HB 2988 Oregon House · 2025 Regular Session

Relating to aquifers.

Summary

Instructs the Water Resources Department to take certain actions related to aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery. Instructs the department to report to interim committees of the Legislative Assembly on topics related to aquifer recharge and aquifer storage and recovery on or before [ October 1, 2026 ] January 1, 2027 .

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Jun 28, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → A-Engrossed · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from just identifying barriers to actively encouraging aquifer recharge projects, added the State Department of Fish and Wildlife as a consultation partner, and extended the report deadline from October 2026 to January 2027. The changes shift the focus from reducing obstacles to promoting expansion while protecting public health and ecosystems.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from identifying barriers to actively encouraging project expansion, and added the State Department of Fish and Wildlife as a required consultation partner.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the Water Resources Department's mandate from identifying and reducing barriers to identifying opportunities to improve processes and developing technical assistance to encourage project expansion.

Added requirement to identify opportunities to improve data, information and modeling requirements for limited license approvals.

Changed the report requirements to include how projects may be promoted in a manner that protects public health, ground water quality and ecosystems.

SCOPE

Added the State Department of Fish and Wildlife as a required consultation partner alongside existing agencies.

TIMELINE

Extended the deadline for submitting the aquifer recharge report from October 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee upon adjournment.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Committee

Referred to Ways and Means by prior reference.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Recommendation: Do pass with amendments, be printed A-Engrossed, and be referred to Ways and Means by prior reference.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred to Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water with subsequent referral to Ways and Means.

lower

Jan 13, 2025

Introduced

First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors