Dear John,
Clean water, strong rivers, and healthy fish and wildlife are part of Oregon’s identity — yet many of our state’s outdated water laws are at odds with those values. Right now, with SB 1153, we have a chance to protect the public benefits our rivers provide: by tightening a dangerous loophole that currently allows the Oregon Water Resources Department to approve water right changes even if they hurt our streams. Will you send your legislators a message to pass SB 1153?
Right now, the state can approve applications to change existing water rights without any consideration of environmental harm. In other words, owners of water rights can modify how water is used without considering impacts to fish, wildlife, water quality, and recreation.
Many of our streams are at risk of running dry, so reforms are critical for our shared water future.
That’s why we need your help now to pass SB 1153, which would require the Oregon Water Resources Department to consider potential streamflow impacts as part of its existing process for reviewing proposed water right changes (called “transfers”).
