Merkley Leads Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Red Tape and Invest in Watershed Projects Due to Extreme Drought

Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley-the former Ranking Member on the Appropriations subcommittee that writes our nation's agriculture funding bill-partnered with U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) to reintroduce the Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act. This bipartisan bill would increase the resiliency of American agriculture and communities in Oregon and across the nation to drought by improving the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program (also known as "PL-566").

"Climate chaos-fueled droughts are depleting water resources for people, farms, fish, and wildlife, demanding urgent investments in our irrigation infrastructure. The PL-566 program is an effective modernization tool for irrigation systems to conserve water-keeping farms in operation during droughts while also protecting habitat for wildlife," said Merkley, who revitalized this program when he served as the top Democrat on the subcommittee in charge of funding the PL-566 program. "Oregonians' ingenuity with this program has supported projects that benefit both farmers and wildlife, becoming a model for folks across the West. Our bipartisan bill expands upon this success and enables rural communities to better mitigate the devastating impacts of drought."

As Oregon and the rest of the American West both face severe drought and more frequent flooding, farmers, ranchers, and communities are turning to the PL-566 program to mitigate the effects of these natural disasters through watershed improvement and modernization projects. While demand for this program grows, inadequate funding and burdensome red tape keep applicants from accessing its full benefits.

The bipartisan Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act would streamline the planning and administration processes to enable more watershed-wide projects, shift decision-making to local NRCS staff, expand program eligibility, and allow federal funding to count toward state and local match requirements. The bill also prioritizes projects with multiple conservation and public benefits and makes drought resilience an explicit purpose of the program.

"Across the West, farmers and ranchers are navigating one of the most challenging water supply environments in recent memory, and it is clearer than ever that proven, locally driven solutions must be elevated and expanded," said Sam Barncastle, Executive Director, Family Farm Alliance. "The Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act does exactly that. In Oregon, we've seen firsthand how the NRCS Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program (PL-566) can deliver meaningful results-modernizing water infrastructure, improving watershed resilience, and protecting rural communities. Many of these successes have been led by Family Farm Alliance members on the ground, demonstrating what's possible when federal tools are paired with local leadership and expertise. Senator Merkley's leadership reflects a deep understanding of how to make these programs work effectively, and his state stands as a model for the rest of the West. We are proud to support this legislation and the continued expansion of these successful approaches to benefit more communities facing growing water challenges at a pace never before seen in our history."

"Irrigation districts across Oregon are leveraging the Watershed and Flood Prevention Program to advance irrigation modernization projects that deliver multiple benefits for agriculture, the environment, and local communities," said Julie O'Shea, Executive Director of Farmers Conservation Alliance. "This past winter underscores the urgent need to modernize NRCS's Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program so it can more effectively support projects that strengthen drought resilience. We thank Senators Merkley, Bennet, and Fischer for reintroducing the Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act, which will expand these efforts and help build more resilient water systems across Oregon and the West."

"NRCS's Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program has been a crucial tool for irrigation districts to modernize their infrastructure to meet the water challenges of today while adapting to meet future water needs. We greatly appreciate Senator Bennet, Senator Fischer, and Senator Merkley reintroducing the Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act, and for their efforts to update this valuable program," said April Snell, Executive Director of the Oregon Water Resources Congress. "These modest changes are long overdue and will help irrigation districts be more resilient to drought and further catalyze multi-benefit projects being planned and implemented in Oregon and throughout the West."

"The Deschutes Basin Board of Control is grateful to Senators Jeff Merkley, Michael Bennet, and Deb Fischer for reintroducing the Healthy Watersheds, Healthy Communities Act. Programs like PL-566 are essential to advancing irrigation modernization in our basin, providing a pathway for irrigation districts to modernize infrastructure, support communities and agriculture, improve river health, and meet Habitat Conservation Plan commitments while using water more efficiently amid historic drought," said Craig Horrell, president of the Deschutes Basin Board of Control.

The text of the bill is available by clicking HERE.

A summary of the bill is available by clicking HERE.

###