Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that major investments in Oregon agriculture, rural housing, food assistance and rural business priorities, as well as approximately $12.7 million in funding for 14 Oregon community-led projects, have been approved in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) MINI-BUS funding package. This six-bill package passed both houses of Congress last week and was quickly signed into law by President Biden.
By successfully opposing the most extreme funding cuts and policy provisions proposed by House Republicans, Senators Merkley and Wyden secured investments in the FY 24 Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Bill that were included in the bill.
The farm funding bill also supports programs and projects that benefit farms, families and rural communities across the state.
“Agriculture is a huge part of Oregon’s economy, and it is essential that we ensure our world-class agricultural sector and rural communities have the support they need to grow and thrive,” said Merkley, who once served as the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that writes the farm bill. “The agriculture portion of the funding package includes significant investments in family farms, rural housing, food assistance, habitat restoration and wildfire smoke recovery. We also prioritize making Oregon agriculture more resilient to the effects of climate disruption to protect the livelihoods of our farmers, ranchers and producers. These significant investments will certainly benefit Oregon farms and families for years to come.”
“There is great global demand for Oregon-grown crops, and the federal government’s comprehensive investments in Oregon agriculture and rural communities will help our farmers, ranchers and food producers,” Wyden said. “I’m pleased to see Oregonians working together to deliver results like improved irrigation, strong health care, housing and broadband in rural communities across the state who share our priorities with me and Senator Merkley and have held town halls and roundtables across the state to highlight Oregon’s bounty.”
Merkley is the only Oregon senator to serve on the Appropriations Committee, which writes bills and is one of the most influential committees in Congress, in either the House or Senate. Merkley joined the committee in 2013 to give Oregon a strong voice in decisions about investments the nation should make.
The 14 community-led projects pushed by Merkley and Wyden, and supported by Oregon’s congressional delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives, and passed in the agriculture portion of the FY2024 MINI-BUS funding package, are:
• $3 million to the Arnold Irrigation District in Deschutes County to help complete the third and begin the final phase of a resiliency and modernization project, which will convert 11.9 miles of open-ditch irrigation canals to a buried, closed-pipe system. With the Deschutes Basin experiencing prolonged drought, this irrigation modernization effort will better serve farmers and ranchers, enhance wildlife habitat and increase the region’s resilience to climate disruptions.
• $2 million to the North Unit Irrigation District in Jefferson County to begin an irrigation modernization project to convert 27.5 miles of open-ditch irrigation canals to underground pressurized pipes and upgrade 153 turnstiles. This infrastructure modernization project will result in significant water savings that will benefit farmers, ranchers and wildlife.
• $1.875 million to the City of Stayton for critical stormwater infrastructure improvements that will open up access to approximately 80 acres of developable industrial land and spur economic development in the area. Secured with the support of Rep. Chavez DeRemer.
• $1 million for the Three Rivers Fiber Broadband Phase 2 project in Tillamook County. This funding will be used to build more than seven miles of fiber optic broadband infrastructure to serve 322 homes and a fish hatchery in rural southern Tillamook County. Secured with the support of Rep. Bonamici.
• $1 million to build the Monroe Rural Health Center in Benton County, improving access to quality health care for rural residents. The new health center will break down economic, geographic, linguistic and cultural barriers and provide acute primary care, behavioral health, chronic disease management and wellness screenings to vulnerable residents. Secured with the support of Rep. Hoyle.
• $1 million for the Lane County Emergency Communications Resiliency and Interoperability Project. Funding will cover a major portion of the project to replace Bear Mountain’s aging wireless communications infrastructure. Fire department radios are essential to radio continuity for emergency responders both under normal circumstances and during disasters, as well as to keeping communications networks (cellphone and internet) functioning for the general public. Secured with the support of Councilman Hoyle.
• $500,000 to the City of Carlton to help replace and upgrade a portion of a 100-year-old sewer main in the city’s downtown. Currently, the main is made of highly porous clay and concrete. This funding will modernize the city’s sewer infrastructure and better serve this rural community. It was secured with the support of Councilman Salinas.
• $500,000 to the City of Dayton to help build the Dayton Civic Center, which will include a new City Hall, library expansion and community gathering space and serve as a dedicated location for emergency preparedness and response activities. Secured with the support of Councilman Salinas.
• $500,000 to the City of Oak Ridge to help cover the significant repair and construction costs for the Willamette Activity Center renovation project. This effort will bring the currently closed multi-use community facility back online and serve as a hub for important community services and activities, including hosting the Lane County Food Bank, the Oak Ridge Warming Center, local church food distribution centers, community theater groups and City Council meetings. It was secured with the support of Councilman Hoyle.
• $500,000 for Glide Revitalization to renovate a community space to be used for child care, social services, office space and a library. The center will serve not only the Glide community, but the entire Glide School District and community members in the Douglas County area who work in the Glide area and need child care where they work. Secured with the support of Councilman Hoyle.
• $361,075 to the Port of Newport to make pier and piling repairs at Newport International Terminal. Repairs will include repairing deteriorated pilings, piling caps, and concrete above and below the splash zone. These improvements will create new jobs and revenue for the City of Newport, creating an opportunity to spur economic development in the future. Secured with the support of Councilman Hoyle.
• $250,000 to the Condon Arts Council to restore the historic Liberty Theatre in downtown Condon. The restored theatre will serve as a regional hub for performing arts events and community arts programs for Oregonians in and around Gilliam County.
• $113,000 for the Grant County Cyber ​​Mill Expansion Project in John Day to provide equitable internet access to rural Oregon residents. Federal funds will be used for distance learning, telehealth and broadband equipment and technology.
• $76,000 to South Lane Mental Health Center to help modernize its existing facility, including replacing the roof, replacing computer servers and upgrading security. These upgrades will provide a safer, cleaner environment that benefits patients and staff; and districts in need of water efficiency and conservation improvements or fish and wildlife habitat improvements. This program provides vital funding for the funding bills that follow later this month without making significant cuts to the programs and projects Oregon families rely on. Passing these bills is necessary to avert a partial government shutdown that would negatively impact communities across the state and the nation.
