Tag: Natural Resources and Rural Development

Wyden, Merkley Urge Senate to Extend Critical Lifeline for Rural Communities

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged the Senate to keep the government’s promise to rural communities in Oregon, 40 other states and Puerto Rico by passing legislation that would provide vital funding for schools, law enforcement and essential road repairs. Since payments through the

Senate Democrats gear up to fight Trump’s ‘dangerous’ EPA nominee

Moments after news broke that President-elect Donald Trump would be appointing Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt?—?a close friend of the fossil fuel industry and noted climate denier?—?as EPA administrator, Democratic legislators in Congress began voicing their ardent disapproval. “At a time when climate change is the great environmental threat to the

Wyden, Merkley urge Obama to permanently ban offshore oil drilling

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass, wrote to President Obama, urging him to exercise his authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently withdraw the West Coast from

Merkley Joins with Central Oregon Irrigators to Discuss Water Conservation Progress

BEND, OR – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined with Central Oregon irrigators and fish and wildlife advocates in Bend to highlight progress that is being made on water conservation in the upper Deschutes Basin. The gathering discussed how federal funding that Merkley is fighting for can further support efforts to

Merkley to Host Public Meeting on Proposal to Expand the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

ASHLAND, OR – On Friday, October 14th at 2:00 P.M. PT, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley will hold a public meeting at Southern Oregon University in Ashland to discuss the Senator’s proposal to expand the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Michael Connor will attend the public meeting along with Mayor John Stromberg of Ashand

Wyden, Merkley Call for Immediate Action on County Payment Funding

Washington, D.C. – Recognizing the drain on many rural county budgets, Oregon’s Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley called for reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act (SRS) and fully funding the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program, in bipartisan letters to Republican Leader Mitch McConnell,

Wyden, Merkley Southwest Mineral Withdrawal Bill Takes Step Forward

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee considered their legislation to protect more than 100,000 acres in southwest Oregon from mining, in a hearing today. The Southwest Oregon Watershed and Salmon Protection Act would prohibit new mining leases in

Bill to clean up Columbia River basin passes U.S. Senate

A bill to clean up the Columbia River basin overwhelmingly passed the Senate Thursday and now moves on to the House. The Columbia Basin Restoration Act, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, sets up a grant program to get farmers, tribes and government entities to reduce their

Bill to clean Columbia River added to water package

Congress is making headway on establishing a grant program for environmental cleanup projects in the Columbia River Basin. Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley reintroduced the Columbia River Restoration Act last year, along with fellow Oregon Reps. Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici and Peter DeFazio, all Democrats. The bill was

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