Natural Resources and Rural Development

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.

Senate Unanimously Passes Merkley-Curtis Bipartisan Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act

Bipartisan legislation would remove regulatory burden on proactive forest management, lower net emissions Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and John Curtis (R-UT), members of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, announced that the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act (WEPA). Merkley and Curtis’ bipartisan legislation

Two Federal Courts Rule Trump Administration’s Elimination of Solar For All Program Unlawful, Advancing the Effort of Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Senator Jeff Merkley To Save the Program

Congress created the $7 billion renewable energy program to deliver solar projects to 900,000 households in disadvantaged communities, saving families $350 million every year on energy costs Washington, D.C. – Two federal courts have ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unlawfully eliminated the Inflation Reduction Act’s Solar for All

Merkley Slams Senate Republicans for Rubberstamping Trump Arch

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked his bill to prevent the Trump Administration from using any federal funds for the planning and construction of the Trump Arch: “Trump’s Arch is a monument to his own ego—a waste of our taxpayer dollars. “This

Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas, Dexter, Bynum Support Kotek Demanding Emergency Federal Assistance for East Evans Fire

Medford, OR – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05) to support Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urgently reconsider the agency’s denial of a

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