HB 3143
Establishes the Landowners Living with Beavers Grant Program Subaccount in the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund.
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Support
100%
Oppose
0%
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill establishes the Landowners Living with Beavers Grant Program Subaccount within the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund. It authorizes the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to award block grants to eligible applicants for projects on private land that mitigate the effects of beavers. The bill also directs the department and an advisory committee to report on the grant program’s status and outcomes to the Legislative Assembly by September 15, 2027, and appropriates $1.5 million for the program’s initial funding.
Key provisions
- Establishes a subaccount in the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund for the Landowners Living with Beavers Grant Program.
- Authorizes the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to award block grants of up to $50,000 per project.
- Eligible applicants include watershed councils, soil and water conservation districts, and nonprofit organizations.
- Grant projects must mitigate the effects of beavers on private land.
- Projects can include tree protection, flood prevention, and infrastructure protection.
- The department and an advisory committee must jointly report on the grant program to the Legislative Assembly.
- The report is due by September 15, 2027.
- Appropriates $1.5 million for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025.
Who is affected
- Private landowners
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Oregon Conservation and Recreation Advisory Committee
- Watershed councils
- Soil and water conservation districts
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsors
Cosponsor
Arguments in favor
Reasons to support this legislation.
The collective testimony supporting House Bill 3143 emphasizes the importance of affording protections to beavers, promoting coexistence with these species, and leveraging their ecological benefits for riparian and aquatic ecosystems. Testifiers highlight the need for non-lethal conflict mitigation techniques, stewardship on private lands, and funding mechanisms to support landowners in implementing beaver coexistence strategies. The bill is seen as a crucial step towards maintaining Oregon's ecosystem health, particularly in addressing climate change impacts on water resources, biodiversity, and habitat restoration. By promoting coexistence with beavers, the legislation aims to recharge groundwater, increase summer flows, reduce flood peaks, and enhance wetlands, ultimately supporting native species populations and the common good.
Source: Testimony Summaries
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