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| OWEB Board to consider $7.8 million in requests to support work of 60 watershed councils | ||
| 05/09/2007 | ||
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07-07
News media contact: Monte Turner 503-986-0195Councils coordinate natural resource improvement throughout Oregon The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board will consider requests totaling more than $7.8 million from 60 watershed councils at meetings May 15 and 16 in Salem. The meetings will be held at the State Lands Building, 775 Summer St. NE. The Tuesday meeting begins at 8 a.m.; Wednesday’s session starts at 9:30 a.m. For more information, visit the OWEB Web site at www.oregon.gov/OWEB. Click on “OWEB Board” on the left menu or call 503-986-0178. Watershed councils coordinate a wide variety of natural resource improvement activities in nearly every river basin in Oregon. Council funding requests cover the next two-year budget period beginning July 1, 2007. The funds pay for basic administrative costs for the organizations—generally staff and operating expenses and costs of managing watershed improvement projects. Since the OWEB budget for the two-year period has not been determined by the Legislature, the board will consider funding councils at a level between $4 million and $6 million. Funding comes from the Oregon Lottery as determined by Measure 66 approved by voters in 1998 and the federal Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. Councils received $4.4 million during the current two-year budget. A University of Oregon report released in January 2005 determined that every administrative dollar received by councils generates an additional $5 directly into communities for watershed projects. Eighty-five percent of watershed restoration work contracted out by councils went to local contractors in the county where the work was completed, according to the study. In other business, the board will consider spending $363,500 to complete the purchase of 30 acres along the Sandy River near ZigZag. The board allocated $364,000 for the purchase at the March 2007 meeting, but reserved total payment pending determination of a long-term owner of the property. Since then, the Columbia Land Trust has agreed to serve as the long-term owner. The board also will consider allocating nearly $66,000 to study spring Chinook salmon in the John Day River Basin and $177,000 to study methods to increase reproduction of wild Coho salmon in the Umpqua River Basin. Daniel Heagerty, Portland, and Jane O’Keeffe, Adel, serve as co-chairs of the 17-member Oregon Watershed Enhancement 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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