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.

Ranking Member Merkley: Interior-Environment Funding Bill Boosts Wildfire Resiliency, Water Infrastructure, and Climate Investments in Oregon and Across the Nation

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Interior-Environment Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Appropriations bill in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 82-15: “Oregonians turned out in record numbers during my town halls last year and delivered

Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to End Staffing Crisis at Fish and Wildlife Service, Warn of Devastating Impacts to Ecosystems and Public Lands 

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)—the top Democrat overseeing funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)—and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)—former chairman and current senior member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources—joined their colleagues in urging the administration to immediately address and reverse the

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Celebrate SRS Reauthorization for Rural Oregon Counties

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today celebrated the signing of their bipartisan Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act into law, reauthorizing funding for the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Program (SRS) through FY 2026 and providing lapsed payments to counties in Oregon and nationwide for FY 2024

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