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Committee approves $350,000 in federal habitat grant submissions for Crooked River and John Day Valley
Summary
The committee approved submission of two federal grant applications — $250,000 for Upper Crooked River habitat enhancement and $100,000 for John Day Valley habitat restoration — to the Foundation for American Public Lands to support fence removal, juniper removal, native reseeding and other actions to improve habitat connectivity and reduce fire risk.
The Joint Committee on Ways and Means approved recommendations to submit two federal grant applications for habitat work in eastern Oregon.
Representative Levy (S9) told the committee the Natural Resources Subcommittee recommends submitting a $250,000 application to the Foundation for American Public Lands for habitat enhancement in the Upper Crooked River Habitat Area. “The grant would fund proposed habitat enhancements anticipated to improve connectivity and foraging for mule deer, elk, and pronghorn,” Levy said, and listed proposed actions including fence removal, native reseeding, juniper removal, and wetland enhancement aimed at improving rangeland health and reducing fire risk.
For the John Day Valley Habitat Area, Representative Owens (S8) summarized a recommended $100,000 submission to the same foundation to support restoration within a 4,495‑acre Bureau of Land Management project, including targeted herbicide application, native seedlings and sagebrush sowing to enhance winter range habitat. Owens invited colleagues to visit project sites: “open invitation, we'll try to figure out a tour,” he said.
Both grant submissions were recommended by the Natural Resources Subcommittee and were approved by the full committee by voice vote after the chair recorded no objections.
Next steps: the Department of Fish and Wildlife may proceed with grant applications to the Foundation for American Public Lands; if awarded, projects would proceed to design and on‑the‑ground restoration consistent with grant terms.
