$27.5 million approved for River Recovery

The 2021 session of the Oregon legislature voted to approve more than $600 million for communities impacted by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires.

In the McKenzie River area, six grant requests were endorsed for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and General Fund (GF) monies. They include:

$903,520 GF to McKenzie Fire & Rescue for a Disaster Relief Logistics Center

$2,100,000 GF to the Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District for facility and equipment replacement

$325,000 ARPA to the Eugene Water and Electric Board for the McKenzie River Finn Rock Restoration Project

$15,500,000 ARPA for Lane County McKenzie River Valley drinking water and wastewater system replacements

$4 million General Fund was approved for OWEB to pass through to the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) for restoration and targeted acquisition of high-priority McKenzie riparian/floodplain properties. This funding will support work by EWEB, in coordination with its local partners, to restore and/or acquire riparian and floodplain areas to reduce risks from post-fire impacts

$1,400,000 for disbursement to Blue River Community Library for the Rebuild Project

$27.5 million