Page 4 - Ken Helm News Today

The region's vineyards have started picking their grapes - and winemakers are very, very happy.

SALEM — Supporters of a $250 million “water security” package are betting Oregon’s lawmakers haven’t lost their appetite for water-related investments, despite spending heftily on drought relief two years ago.

ONTARIO — The Oregon legislative session has about 100 days left, with the Legislature required to sine die by June 25. The next deadline faced by lawmakers is April 4.

SALEM — Supporters of a $250 million “water security” package are betting Oregon’s lawmakers haven’t lost their appetite for water-related investments, despite spending heftily on drought relief two years ago.

SALEM — Supporters of a $250 million “water security” package are betting Oregon’s lawmakers haven’t lost their appetite for water-related investments, despite spending heftily on drought relief two years ago.

The package would aim to tackle water problems before they become emergencies, prepare for long-term water scarcity, leverage federal money

Oregon’s farmlands haven’t been spared from worries about so-called “forever chemicals,” prompting a legislative committee to recommend studying potential contamination from treated sewage used as fertilizer.

Oregon’s farmlands haven’t been spared from worries about so-called “forever chemicals,” prompting a legislative committee to recommend studying potential contamination from treated sewage used as fertilizer.

Grants for fence construction would become available under a bill meant to prevent livestock on open range from wandering onto Oregon’s busy state highways.

They say it has allowed ground and surface water to be used up faster than it can be replenished.