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Conservation groups and residents urge council to prioritize habitat restoration and community health
Summary
Speakers during public comment — including Trout Unlimited, Wild Salmon Center, WELC, watershed councils and an affected resident — urged the council to prioritize wildlife habitat restoration, environmental justice in impacted communities, and to use local watershed organizations for implementation.
During the public‑comment period conservation groups and local residents urged the council to set priorities that include habitat protection, remediation of contaminated sites, and meaningful engagement with impacted communities. James Fraser of Trout Unlimited asked the council to “account for and prioritize the full scope of the settlement’s purposes” and to involve agencies and stakeholders in setting strategic priorities.
Michael Lang of the Wild Salmon Center and Srishti Kamal of the Western Environmental Law Center emphasized that the settlement’s Section 18 includes habitat restoration and protection (fish, aquatic life, marine mammals and bird habitats) as explicit purposes. Terry Rigsby of the Network of Oregon Watershed Councils stressed that local watershed councils are on the ground, able to implement restoration projects and support local economies. Jenna Smith, a private resident, described creosote contamination on her streamside property after an August 2024 railroad trestle fire and asked for help identifying risks and restoration actions.
Speakers sought parity between habitat restoration and human health objectives in program design and urged strong public engagement during rulemaking. Several requested that the council invite agency presentations and create advisory opportunities for stakeholders during drafting of strategic priorities and rulemaking.
