HB 3525, better known as “oasis”, would direct the Water Resources Department to permit water withdrawls from the Columbia without existing pubic interest review.  The Governor’s office, Umatilla Tribes, and many OCN groups oppose this bill, but the bill backers are working every angle to try to get this bill out of Ways and Means.  If it looks like they are successful, this bill will be resurrected and we will need to work hard to kill it.  There is also talk of an “oasis-lite” bill, SB 610, which is another vehicle to get this legislation moving.  The Governor reiterated his opposition to both of these bills in a letter last Friday.

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