Glass Half Full

The Natural Resources Subcommittee on June 8 moved budget-related items of the Water Resources Department (WRD) to the full Joint Ways and Means Committee. There was good news from the perspective of AOC.

First, the subcommittee approved House Bill (HB) 2295, which increases fees or fee schedules for WRD for water rights transactions, dams, and power. The bill also reverses the fee revisions that would have reverted these fees to 2009 rates. These increases are projected to increase other fund revenues for WRD by $471,558 over the 2017-19 biennium, which is around a 16.3 percent increase over current revenues from those fees.

Second, Senate Bill (SB) 5542, the WRD budget bill, was amended to represent a 2.4 percent all-funds reduction from current service level. The budget carries forward $26 million in other funds for lottery bond funded programs including basin studies for the Willamette and Deschutes; Water Supply Development Grants and Loans; feasibility study grants and loans; place-based integrated water resource strategies grants and technical assistance; Umatilla Basin water supply projects; and Mosier Creek area well remediation. In effect these funds will permit WRD to finish projects already granted. It leaves $750,000 in grants and technical assistance of one permanent position for the four pilot place-based planning projects underway, but does not fund the limited duration position. AOC and others will be advocating as add-backs Policy Option Packages 109 ($2 million lottery bonds for feasibility studies) and 110 ($30 million of lottery bonds to recapitalize the Water Supply Development Account).

Contributed by: Gil Riddell | AOC Public Lands & Natural Resources Policy Manager