Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 03/06/2019 12:53 PM PST
Hello Friends:
The Capitol was a somber place on Wednesday as we commemorated the life and public service of Secretary of State Dennis Richardson. For several years, Dennis and I served together in the House of Representatives, his office was next to mine and we developed a close personal relationship. I remember fondly he and his wife hosting me overnight in their Medford home. While Dennis and I belonged to different political parties we shared a similar mindset regarding the institution of democracy, transparency in government and candid and open discussion of issues.
Secretary of State Dennis Richardson Lies in State in the Capitol Rotunda
In legislative news, this week I carried HB 2294 on the House floor. This bill deals with deer attractants and mandates that attractants be derived from cervids that are certified to be Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) free. CWD is one of the most horrid terminal diseases known to wildlife officials and is now found in 26 states and 2 Canadian Provinces. There is no treatment for CWD, and once a deer, elk or moose contracts this disease it is terminal. I sponsored HB 2294 to protect deer, elk and moose in our state, and much like an invasive species, we are better off to prevent the introduction of the CWD disease than try to eradicate it once it is in the state. I’m happy to report that the bill received a unanimous vote in the House and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Dams and dam safety was a topic of concern in the Natural Resources Committee where a Public Hearing was held on HB 2085. Water storage is essential to meet Oregonians’ water needs for drinking, agriculture, recreation and is critically needed during the summer months and in drought conditions. The consequences of dam failure include risk to life, property and infrastructure and potential water shortages.
The Oregon Water Resources Department has been working with stakeholders in drafting HB 2085 to ensure safety and minimize risk to lives, property and infrastructure while balancing the owner’s need for water. Proper maintenance and safe operation is necessary to keep the benefits of water storage and prevent failures. Factors contributing to dam failure include lack of maintenance, deterioration, design or construction, spillway failure, operational errors and natural disasters such as landslides, floods and earthquakes.
HB 2085 would replace Oregon law that was adopted in 1929 and applies only to non-federally regulated dams, water and wastewater. The past 90 years have brought advances in dam design, and greater understanding of floods and earthquakes, as well as best practices policies. This new legislation will also address policy gaps and integrate 10 recommendations from the 2017 integrated water resource strategy. Owning a dam comes with inherent responsibilities and the legislation will clarify those responsibilities, whiles establishing a process to ensure that removal of high or significant hazard dams are done safely to protect people, property and infrastructure. The Department has identified the need for additional amendments to the bill and is continuing to work with interested stakeholders to craft workable legislation.
Thanks for reading my newsletter,
Brad
email: Rep.BradWitt@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1431
