The carbon pollution in our atmosphere from burning fossil fuels like oil and coal is waging a direct and unchecked assault on our farming, fishing and forests – the cornerstones of Oregon’s rural economy.
When Jeff was young, his dad worked as a millwright. He spent his childhood in Southern Oregon timber communities, where timber jobs were what put food on the table and kept roofs over folks’ head. Fires and insect infestations are already killing trees at alarming rates across the Northwest, and climate change will only make these threats to our forests worse. Other iconic Oregon industries like our coastal oyster hatcheries are threatened by ocean acidification, and fishing and farming alike are facing threats from declining snowpacks and increased drought.
Congress needs to wake up. Climate change is real, and it’s bad for our economy and jobs, especially in rural Oregon and the places that most depend on our abundant natural resources.
Merkley, Wyden Announce $37.4 Million for Critical Central Oregon Irrigation Projects
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation is sending a total of $37.4 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to three irrigation districts in Central Oregon for piping projects that will boost drought resiliency, conserve almost 5,000 acre-feet of
Wyden, Merkley Celebrate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Support Farmers and Ranchers Facing Severe Drought in Klamath Basin
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., celebrated the Senate unanimously passing a bipartisan bill to support farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin with improved tools to respond to severe drought, while restoring fish and wildlife habitat in the region. The Klamath Basin Water Agreement Support
Merkley, Huffman Lead Bill to Get the Federal Government out of the Fossil Fuel Business
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) today led the reintroduction of the Keep It in the Ground Act—comprehensive legislation to stop new fossil fuel extraction on public lands and in public waters. “Climate chaos is the most significant risk humanity faces. The earth
Sens. Markey, Merkley, Rep. Huffman Introduce NO SPILLS Act to Increase Accountability for Offshore Oil and Gas Port Licensing
Bill Text (PDF) | Section By Section (PDF) Washington (December 18, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, along with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02), today introduced the Nautical Oversight Safety and Protection of Inflammable Liquids by
Wyden, Merkley, Hoyle Announce Nearly $2.5 Million to Oregon State University for Marine Energy Research
Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley with U.S. Representative Val Hoyle today announced a federal investment of nearly $2.5 million for Oregon State University to develop and test marine energy devices that are key in the climate crisis battle. “There is huge potential to build an even stronger
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $10 Million for Critical Conservation and Restoration Projects in Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today a total of $10,105,326 in funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)’s America the Beautiful Challenge for four projects that will boost essential ecosystem conservation and restoration efforts in the state. “Our delicate ecosystems, waterways, and
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