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Consultant outlines Opportunity Zone strategy for Harney County; tribe leads northern tract application
Summary
Catalyst consultant Nick told the court he has finished a draft application and is building rural use cases for Harney County’s southern Opportunity Zone tract, focusing on agriculture, water conveyance and remote renewable projects; Burns Paiute Tribe already submitted a two‑page memo for the northern tract to Business Oregon.
Harney County commissioners spent a significant portion of their May 6 meeting hearing from Catalyst consultant Nick about Opportunity Zone nomination strategy and how private Opportunity Zone funds could be structured to invest in rural agricultural and water projects.
Nick told the court he has the southern‑tract application form ready and is drafting use cases that translate rural agricultural projects into the investor language used by Opportunity Zone funds. "This program gives [investors] a new path to avoid capital gains ... the fund then invests in Qualified Opportunity Zone businesses," he said, explaining that the funds are private securities vehicles that pool capital‑gains proceeds and then invest in qualifying projects for a 10‑year hold period.
Why it matters: Opportunity Zone designation can attract private capital to large rural tracts, but the program’s investor expectations and exit mechanics were designed largely for urban redevelopment and housing. Nick said the challenge is structuring projects with clear exit strategies so equity can be resold at year 10 — a model that is less familiar for long‑lived agricultural investments.
Key details from the presentation: Nick described two primary rural use cases he is developing for Harney County’s southern tract: irrigation/water conveyance projects and renewable energy or aviation‑adjacent investments near the county airport. He said the southern tract includes roughly 5,500,000 acres of high‑value farmland and that about 16 acres around the county airport could be targeted for investor projects. Nick also said the Burns Paiute Tribe submitted a two‑page memo for the northern tribal tract to Business Oregon, which the governor can use to nominate census tracts for the program.
Commissioners discussed coordination: Several commissioners said they are comfortable with the tribe taking the lead on the northern tract and suggested the county prepare a southern‑tract application as a contingency. The judge asked Nick to circulate the draft application and the supporting two‑page memo to the court so staff can review and, if needed, seek a governor’s meeting or site tour.
What’s next: Nick said he would deliver the prepared materials to the county by the end of next week; county staff will review and determine whether to submit a local application or request formal action at a future meeting.
Attribution: Consultant Nick (Catalyst) described the Opportunity Zone mechanics and proposed use cases; commissioners and the county judge discussed next steps and coordination with Burns Paiute Tribe and Business Oregon.
