WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement of $400 million to address drought through investments at the irrigation district scale in 12 Western states. The Central Oregon Irrigation District was selected for this innovative funding opportunity in Oregon.
“As climate chaos fuels long-term drought in Oregon and across the American West, the federal government must use all the resources at its disposal to address this ongoing crisis,” said Merkley. “My colleagues and I urged the administration to take action earlier this year, and I applaud the USDA for creating this new program to fund innovative water solutions. This is a much-needed step forward to build a stronger, more resilient future for the West’s economy and environment.”
“It is absolutely essential that the communities in Oregon and across the nation facing droughts and wildfires have every available resource they need to be safe and thrive,” said Wyden. “These are not your grandfather’s fires. They burn hotter and bigger than at any other time in recent history. I will continue to advocate for more support for communities in affected by drought and wildfires caused by the climate crisis.”