Merkley: Oregon rural, water funding bills advance
Sen. Jeff Merkley announced Thursday key water infrastructure and conservation investments that he secured for Oregon communities, with the support of Sen. Ron Wyden, included in the Water Resources Development Act, which passed unanimously out of the Senate Environment and Public Works committee.
“This bill contains important provisions that will help communities in every corner of Oregon,” said Merkley, who serves on the committee. “With Sen. Wyden’s support, I worked to address the issues Oregonians have told me are important to them. From to protecting the Columbia River Basin by investing in restoration efforts, to moving forward on long-overdue tribal housing, to fighting invasive species, this bill delivers for Oregon.”
“It’s long past time for the federal government to honor its commitment to the tribal families that lost their homes and villages when the Columbia River dams were built decades ago,” Wyden said. This bill takes an important step toward making good on that promise. I will keep working to advance other efforts critical to Oregonians, including salmon habitat protection and Columbia River restoration, through the Senate and passed into law.”
Tribal Housing: Merkley fought hard to include language that requires the Army Corps to finish the Village Development Plan at The Dalles, which was on track before being derailed by the head of the Office of Management and Budget, Mick Mulvaney. Merkley, who has seen firsthand the unacceptable conditions at the tribal housing sites, also worked to include language in the WRDA bill that instructs the Army Corps to assess what level of assistance that should be delivered to the tribes who were displaced by the Bonneville Dam and John Day Dam sites.
Columbia River Basin Restoration: The bill includes language that authorizes $5 million in dedicated funding to Columbia River Basin restoration in 2019, and another $30 million for both 2020 and 2021. With the budget authorization, Merkley can use his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee to include the funding in the next spending bill. The funding would help improve the health of and reduce legacy toxins in the Columbia River Basin, which irrigates 6 million acres of agricultural land; carries $20 billion in cargo annually; is the largest generator of clean hydropower in North America; and has historically been the largest salmon-producing river system in the world. However, it is the only major Environmental Protection Agency-dedicated “large aquatic ecosystem” to receive no dedicated funding.
Watercraft Inspection: The bill increases funding for Army Corps watercraft inspection stations to $30 million in the Columbia River Basin, which have proven effective in preventing the spread of destructive, invasive aquatic species, such as zebra mussels and quagga mussels.
Buy America: The bill includes modified language that permanently requires Drinking Water State Revolving Fund projects to adhere to Buy America rules, which have established the basic principle that when spending federal taxpayer dollars on public infrastructure projects, American businesses and workers should do the work.
Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA): In an effort to create flexibility for tribes and small, rural communities, Merkley successfully included language that requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on improving access to WIFIA assistance, due within a year of the WRDA bill’s enactment. With over $5.5 billion available in potential loans, Merkley is working to ensure the funding gets to the communities that need it most.
Svensen Island: In support of salmon restoration efforts in a 294-acre property in Clatsop County, the bill includes deauthorization of the Svensen Island levee, which is contained on the property. The Columbia Restoration Group is collaborating with the Bonneville Power Agency to restore, enhance and preserve aquatic and natural resources and habitat, including reconnecting tidal wetland habitat. Once complete, the project will provide significant ecological benefits, including habitat for salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Merkley, who is the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, also announced key provisions in the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill that will help Oregon’s rural communities. The bill was voted out of committee Friday on a unanimous, bipartisan vote.
“I worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure this bill provided significant resources for rural Americans and Oregonians,” Merkley said. “With Sen. Wyden’s support, I worked to deliver the programs and investments that are important to Oregonians — bolstering rural broadband; investing in rural wastewater systems; ensuring the program Rural Energy Savings Program, which I created in 2010, delivers even more energy savings opportunities to people in rural parts of the state; and more.”
“Rural Oregon families, professionals and businesses need reliable, affordable and high-speed broadband to empower them and their communities to compete globally in the digital world and create good-paying jobs at home,” Wyden said. “This bill takes a much-needed step toward those rural Oregon goals I’ve long worked to achieve. I am committed to continuing to work on other equally vital steps, such as allowing Oregon farmers to grow hemp, encouraging new uses for timber products and fighting for farmers and ranchers by improving soil health and conserving critical resources.”
Merkley is the only Oregon member of Congress from either chamber since Senator Mark Hatfield to serve on the Appropriations Committee, considered to be one of the most powerful on Capitol Hill. He joined the committee in 2013 so that Oregon would have a strong voice in decisions about the investments our nation should be making.
Key elements of the legislation that will impact Oregon include:
Rural Broadband: The program received an additional $425 million investment for 2019, building on the previous fiscal year’s investment of $600 million. Together, Congress has provided $1.25 billion for grants and loans to expand broadband in rural areas that don’t have sufficient access or service. The funding is expected to leverage billions more in grants and loans.
Rural Development: Merkley successfully protected funding for a number of USDA’s Rural Development programs, including rural housing and business development programs which President Trump proposed eliminating. These programs makes billions of dollars of investments in rural America every year. In addition, Merkley was able to secure a $6 million increase for grants for rural business development for 2019.
Rural Water and Waste Disposal Systems: The program received an additional $400 million for 2019, building on last fiscal year’s investment of $500 million. Together, the program has received approximately $900 million in additional funding to support loans and grants for clean water and sanitary waste disposal systems in rural communities. Over $2.2 billion in loans and grants are provided, which will assist over 4.2 million rural residents.
Mass Timber Products: The advanced wood products program at USDA received $3.5 million for work on mass timber products that would enhance Oregon State University’s cutting-edge research.
Organic and Sustainable Agriculture: Merkley worked to secure significant increases to funding for organic and sustainable agriculture programs. The USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program received $37 million, a $2 million increase from last fiscal year. The National Organic Program received $15 million — a $3 million increase — to develop and enforce the country’s standards for organically produced agricultural products. The Organic Transitions Program, which is dedicated to helping farmers transition from conventional to organic farming practices, received $6 million — a $1 million increase.
Rural Energy Savings Program: Funding for the program, which Merkley created, was increased by $2 million and will leverage an additional $14 million for energy efficiency retrofits to buildings in rural communities, bringing the total leveraged amount to over $71 million. The bill also continued language from last year that allows the program to offer low-interest loans for replacing existing manufactured housing with new, energy-efficient manufactured housing in rural communities.
Agricultural Research: The Agricultural Research Service received an increase of almost $100 million in funding to for cutting-edge research to improve the productivity, sustainability, and health of the nation’s agricultural systems. In addition, Merkley was able to secure funding for key Oregon agriculture research programs, including funding for research on alfalfa, pear, wheat, hops, apple, shellfish, small fruits, seaweed, floriculture, nurseries, and the Sudden Oak Death pathogen plaguing the south coast.
Industrial Hemp: The bill protects Oregon’s growing hemp industry by prohibiting the federal government from interfering with hemp research projects or with legally produced hemp products, and encourages the USDA to support industrial hemp research by informing researchers of their eligibility for funding. Oregon has enacted laws allowing for the cultivation of industrial hemp, which can be used to make everything from rope and cloth to oil and soap.
Water Conservation and Habitat Restoration: For the third consecutive year, the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program received $150 million, including funding for irrigation districts that need to improve water efficiency and conservation or otherwise improve fish and wildlife habitat. This program is providing critical funding for the collaborative process underway in the Deschutes Basin to conserve water and improve the habitat of the spotted frog, helping to keep Central Oregon family farms in business.
Merkley also announced key provisions that he secured in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, with the support of Sen. Ron Wyden, to help Oregon communities.
“Fighting for Oregon’s priorities is my top responsibility as a member of the Appropriations Committee,” said Merkley, who serves on the committee. “From preventing the sale of Bonneville Power Administration and other public assets, to investing in innovative renewable energy like solar and wave, to supporting the coast’s small ports, this bill contains provisions that improve Oregon’s economies, quality of life, and future.”
“This bill achieves key wins for Oregon, including Donald Trump’s belated recognition that his misguided scheme to privatize BPA would have hurt ratepayers in the Northwest,” Wyden said. “In addition to being glad the White House has abandoned this BPA privatization madness, I am also gratified that Oregonians will benefit in this legislation from vital resources for small ports along the coast and smart investments in solar and wave energy.”
Key elements of the legislation that will impact Oregon include:
Protecting Key Federal Assets in Oregon: For a second consecutive year, Merkley successfully fought to bar the transfer or sale of power marketing assets, including the Bonneville Power Administration — a top priority for Oregonians. Merkley also successfully prohibited the closure of Oregon’s Albany National Energy Technology Lab facility, which is working to discover, develop, and deploy new technologies to support a strong domestic fossil energy path.
Small Ports and Army Corps Navigation: The program, which Oregon ports rely on to help pay for dredging and other necessary infrastructure projects, received almost $600 million, including $50 million for inland waterways, $25 million for navigation maintenance, and $50 million for small ports, which supports the small ports that are the lifeblood of Oregon’s coastal economy.
Water Conservation and Habitat Restoration: The WaterSmart program received $34 million to fund projects that will help irrigation districts comply with the Endangered Species Act and that support collaborative approaches and reduce conflict, including litigation. The WaterSmart program could support the collaborative process that is underway within Central Oregon to conserve water, improve habitat for endangered steelhead and the spotted frog, and keep Central Oregon family farms in business.
Tribal Housing: The report includes language acknowledging the Army Corps’ mission, and instructing the Corps to uphold its responsibility to tribes that were displaced by the construction of the Dalles Dam on the Columbia River, and mitigate the impact of that displacement. Merkley, along with Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Oregon colleagues in both the Senate and House, have been fighting to address the urgent need for adequate housing along the Columbia River.
Community Solar: Merkley secured $5 million to restart the Department of Energy’s National Community Solar Partnership, a program designed to expand solar energy access to new markets and communities.
Wave Energy Research and Development: Merkley secured at least $5 million for the Oregon State University Wave Energy Test Facility, which will be the first in-water, grid-connected wave energy test facility in the country advancing technology that has the potential to provide long-term, clean energy.
Electric Vehicle Deployment: Merkley secured $37.8 million for the deployment of electric vehicles through the Clean Cities Program, to support cities installing more electric vehicle charging infrastructure and getting more electric vehicles on the road.
Willamette Locks: A final Disposition Study on the Willamette Falls Navigation Canal and Locks in Clackamas County is funded and well underway, but needs additional funds to be completed. Language was included in the bill to allow in-process Disposition of Completed Projects studies to receive funding, including Willamette Locks.
Scoggins Dam: Scoggins Dam received $2 million for upgrades. Scoggins Dam has been classified as one of the most seismically at-risk dams that the Bureau of Reclamation manages. This classification means that failure of the dam due to a large earthquake could result in significant damages or even loss of life to communities if the dam is not upgraded. The report also included language urging the Bureau of Reclamation to consider other benefits like increased water supply in addition to public safety.
SuperTruck II: Merkley secured $25 million for five awards to further improve the efficiency of heavy-duty trucks through cost-effective technologies. The program enables to develop and deploy cutting-edge vehicle technologies, including advanced batteries and electric drive systems, to reduce fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions in the transportation sector.
Energy Storage: Merkley secured $41 million for energy storage research and development, with a particular focus on grid-scale applications. This important funding for energy stage research and development ensures stability, reliability, resilience of the U.S. electricity grid as the country deploys and integrates more renewable energy.
The next step for the bills is a full Senate vote, and eventually merging with counterpart bills from the House in order to be passed by both houses and signed into law.
