Bill > SB775

This bill aims to improve the accountability and reliability of ground water data used by several Oregon state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Quality, Water Resources Commission, Water Resources Department, and State Department of Agriculture. The bill requires that ground water data used for specific purposes, such as declaring ground water management areas, designating critical ground water areas, enforcement actions, permit-related actions, rulemaking, and other official actions, must meet strict validation standards. These standards include either being originally generated by water research institutes from states that use prior appropriation water rights systems, or being peer-reviewed by at least three such institutes. Additionally, any funding requests for generating or obtaining ground water data must include proof of meeting these requirements. Importantly, the bill stipulates that any agency action based on ground water data that does not comply with these new standards will be considered invalid, thereby ensuring a high level of scientific rigor and credibility in ground water management and decision-making processes.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/SB775