Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced he secured major investments for Oregon’s ports, waterways, and coastal, fishing, and tribal communities through FY23 Senate Appropriations bills.
“As I hold a town hall in each of Oregon’s 36 counties every year, I hear from folks in every corner of the state about what matters most to them, including strengthening the sustainability, resiliency, and economy of our coastal communities,” dijo Merkley. “The funding bills I championed make significant, targeted investments in small ports and shipyards, boost Pacific salmon and steelhead recovery, and support our vital fishing industry, all while taking on the harmful impacts climate chaos is inflicting on our fragile, complex marine ecosystems. I will keep pushing to get this critical legislation across the finish line to benefit the health and economies of Oregon’s coastal communities.”
Merkley es el único miembro del Congreso de Oregón de cualquier cámara desde el Senador Mark Hatfield que forma parte del Comité de Apropiaciones, considerado uno de los más poderosos del Capitolio. Se unió al comité en 2013 para que Oregón tuviera una voz fuerte en las decisiones sobre las inversiones que nuestra nación debería hacer.
Key elements for the Oregon Coast that Merkley fought for in the funding bills include:
Pequeños Puertos y Navegación de Cuerpos de Ejército: The program, which is vital source of funding to help Oregon ports pay for dredging and other necessary infrastructure projects, received over $355 million for deep-draft harbor and channel improvements, $15 million for inland waterways, $25 million for navigation maintenance, and $65 million for small, remote, or subsistence navigation.
Pequeños Astilleros: The bill provides $25 million for assistance to small shipyards. This program supports small shipyards by providing grants that can be used to purchase equipment or train employees.
Recuperación de salmón: The bill preserves $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. Created in 2000, this fund is a competitive grant program designed to address declining Pacific salmon and steelhead populations by supporting conservation efforts in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. The program is essential to preventing the extinction of the 28 listed salmon and steelhead species on the West Coast.
Programa Sea Grant: The program received a $14 million increase after Merkley led a bipartisan resolution in support of the investment. Funded at $90 million, the program, a priority for Oregon State University, uses targeted local investments to create economic growth, sustainable fisheries, and resilient coastal communities.
Gestión y Servicios Oceánicos y Costeros: The bill provides a total of $308 million for Ocean and Coastal Management and Services within thmi National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This funding will fund critical coastal services and programs such as: Coastal Zone Management Grants, National Oceans and Coastal Security Fund, the Coral Reef Program, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and Sanctuaries and Marine Protected Areas.
Mariscos del Pacífico: El proyecto de ley incluye $2,5 millones en fondos federales para investigaciones de vanguardia destinadas a mejorar la productividad, la sostenibilidad y la resiliencia del sistema agrícola de mariscos del Pacífico. Esta investigación es fundamental para los esfuerzos por mitigar los impactos del caos climático en la salud y las economías de las comunidades costeras de Oregón.
Programa de Asistencia Técnica y Ambiental Marítima: The bill includes $10 million to promote the research, demonstration, and development of emerging technologies, practices, and processes that improve maritime industrial environmental sustainability.
Tratado del Salmón del Pacífico: The bill includes $43 million for the Pacific States, Tribal Communities, and NOAA to continue activities in support of the obligations set forth in the renegotiated annex of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. The bill also provides $23 million for the operation and maintenance of Mitchell Act hatcheries, which are meant to produce salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin for harvest and conservation purposes.
Programa de Monitoreo de Importaciones de Productos del Mar (SIMP): The bill provides a $4 million increase for the SIMP program. This program ensures illegal, unreported, and unregulated-caught and/or misrepresented seafood does not enter our marketplace.
El siguiente paso del proyecto de ley es fusionarse con un proyecto de ley homólogo de la Cámara de Representantes de EE. UU. para que ambas cámaras lo aprueben y se convierta en ley.
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