I-5 Bridge Replacement Project Awarded $1.499 Billion Federal Grant!

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To contact me, please click here: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov 

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

My Chief of Staff and I are just back from two weeks planned vacation time. We don't often get the chance to step away from the office but I knew it was important for us to have time to relax a little as the work and planning for the 2025 Legislative Session gets more intense. It was a time for relaxation, seeing new sights, and enjoying time with my family. 

We returned to the office on Monday, but immediately had Transportation Tour stops in Albany on Tuesday and Eugene on Wednesday. We will be working through our inbox as quickly as possible, but if you sent us a message during the last two weeks, please know that we will respond by early next week. If you do not hear back by Wednesday, please resend your message to ensure we received it.

We received great news last week that the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project has received a $1.499 billion grant to replace the I-5 Bridge. As a co-chair of the I-5 Bridge Committee, I am thrilled with the news and you'll find more information about it in this week's newsletter under the "I-5 Bridge Updates" section. Keep reading for these other highlights in our newsletter this week:

• Reflections from the Albany and Eugene Transportation Tour stops 
• Overview of Governor Kotek's proposed changes to our school funding formula
• Information on the release of the proposed Wildfire Risk Map
• I-5 Bridge Replacement Project receives $1.499 billion federal grant
• Senator Sollman and I join the Forest Grove-Cornelius Chamber's Monday Luncheon
• Wildfire Update and Preparedness Tips 

ABOVE: Relaxing time with my family

TRANSPORTATION TOUR STOPS IN ALBANY & EUGENE

I've been on the road this week for the Statewide Transportation Safety and Sustainability Outreach Tour. On Tuesday, the tour stopped in Albany; on Wednesday, we were in Eugene. I want to thank all the Legislators, local elected leaders, jurisdictional partners, transportation advocates, and members of the public for coming out to both stops and sharing their perspectives.

Oregon needs a transportation system that is safe, functional, and efficient, but we have to come together and make important decisions about the future of our system. I appreciate everyone in attendance for being part of the conversation and sharing the transportation needs and solutions in their communities on the tour so far. I look forward to seeing similar engagement as we continue to travel the state.

ABOVE: Albany Roundtable at Linn Benton Community College

ABOVE: On the ODOT Tour in Eugene with Transportation Commission Vice-Chair Beyer and Representative Tran

ABOVE: Eugene Roundtable and ODOT Tour

 PROPOSED BOOST TO STATE SCHOOL FUND

Governor Tina Kotek just announced a proposal to boost the Current Service Level (CSL) for the State School Fund by an estimated $515 million above the original CSL calculation for the 2025-27 biennium. As the former co-chair and current member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education, I look forward to continuing my partnership with the Governor’s Office on this issue to ensure we provide education funding at the level necessary for all students in Oregon to succeed. 

Here’s what you need to know:

• The State School Fund (SSF) is the primary source of state funding for K-12 public education. The Current Service Level is the amount of money needed in the upcoming biennium to continue existing authorized programs.

• The governor’s office, legislative leaders on the education committees, and education advocates have been working together this interim to provide stronger, more accurate, and more predictable funding for K-12 public education across Oregon.

• On Wednesday, representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), and the Chief Financial Office (CFO) presented this information to the legislative Joint Task Force On Statewide Educator Salary Schedules. A recording of that presentation can be found here.

The Governor is directing agencies to take these three steps to increase funding:

1. Budget Distribution - 49/51 Split: For the last decade, the State of Oregon has budgeted SSF distributions to school districts on a 50/50 split over a two-year period (meaning districts received 50% of funds in year 1 and 50% of funds in year 2). This proposal changes the distribution to a 49/51 split. 

• This will increase the CSL calculation for the next biennium because CSL is built off the funding available in the second year, which increases when districts receive 51% in the second year, compared to 50% previously. The change will also support school districts in planning to cover rising costs that occur in the second year of the biennium after the SSF has already been set.
• Preliminary Estimate: $217 million increase in the CSL for the 2025-27 biennium.

2. Compensation Costs: The State’s method to account for compensation costs of teachers, administrators, and classified staff is based on a model that looks back at 20 years of historical data. This model has proven to be very accurate (more than 98%) in calculating actual compensation costs, based on the information school districts submit to ODE. That also means the State has historically been within 2 percentage points of being completely accurate. 

• The Governor’s direction to close the gap between projected compensation costs and actual compensation costs over the last 10 years – instead of 20 years – will increase the SSF CSL. The 10-year period gives us more accurate and more recent data than 20 years. This one-time increase will reflect an even more precise compensation projection and leads to the largest funding increase in the proposal. It’s also important to note that this change will roll forward into future two-year budget cycles. 
• Preliminary Estimate: $240 million increase in the CSL for the 2025-27 biennium.

3. Local Property Tax Revenue: SSF funding to districts represent a combination of local revenue (34%) and state revenue (66%). The State’s historical practice doesn’t include fluctuations in local property tax revenue in the second year of the biennium. This limits the State’s ability to accurately account for the level of resources available for our schools. 

• Going forward, the Governor has directed State agencies to account for annual information for projected local revenue, with the goal of increasing accuracy and precision.
• Preliminary Estimate: $55 million increase in the CSL for the 2025-27 biennium.

The Takeaway: The Governor and Legislators are looking at all opportunities available to improve our school funding system and ensure we allocate the funding needed for all of our schools across the state. I look forward to continued conversations on this proposal and the work ahead in the 2025 Legislative Session.

DRAFT STATE WILDFIRE RISK MAP RELEASED

Newly released draft versions of the statewide wildfire hazard and wildland-urban interface maps are now available to the public for review and comment on Oregon State University’s Wildfire Risk Explorer website.

The wildfire hazard map's purposes are to:

• Educate Oregon residents and property owners about the level of hazard where they live.
• Assist in prioritizing fire adaptation and mitigation resources for the most vulnerable locations.
• Identify where defensible space standards and home hardening codes will apply.

A series of open houses about the state’s new community wildfire risk reduction programs were held from June 3 to July 1 throughout Oregon. It was an opportunity to learn about wildfire hazard assessments, new defensible space and home hardening programs and standards, insurance concerns, and statewide wildfire policy.

Representatives from OSU, ODF, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Department of Consumer and Business Services Building Codes Division and Division of Financial Regulation, and the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council addressed hours of questions at the events and engaged with over 500 community members.

At those meetings, early maps depicting wildfire hazard were available, but property tax lot level maps were not yet available. However, draft maps are now ready for Oregonians to see the hazard designation of their specific address, and whether they’re in the wildland-urban interface.

The draft maps reflect revisions from the last two years based on input received in 2022 from county governments and the public. Updates include:

• Adjustments for hay and pasturelands.
• Adjustments for northwest Oregon forest fuels.
• Changes based on draft rules to include irrigation of agricultural crops as a mitigating factor in wildfire hazard assessments.

Final maps will reflect rules as adopted by the Board of Forestry.

Comments can be sent to hazardmap@odf.oregon.gov. Find more information on ODF’s wildfire hazard web page.

I-5 BRIDGE PROJET AWARDED $1.499 BILLION GRANT

I am so excited to share that the Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Project to build a new I-5 Bridge between Portland and Vancouver has received a $1.499 billion federal grant! As a Co-Chair of the I-5 Bridge Committee with Senator Chris Gorsek, we advocated for this grant in several letters to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The IBR project team and legislative members of the Bi-State Bridge Committee from Oregon and Washington have worked tirelessly to ensure we receive as much federal assistance for this project as possible. We appreciate this recognition of support from the federal government. This grant again demonstrates federal support that a multimodal replacement of the Interstate Bridge is a national priority. Here are the key details:

• This grant is funded through the Federal Highway Administration’s Bridge Investment Program and money allocated from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to offer competitive, discretionary funding for projects focused on replacing existing bridges while improving transportation infrastructure safety and resiliency. 

• Funds from this grant, the largest grant awarded to any project nationwide, will be used to help construct the replacement of the aging Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River and other transportation improvements within the program corridor.

• This federal grant is an essential piece of the funding needed to construct the bridge and other improvements to address the significant transportation challenges with the bridge and corridor. 

• The goal of building a new bridge is to provide a modern, multimodal corridor that strengthens earthquake resiliency, improves safety, and keeps people and the economy moving into the future. This includes providing safe and accessible options for all travelers, including those driving, walking, biking, rolling, and riding transit.

• The Interstate Bridge serves as a critical connection between Oregon and Washington on Interstate 5, which is a vital trade route for regional, national and international economies. With one span of the existing Interstate Bridge now over one hundred years old, the current structure can no longer meet the needs of modern travel and is vulnerable to earthquake damage. Replacing this aging bridge over the Columbia River will help ensure travelers and local communities can continue to access the bridge and life-saving services in the event of a major earthquake.

• Currently, travelers experience heavy congestion during peak travel times, which affects commuters, freight and public transit. The area’s current crash rate is over three times higher than statewide averages. Improving travel reliability and safety through the IBR program work supports the efficient movement of people and goods through the program corridor.

• IBR program officials are seeking over $2.5 billion in federal grants. In addition to the Bridge Investment Program grant, earlier this year the program was awarded $600 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation Mega Grant program and officials also are pursuing funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program. These federal investments – combined with $1 billion commitments made by each of the states of Oregon and Washington and toll funding – will help meet the estimated funding needed to construct the bridge and other improvements.

I-5 BRIDGE REPLACEMENT TEAM ON STRAIGHT TALK

Interstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program Administrator Greg Johnson and Assistant Director for Civil Rights and Equity Aidan Gronauer joined KGW anchor Laural Porter on Straight Talk to discuss the program’s workforce study, potential strategies that may result from the study and the expected economic benefits that the delivery of IBR investments could have on the region’s construction industry.  

They also responded to questions about the program’s Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement timeline and the process to identify and address potential impacts to property near the program area during the nearly half-hour segment. You can watch the interview here.

JOIN ME AT THE FG/CORNELIUS CHAMBER LUNCHEON

On Monday, Senator Janeen Sollman and I will be the featured guests at the monthly Forest Grove/Cornelius Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. We'll give a recap of the 2024 Legislative Session and have a great conversation about the needs of our community. If you'd like to attend, click on the image below to RSVP.

FANTASTIC COMMUNITY EVENTS THIS WEEKEND!

This is a very busy weekend in Western Washington County, with several amazing events to attend. Here's what you don't want to miss:

Forest Grove Concours D’Elegance

On July 21st from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, the Forest Grove Rotary Club is hosting its 50th Concours D'Elegance event! As a Rotary member, I always love attending Rotary's local meetings and events as often as possible. The Forest Grove Concours D'Elegance is the longest-running Concours d’Elegance in the Pacific Northwest. Make sure not to miss the more than 300 classic and modified cars displayed on the tree-shaded campus of Pacific University. There will also be live music, food, a beer garden, and a wine pavilion. All proceeds benefit Rotary Club Foundation Scholarships and Community Service projects. More information can be found on the event website here.

Forest Grove Farmers Market 20th Anniversary

Enjoy a sunny weekend with a variety of local and consistent vendors offering their amazing products. The City Club of Forest Grove will also be there to showcase beautiful art pieces from talented artisans. And of course, you won't want to miss out on new delicious food and awesome live music.

The Washington County Fair

It's the 20th-anniversary celebration of free admission at the Washington County Fair! You can bring your whole family, and everyone gets in for free. The Fair runs from July 19th - July 28th. It will be open from 5pm - midnight on weekdays and 10am - midnight on weekends. Below are links to more information about the Fair: Directions and Parking Carnival and Midway Fair Map

WILDFIRE STATUS AND PREVENTION INFORMATION

With Fire Season in full swing and the record-setting heat we are experiencing, there are now 102 active fires burning in Oregon, with over 378,392 acres burned. With over 70% of Oregon wildfires caused by human action, this is the time to be extremely vigilant with fire prevention tactics. Below is important information to keep in mind for fire prevention:

Know Before You Go: Campfires may be prohibited outside of maintained campgrounds with established fire pits. Always contact the forest district, agency or landowner first to learn if there are any current campfire restrictions where you plan to recreate.

Call Before You Burn: Burning regulations are not the same in all areas and can vary with the weather and fuel conditions. Check to see if there are any current burning restrictions or if a permit is required.

Create defensible space: Create a 30-foot perimeter of defensible space around your home to reduce the risk of wildfires. Fire follows the fuel. Make sure your landscape is LEAN (plants are spaced apart), CLEAN (free of flammable debris), and GREEN (healthy and watered often).

Resources for Fire Prevention:

To see Oregon's interactive fire map for this season, click here or on the image below.

My office has compiled a list of resources for our community. You can click on the images below to open a document with the relevant links. If you know of a resource that should be included here, or you need a resource and are having trouble finding the information you need, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at rep.susanmclain@oregonlegislature.gov.

EDUCATION RESOURCES Click here, or on the image to the right for a list of Education-related resources. This includes links to the Forest Grove and Hillsboro School Districts, the Oregon and US Departments of Education, information on how to pay for college, student lunch programs, and much more!

WILDFIRE-RELATED RESOURCES Click here, or on the image to the right for important resources related to wildfire prevention and recovery. This list includes links to current fire restrictions and recreation site status maps, the Oregon Department of Forestry's fire prevention tip page, and important resources for wildfire victims.

RESOURCES FOR OUR VETERANS Click here, or on the image to the right for a list of important resources for Veterans, including links and phone numbers to the various divisions of the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, local Washington County assistance, supportive and community-based groups like the American Legion, and mental health resources.

STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT  Click here, or on the image to the right for links to important local and state government pages, including the Hillsboro, Forest Grove, and Cornelius city government pages. You can also access the Oregon Legislature's page, and other important state agency sites, like the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Unemployment Department, and the Oregon Health Authority.

Yours truly,

Representative Susan McLain
House District 29

email: Rep.SusanMcLain@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1429
address: 900 Court St NE, H-493, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mclain