Public hearing on SB 1153 spotlights competing views on tightening review of water-right transfers

The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildfire held a lengthy public hearing March 25 on Senate Bill 1153, which would add targeted review standards for certain water-right transfer applications and create a time-limited process for federally recognized tribes to opt in to review transfer applications in selected counties.

Under the measure as presented, the Oregon Water Resources Department would review whether a proposed transfer would impact in-stream habitat for "sensitive, threatened, or endangered" species or further degrade water quality compared with baseline conditions. The bill would not apply where an in-stream water right already exists, would not alter existing water rights that are not being changed, and would leave existing permitting requirements intact. The measure also clarifies…