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OWEB Board to consider two-year plan to spend $74 million in Lottery, federal and salmon plate funds
Sept. 13, 2007
News media contact: Monte Turner 503-986-0195
NOTE to editors/reporters: Soon after the meeting, OWEB will post a list of projects approved at this meeting by county at www.oregon.gov/OWEB. Find the list under “News and Announcements” under the “Current Topics” heading.
Most funds support on-the-ground stream, lake and wetland restoration
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board will consider a spending plan for nearly $74 million in Oregon Lottery funds, federal funds and revenue from salmon license plates for the current two-year budget period at meetings in LaGrande Sept. 18 and 19.
The meetings will be held at the Blue Mountain Conference Center, 404 Twelfth Street. Both begin at 8 a.m. For more information, visit the OWEB Web site at www.oregon.gov/OWEB. Click on “Board and Director’s Office” on the left menu or call 503-986-0178.
The largest category in the spending plan totals nearly $60 million of Oregon Lottery funds authorized by Ballot Measure 66, an increase of almost $18 million from the prior budget, according to Tom Byler, OWEB executive director. “We target these funds for on-the-ground restoration and protection projects,” Byler said.
For the first time, the budget also includes nearly $7.7 million in funds for research, monitoring and evaluation of projects and topics related to fish and water. Staff will recommend the board approve approximately $3 million for nine projects. Project proposals were developed to meet research priorities previously approved by the board and established in the Coastal Coho Conservation Plan. Projects recommended for funding range from testing use of a fiber-optic temperature sensing system in the Walla Walla River Basin to studying wild coho in the Salmon River Basin on the north coast. OWEB may solicit proposals for remaining research funds later in the budget period.
The budget plan also adds $2 million to support the work of 60 watershed councils and 45 soil and water conservation districts. Councils and districts coordinate a wide variety of natural resource improvement activities in nearly every river basin in Oregon. The funds pay for basic administrative costs for the organizations—generally staff and operating expenses and costs of managing cooperative conservation projects. The additional funds will augment $10 million authorized to these groups by the Oregon Legislature.
Following approval of the spending plan, board members will review requests totaling more than $11.3 million for numerous projects to restore streams, lakes and wetlands and to improve water and fish conditions in nearly every county of Oregon.
Board members also will elect co-chairs for the next two years. In September 2005, the 17-member board picked Daniel Heagerty, Portland, and Jane O’Keeffe, Adel, to serve as co-chairs.
Board members represent the public at large, tribes, state natural resource agency boards and commissions, the Oregon State University Extension Service, and federal natural resource agencies. The board is supported by a state agency of the same name that provides grants and services to citizen groups, organizations and agencies working to restore healthy streams, lakes and rivers in Oregon. OWEB actions support the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds, created in 1997. Funding comes from the Oregon Lottery as a result of a citizen initiative in 1998, sales of salmon license plates, federal salmon funds and other sources. For more information, visit www.oregon.gov/OWEB or call OWEB in Salem at 503-986-0178.
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