US Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon -- as a ranking member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee -- announced he helped advance critical investments to strengthen forest health and wildfire resiliency, protect public lands and the environment, boost important programs for Tribes and support critical projects for local communities.
The federal funding comes through the Fiscal Year 2026 Senate Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which encompasses funding for the US Department of the Interior, US Forest Service, US Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Indian Affairs and other agencies.
Merkley pushed to include key priorities for Oregon in the bill. This includes over $45 million for 23 community-initiated projects throughout the state. Merkley -- along with Oregon Senator Ron Wyden -- secured the funding.
Local projects include $2.5 million for the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal's Statewide Wildfire Risk Reduction Program, $2 million for the City of Talent for its resilient waterline installation project to replace existing asbestos cement pipes, $1.554 million for the South Umpqua Rural Community Partnership for its Wild Fish Habitat Restoration and $1 million to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to stand up grant programs that will enable communities to implement alternatives to open burning of woody debris.
Merkley is the only Oregon member of Congress to serve on the Appropriations Committee since Senator Mark Hatfield.
