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Campaign Unavailable We're sorry, this alert is no longer available. If you would like to learn more about ways you can take action, please visit Oregon Conservation Network.The short explanation of this alert was:
The Deschutes River and its tributaries are among Oregon's most beloved waterways. This high desert river boasts important fish habitat, some of the best whitewater boating in the Northwest, beautiful scenery, and a thriving tourism industry. But the Deschutes has faced severe environmental degradation in recent years including shrinking water levels and changes in temperature which can be lethal to fish. For decades irrigation has also taken a heavy toll on the Deschutes, and today Central Oregon's booming population growth is causing new demands on the resource. In May, WaterWatch of Oregon won an important lawsuit protecting water in the Deschutes. The Court of Appeals ruled that Oregon's State Scenic Waterway Act requires the state to maintain water levels in the Deschutes River in quantities necessary for recreation, fish, and wildlife uses. The court decision would help ensure that river flows can not be reduced to the point where the river's scenic character and world-class fish runs would be jeopardized. Now water development interests are seeking to overturn the court ruling by changing the law. House Bill 3494 undermines Oregon's State Scenic Waterways Act and would legitimate what the courts have rejected: that it's okay to reduce the amount of water flowing in Oregon's beloved Deschutes River. Under HB 3494 the amount of water flowing in the river could be reduced at critical times of the year as long as there's enough water in it at other times of the year. With logic like this, a river that floods in the spring when the snow melts could be pumped dry during the summer as long as the yearly average of water was high enough. HB 3494 is a bad deal for the Deschutes River and all the Oregonians who cherish it. But with your help, we can stop this bad legislation. HB 3494 passed the House on Friday, June 17th, but we can still stop the bill in the Senate. Please edit the letter below and send it to your senator today. Edited letters are much more effective and only take a few minutes. Be sure to urge your senator to vote NO on HB 3494. For more in-depth information on this issue, and additional talking points for your letter, click here.
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