21 results for author: Karen Lewotsky

Deep Fixes for Oregon’s Groundwater (That Were Long Overdue)

The 2025 legislative session brought some major wins for Oregon water, most significantly: SB 1154 and HB 3525. These bills come on the heels of nearly a decade of work by OEC, our partners and the legislature to protect groundwater in Oregon. To understand why they’re both such important milestones, we need to go back in time… With quite a bit of foresight, in 1989, the Oregon legislature passed the Groundwater Quality Management Act, which was designed—or at least intended—to make sure that groundwater quality would be protected just as we protect surface water. Unfortunately, the Act didn't clearly designate agency roles and responsibi...

Support Sustainable Groundwater Management in Oregon!

Effective groundwater quality management is crucial for ensuring clean, reliable water for millions of Oregonians, and countless ecosystems. But as things stand, our state lacks the means to manage it effectively. By making much-needed revisions to the 1989 Groundwater Quality Management Act, SB 1154 will improve the process of identifying and reducing groundwater contamination to keep this vital resource safe. Tell your legislators to support SB 1154, and promote sustainable groundwater management now and for generations to come! **Please Note: We recommend you send a separate email to your Senator AND Representative. Due to a system limitation, ...

Mid-Session Update: Tracking the Flow of Our Water Bills

We’re officially past the halfway point in this legislative session. After dozens of meetings with legislators, and hundreds of Oregonians contacting their representatives to speak up for the issues that matter most, this is a key moment when the fate of our bills – and the thousands of other bills that have been submitted – is determined.    Oregon’s 83rd Legislature must wrap up by June 29, 2025. However, there are also deadlines that bills must meet if they are to advance and become law. April 9 was one such deadline. Let’s break down where we are in the legislative timeline: Bills start their lives in one of two chambers: either ...

New Groundwater Rules APPROVED!

Big news for the future of groundwater in Oregon! On September 12, 2024, the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) unanimously voted to adopt updated rules to how the state manages groundwater allocation. This important milestone has been a long time in the making. OEC — along with other member organizations in the Oregon Water Partnership — served on OWRD’s Rules Advisory Committee for over a year to craft these changes. The new rules will ensure more sustainable groundwater use for our state moving forward, while protecting existing surface water rights and domestic well users. We applaud OWRD’s decision. Water is the most essential ...

Governor Kotek Nominates Ivan Gall to Lead OWRD

OEC joins our partners in applauding Governor Tina Kotek’s nomination of Ivan Gall for the role of Director at the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD). The exhaustive, nationwide search for this position took nearly a year. We appreciate that Gov. Kotek chose a candidate so deeply familiar with the intricacies of Oregon water. Gall has been working at OWRD for a quarter-century. In his time there, he headed the department’s field services division, as well as its groundwater section. Gall brings technical expertise, on-the-ground knowledge, and extensive experience in groundwater management. Because Oregon's water policies and regulati...

Make Your Voice Heard for the Future of Oregon Groundwater!

When you think about water in Oregon, you might think about the Rogue River, Pacific Coast or Malheur Lake. However, some of the most important bodies of water in our state aren't visible to the naked eye: they're under our feet. Almost 90% of our state’s public water systems rely at least in part on groundwater ecosystems. Snow and rain collect into aquifers made of underground layers of sand, fractured rocks and other permeable materials, forming the groundwater so crucial to Oregon communities. Right now, big changes are on the horizon for Oregon groundwater. You can help protect this vital resource for all Oregonians. Submit written public ...

Biosolids, PFAS and Oregon Agriculture

Known as “forever chemicals,” harmful PFAS chemicals can be found in the air, water, and soil of virtually every ecosystem on Earth. Distribution of PFAS varies widely – from high concentrations in states like Michigan and North Carolina to very low levels here in Oregon. Our state’s water utilities and water quality agencies are already studying the sources and level of PFAS in our local water systems. But there is still much to learn about how these chemicals move through our ecosystem.  That’s why we’re urging lawmakers to pass the Biosolids Bill (HB 4049). This important bill will support OSU Extension in studying the levels of ...

A Win For Families, Farms, Fish, and the Future

Oregon’s new Drought Package secures $174M funding for resilient lands, waters, and rural economies.

Oregon’s Looming Water Crisis

There are over 12 state agencies involved with managing Oregon’s water. And a recent state audit determined that things are not as coordinated as they need to be. Existing laws are tied to property rights and based on an outdated worldview. These policies make it hard to live up to the Endangered Species Act, honor Tribal rights, and use water in a way that serves human health and prevents ecosystem collapse. How can Oregon bring the way we manage water into the 21st century? How do we ensure water policy prioritizes shared needs and equitably serves underrepresented communities and rural communities? It is time for Oregon to have these hard ...

Climate Change and Agriculture: How are they connected and what’s to be done?

What is climate change and how does it work? We’ve all heard the phrase “climate change,” but what does that phrase mean? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines climate change as “a long-term (decades to centuries) change in any of a number of environmental conditions for a given place and time—such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, cloudiness, wind, and air circulation patterns.” So any shift in weather patterns lasting for a prolonged period of time can be called climate change. Today most people who say “climate change” are referring to the steady well-documented increases in Earth’s temperature ...