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.

Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Press Trump Administration on Proposed Forest Research and Development Facility Closures, Demand Transparency

Portland, OR – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined their Senate colleagues in urging U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz to provide Congress with a full breakdown of the Service’s decision to potentially close up to 57 U.S. Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) Facilities, including the Portland-based Pacific

Merkley, Oregon Lawmakers: NOAA Must Keep Its Fleet in Newport

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led Oregon Congressional Delegation members—including Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)—to urge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and General Services Administration (GSA) to renew the NOAA

Merkley, Murkowski Continue Oversight of Restoring NSF Ocean Monitoring Systems

Washington, D.C. –  Today, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) pressed the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide an update on the agency’s plans to redeploy vital Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) sensors. The bipartisan letter follows the Senators securing a commitment from NSF to pause its planned

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