The Beaver State was built by Americans who relied on the land for their livelihood. Natural resource industries like farming, forestry, and salmon fishing remain integral to Oregon’s economy today. Our state has also long been a destination for Americans looking to experience the great outdoors. Oregon’s protected public lands provide valuable habitats, supply clean water, and generate jobs through sustainable harvests, recreation, and tourism. Preserving our natural resources and making smart decisions about economic development will help spur rural growth and ensure that future generations can enjoy Oregon’s wild places and public lands while putting people to work.
Wyden, Merkley, Dexter Reintroduce Bill to Decommission Offshore Oil and Gas Wells, Platforms and Pipelines
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley as well as U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter said today they have reintroduced legislation in the Senate and House that would address the growing threat of abandoned offshore oil and gas infrastructure to marine ecosystems and the environment in Oregon and nationwide as a result
Oregon Lawmakers Call on Trump Administration to Extend Public Comment Period for Revised Western Oregon Forest Plan
New BLM proposal would open up millions of acres of Western Oregon forests to new commercial timber production Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Janelle Bynum and Maxine Dexter this week called on the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Modernize Power Grid, Lower Energy Costs and Reduce Wildfire Risk
WATCH: Wyden unveils legislation at Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on power grid resilience Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced legislation that would overhaul aging power line infrastructure and improve efficiency in order to bring down energy costs and reduce wildfire risks
Merkley Celebrates Senate Passage of His Bipartisan Bill to Wipe Out Non-Flushables from Wastewater Infrastructure
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced that his bipartisan Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act unanimously passed the Senate. Merkley leads the WIPPES Act with Maine’s U.S. Senator Susan Collins. The WIPPES Act would address health, ecosystem, and wastewater infrastructure concerns caused by the flushing of non-flushable wipes.
Bipartisan Merkley, Sheehy Bill Boosts Transportation and Access to Public Lands
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Montana’s U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy led a bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP), a popular federal program that provides transportation options to public lands. The Senators’ bipartisan FLAP Reauthorization Act ensures the program will not expire
Huffman, King, Merkley Lead Amicus Brief Opposing Trump’s Illegal Monument Scheme
Washington, D.C. – Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), and Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), along with Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), filed an amicus brief in federal court opposing President Trump’s plan to erect a 250-foot “Independence Arch” on federal parkland in