Deschutes River Conservancy Reauthorization

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced yesterday (9/26/23) that the Deschutes River Conservancy Reauthorization Act cleared a major hurdle by passing out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The critical legislation would reauthorize the Deschutes River Conservancy’s (DRC) eligibility to receive federal funding for water quality and conservation projects—efforts critical to the restoration of wildlife and reducing agricultural runoff in Central Oregon rivers.

“The efforts of the Deschutes River Conservancy are critical to the quality of Oregon’s waterways, and their work goes hand-in-hand with the health of our environment,” said Merkley.

“The Deschutes River Conservancy’s hard work to improve water conservation in Central Oregon has fully earned this reauthorization,” said Wyden, a senior member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

“The Deschutes River Conservancy is a shining example of place-based decision-making with a strong record of success through collaboration,” said Chairman Jonathan W. Smith, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs. “As an original founder of the organization, the Warm Springs Tribe strongly supports enactment of this legislation.”