9e700d4b6803f5b8bf61&start=72&end=2100","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2149461-28f125b96fac9e700d4b6803f5b8bf61/thumbnail_72000.jpg","/articles/6371611/Oregon/Oregon-governors-office-urges-targeted-reforms-to-groundwater-law-water-transfers-as-shortages-rise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371611-ff7b47a024d277c1535ff0e532bf9e0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771001957&Signature=PqitSxFTyWJtLfkDSwCOj~RLLcigXbxKydP0WtUMNhKd2Ey6M6gD6repK2qb~nLz0xov9K0O1nefKkWUHGmZZTjxYw5q1ykc3MrSfgmSg8nP-d3YLYgh4kMy6~XEP4iP6gvHSr8Gqo-ejaK08Jizvk0jso9QvypdLyd5gWmCItqqrY0Cx3wqQRHxPdIjzrUnL9UEG~pIPqWMz9BpBgOFzWJ-5FxMsQz0mDIpNiQD-Y4erpMV1p8ilzZxedrixHNp10NfM2QT1OTEqx2YGVrhU-LJMvqZb29A0rrdcu30D7ncseUyRIxWJVJ~wtV7-E2rleVAiziW5QPaeIlAUejq5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jeff Huntington, senior policy adviser on natural resource issues for Governor Tina Kotek, and Chandra Ferrari, a governor's office policy adviser, briefed the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire on January 23, 2025, urging targeted statutory changes and improved processes to manage groundwater and water-right transfers.

Huntington said the governor's office supports focused, incremental reforms rather than an overhaul of Oregon's water-rights system. \"This is a long term job,\" he said, adding that climate change has made water resources a \"fulcrum\" for managing broader state needs.

The nut graf: the governor's office identified four discrete areas it believes could move the needle this session — modernizing the Groundwater Quality Protection Act, updating water transfer statutes, improving water-rights processes and expanding water-data collection — and asked the committee to work with stakeholders and the House co-chairs on a narrow set of priorities.

In the briefing, Ferrari said transfers are likely to make up an increasing share of Department of Water Resources cases because new water availability has declined and climate shifts make new rights harder to obtain. She said current transfer approvals focus primarily on whether a transfer would injure an existing water-right holder and noted that the public's interest in waterways — including non‑right holders, ecosystems and recreational uses — is not always reflected in transfer decisions. \"Communities throughout the state would benefit from a renewed recognition of the long standing principle of Oregon's water law, that water is a public resource that must be managed to meet the public's needs, including those who do not hold water rights,\" Ferrari quoted from an attorneys' letter the governor's office circulated to the committee.

On groundwater, Ferrari recommended revisiting the Groundwater Quality Protection Act (1989), which provides for designation of groundwater management areas when contaminant thresholds are met. She said the state has held three such GUAMA designations in the Lower Umatilla Basin and that portions of the statute \"haven't really been implemented in full\" because of statutory constraints.

Committee members raised additional topics not limited to the four priority areas. Senator Kim Thatcher/Gerard (as recorded) asked why the briefing did not focus on storage projects, dam preservation and groundwater recharge methods, saying recharge technology and retained storage could help alleviate shortages. Huntington and Ferrari responded that the governor's office does not intend to exclude other approaches and that some storage and recharge questions are already drawing robust House-side attention; their proposal focuses on a limited set of strategic items to avoid spreading effort too thin.

Several senators cautioned that greater on‑field efficiency can have unintended effects: Senator Nash noted that converting open canals to piped irrigation reduced seepage that historically recharged groundwater and sustained late‑season streamflows. Huntington agreed, saying place-based, basin-level planning will be important because strategies that work in Harney County may not suit coastal basins.

On process and capacity, Huntington acknowledged that some fixes will be policy or statutory changes while others will require staffing and data investments. He said the state's 14 agencies and 34 natural-resource boards operate on a small share of general-fund dollars, and that improving the data portal and measurement/reporting of water use will require a fiscal conversation but remains a high priority.

The committee did not take formal action on policy changes during the session's informational briefing. Staff and senators requested follow-up: committee members asked the governor's office to coordinate with agencies on potential storage and recharge briefings and for the Department of Environmental Quality or Water Resources to provide background on the origin of the 1989 Groundwater Quality Protection Act.

Ending: Huntington told members the governor's office will bring bill concepts focused first on transfers and the Groundwater Quality Protection Act to the committee and will continue participating in broader water policy conversations this session.

","State officials told the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire that modernizing the Groundwater Quality Protection Act, updating water transfer statutes, improving water-right processes and strengthening water-data collection are priority areas to address climate-driven water stress.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6371601,"Senate Natural Resources committee forwards three bills to Judiciary with unanimous committee support",145,4921000,5066000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2149461-28f125b96fac9e700d4b6803f5b8bf61&start=4921&end=5066","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2149461-28f125b96fac9e700d4b6803f5b8bf61/thumbnail_4921000.jpg","/articles/6371601/Oregon/Senate-Natural-Resources-committee-forwards-three-bills-to-Judiciary-with-unanimous-committee-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371601-ff567a9ac35bc05de15055633da04280/orig.mp4?Expires=1771001957&Signature=JoLOFquJRc4ANi5tiZn~GbZEChx7gGTPVF04yl5FKTtJfBoG6EUcg25NnzAU14WJZAG1kEgNWrk1E~EQeWmKKxBFFsiajqH-OLolgMpk8idu2uHoWahJhzK9hztSBRR-RYRwRxzefOAlyTY7oSvJg920USyRA6UdkGS7EkdZY06kS4l~4BLO7pJ8e-gLYkcdkH12PYgiFgDf9UVobzYWAM8nn9wzis6RBLgWyHkv-EVIhjH3RQD4FJzQaNQifv8SU~QwFAVQGEmt-LqHBcfghBcS5o8t2txoLU~7RTYLw~0zkRl5t1H2kBY5Ff1ZHRBtdxiG8xtlzMfEzLiQroBfBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a brief work session following two informational hearings on Jan. 23, 2025, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire voted to forward three bills to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

Vice Chair Nash moved each bill \"without recommendation as to passage\" and requested referral to the Senate Committee on Judiciary. Each motion passed on a roll call with no discussion recorded.

Votes at a glance:

- Senate Bill 680 — Motion: move without recommendation as to passage; referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary. Roll call recorded affirmative votes from Senator Grubb, Senator Krzanski, Senator Taylor, Vice Chair Nash and Chair Golden. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Senate Bill 832 — Motion: move without recommendation as to passage; referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary. Roll call recorded affirmative votes from Senator Terraz, Senator Taylor, Vice Chair Nash and Chair Golden. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Senate Bill 838 — Motion: move without recommendation as to passage; referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary. Roll call recorded affirmative votes from Senator Trust, Senator Perzovsky, Senator Taylor, Vice Chair Nash and Chair Golden. Outcome: approved (unanimous).

No substantive discussion of the bills occurred on the committee floor during the recorded roll calls; staff called the roll for each motion. The committee adjourned after completing the referrals.

Ending: The referred bills will be considered next by the Senate Committee on Judiciary; the Natural Resources and Wildfire Committee recorded the referrals but did not register a committee recommendation for passage.","At the end of its Jan. 23, 2025 meeting the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire voted unanimously to move Senate Bills 680, 832 and 838 to the Senate Committee on Judiciary without recommendation as to passage.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Oregon reports early progress and federal leverage for Natural and Working Lands Fund

Oregon governor's office urges targeted reforms to groundwater law, water transfers as shortages rise

Senate Natural Resources committee forwards three bills to Judiciary with unanimous committee support