Tag: Natural Resources and Rural Development

Merkley Proposal Leads to New Energy Loan Program for Rural Communities

Washington — Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the creation of a new $250 million loan fund based on the Rural Energy Savings Program proposed by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley. The new program will allow rural electric co-ops to offer their customers low-interest loans from USDA to

Merkley Introduces Legislation to Provide Benefits to Families of Fallen Firefighters

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Fallen Wildland Firefighters Fair Compensation Act that would allow aerial and ground contracted firefighters to be covered for death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act (PSOB). Currently, these benefits are granted to state and local police, firefighters,

Merkley Introduces Legislation to Protect Homeowners From Flood Insurance Rate Spike

WASHINGTON, DC – On the one year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and a bipartisan coalition of Senators introduced the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act which will protect thousands of Oregon homeowners from facing huge flood insurance premium rate hikes and require FEMA to complete an affordability

Merkley Applauds Senate Extension of County Payments

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Senate passed a one-year extension of county payments for Oregon’s timber counties:  “This extension is badly needed in Oregon, and I am very pleased that the Senate has acted today. Timber counties are already cut to the bone

Merkley To Introduce “Marine Debris Emergency Act”

LINCOLN CITY – Today, at the Oregon Coast Economic Summit, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced plans to introduce the “Marine Debris Emergency Act,” a bill to help communities affected by marine debris emergencies. The bill would expedite the current grant award process made through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s

Wyden, Merkley, Announce Passage of Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Bill

Washington, D.C. – Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley celebrated the Senate passage of the Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Act today, which will permanently conserve thousands of acres of pristine forest near the Southern Oregon coast. The bill now goes to the House.  “The proposed Devil’s Staircase Wilderness area is

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