Latest news with #OregonDepartmentofTransportation
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rose Quarter Improvement Project's $450 million in federal grants in question, ODOT says
Editor's note: This story was updated to more accurately reflect the status of the federal grant money. PORTLAND, Ore. () — Hundreds of millions of dollars of federal grant money set aside for the Rose Quarter Improvement Project is now in question after the recent passage of President Donald Trump's spending and tax bill, officials said. Federal grants totaling $450 million was originally awarded to the project, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. However, now over $400 million of that amount could be at risk of being rescinded, officials said, though ODOT is still trying to clarify this with the Federal Highway Administration. The money was promised as part of the Reconnecting Community and Neighborhoods program for restorative projects for infrastructure across the nation. Oregon music festival to conclude with 2025 event With Congress' approval of Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' that federal grant money could be at risk of being eliminated, according to Rose Gerber, a spokesperson for ODOT's Rose Quarter Project. The Rose Quarter Improvement Project aims to make safety and congestion improvements in Oregon's busiest bottleneck, Gerber said. That grant money, specifically, was earmarked for building a highway cover and central core, adding an auxiliary lane and shoulder from I-405 to the Morrison Bridge exit and extending an auxiliary lane and shoulder under the highway cover, among other project elements. 'This portion of the project design is at the heart of ODOT's commitment to addressing the negative economic and social impact due to the construction of I-5 in the early 1960s,' Gerber said. Some Oregon state dollars have been secured for the project to complete needed bridge work and stormwater facilities near I-405, which would set the stage for the larger aspects of the construction project to take place, ODOT said. Level 3 'Go Now' evacuations issued for Salem fire 'Of the $450 million granted to the project, $37.5 million for design and utility relocation has been obligated for spending for the project,' Gerber said. That $37.5 million portion of the federal grants is effectively 'protected from rescission,' she said. The transportation agency is still in the process of analyzing and understanding the impact of the recently passed federal spending bill, which was signed into law on July 4. Gerber said ODOT is 'committed to this project' and will continue working with local and federal partners in the coming weeks to carve a path forward. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Millions Across 3 States Told To Stay Indoors
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millions of people across three states have been urged to remain indoors amid concerns over high air pollution levels. Air quality advisories were issued on Thursday for parts of Connecticut, Colorado and Oregon. The warnings mean ground-level ozone concentrations are forecast to reach dangerous levels that could pose a risk to sensitive groups and the general public. Smoke billowing into the sky from a wildfire in Oregon in June. Smoke billowing into the sky from a wildfire in Oregon in June. Oregon Department of Transportation/AP Why It Matters In its alert notices, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that people particularly sensitive to elevated pollution levels include those with "heart or lung problems and young children." "Pollutants in smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, aggravate heart and lung diseases, and aggravate other serious health problems," it said. The alert added, "Active children and adults, and people with lung disease, such as asthma, should reduce prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion." What To Know The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued an Air Quality Action Day for parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties until 11 p.m. on Thursday. The alert is issued when ground level ozone levels are forecast to approach or exceed unhealthy standards. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued an Ozone Action Day Alert until 4 p.m. on Thursday. The alert covers Douglas, Jefferson, Denver, Arapahoe, Adams, Broomfield, Boulder, Larimer and Weld counties. "Warming temperatures and light winds may allow ozone to reach levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups on Thursday," the NWS notice said. "The highest concentrations are expected along the western portions of the northern Front Range, from western Denver northward to Fort Collins." It added, "If possible, please help us reduce ozone pollution by limiting driving gas and diesel-powered vehicles until at least 4 p.m." Meanwhile, Oregon's Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory for Klamath County until 10 a.m. It added that many health and local air agencies had issued wood-burning restrictions, limiting outdoor burning and the use of wood stoves or fireplaces. What People Are Saying The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality said in the NWS alert: "People can take the following precautions to protect their health: follow local burn restrictions to prevent deteriorating air quality; avoid strenuous outdoor activity during periods of poor air quality; people with heart or lung problems and young children are especially vulnerable. These people should stay indoors while smoke levels are high; use certified High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters in indoor heating, ventilation, cooling and air purification systems; avoid using wood-burning stoves and other sources of indoor smoke if possible." The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said: "If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighborhood you may want to remain indoors. This is especially true for those with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and older adults. Consider limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present. Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill. If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy." Jonathan Grigg, a professor of pediatric respiratory and environmental medicine at Queen Mary University of London, previously told Newsweek that there are "very clear links" between inhaling particles and earlier death from both respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. He added: "There are vulnerable groups and classically they are children because they've got an extra issue to do with their lungs developing, whereas our lungs are not developing as adults." What Happens Next The air quality alert in Colorado is set to remain in effect until 11 p.m. on Thursday, while Connecticut's is active until 4 p.m. and Oregon's until 10 a.m. The NWS issues regular air quality updates on its website.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon transportation bill gets sign-off from committee after amendments, heads to House
(This story has been updated with new information.) Lawmakers advanced an amended version of the multibillion-dollar transportation bill to fund the Oregon Department of Transportation, cities and counties and major projects from a 2017 transportation package on an 8-4 vote on June 26. House Bill 2025 is scheduled to for a June 27 floor session in the House. If approved, the Senate would need to vote before the 2025 Legislature must adjourn by June 29. The amendment removes a proposed transfer tax on new and used vehicles and has a one-time 12-cent-a-gallon increase in the gas tax. A draft revenue estimate obtained by the Statesman Journal forecasts that the legislation would bring in $11.7 billion over the next 10 years, nearly $3 billion less than the original estimate. The bill needs a three-fifths majority to pass because it contains new taxes. Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, broke from Republicans on the committee in voting in favor of moving the bill to the floor. 'I've prayed on this and I've chewed on this because where are we going to go if we don't pass this legislation?' Mannix said. Mannix highlighted the bill's accountability measures, transit funding and expansion of a road user charge for electric vehicles, as well as previous taxes and fees that were changed throughout the session, including a proposed tire tax, that are not in the bill. "This vote will change history," Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, said. Boshart Davis is a co-vice chair of the committee. "Transportation has always been bipartisan. And in this case, it certainly changes that," Boshart Davis said. Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, also a co-vice chair of the committee, said he believed the bill is "highly unlikely to become law," which he called "kind of a bummer." Rep. Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene, supported the bill, but said lawmakers 'missed opportunities' to allow local entities to raise their own transportation funding. Nathanson also said information on how the money split between ODOT, counties and cities would be spent was unclear because some of ODOT's programs benefit those areas. Sen Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook, said she believed legislators "need several more months to go over" the legislation. "I think this was done too quickly, and I don't think that we have a clear picture of the consequences of what we have produced here,' Weber said before voting no. Twenty-one of 61 people registered to testify spoke about the amended bill during a one-hour public hearing prior to the committee vote. Lawmakers did not vote on an amendment from Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, that proposed a "referendum clause" that would put the bill on the ballot during the next general election in November 2026. Two former Republican lawmakers have created a PAC, No Gas Hikes, to rally support for a potential referendum on the bill. The June 26 committee hearing was the first for Rep. John Lively, D-Eugene, and Sens. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, and James Manning Jr., D-Eugene. Lively replaced Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, who announced June 23 he was stepping down after being excluded from House negotiations brokered by House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, in an attempt to garner support for the bill after some Democrats expressed concerns. The Senate replacements were for Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, and Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, who was a co-chair of the committee. Meek was removed from the committee after speaking against the bill last week. Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, filled his seat for one meeting before stepping down. Gorsek resigned following an outburst during a June 20 committee meeting where he yelled at vice co-chair Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany. Boshart Davis filed a formal complaint against Gorsek, alleging he violated a respectful workplace policy and an anti-harassment rule. Nine House Republicans boycotted the June 23 floor session in response. Sen. Khanh Pham, D-Portland, already a member of the committee, replaced Gorsek as co-chair. Meek shared a post on Facebook June 26 that he would be a "no" on the bill because it included a line about tolling in Clackamas County. That section of the bill was unchanged from the last major transportation package in 2017. In a June 26 letter to lawmakers, Gov. Tina Kotek reaffirmed she had directed the Oregon Transportation Commission to pause tolling efforts on Interstate 205 on March 24, 2025. The letter also clarified that the section of the bill referenced by Meek in his post does not change her mandate to the Oregon Transportation Commission to indefinitely pause I-205 tolling efforts. "Before we begin the public hearing, I wanted to address some rumors going around," Pham said. "I want to be clear that House Bill 2025 does not raise any money from tolling or expand any tolling on the Abernethy Bridge or anywhere else across the state." Meek walked off the Senate floor on June 26, and it was unclear if he would return for the rest of the session, which must end by June 29. Oregon Senate Republicans said Meek was "chickening out" by walking away. He posted on Twitter that Republicans could stop the bill, but would not because they had "cut a deal." With the exception of Mannix, Republicans on the committee did not vote in favor of the bill. The amendment would increase the gas tax by 12 cents a gallon on Jan. 1, 2026, bringing the Oregon gas tax to 52 cents per gallon. The original bill raised the tax by 10 cents on Jan. 1, 2026, then again by five cents on Jan. 1, 2028, before being indexed to inflation using the Consumer Price Index after 2029. The proposal would not include a transfer tax on the sales price of vehicles. The bill currently includes a 2% tax on the sales price of all new vehicles and a 1% tax on used vehicles sold for more than $10,000. A privilege and use tax, which are currently 0.5%, would increase to 2.25% beginning July 1, 2028, under the amendment. The privilege tax, paid by car dealers, would be expanded to also include used vehicles sold for more than $10,000. The use tax applies to vehicles purchased out of state and also would expand to used vehicles. The bill would currently increase both taxes to 1% beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Increases to the payroll tax that funds transit would not change from the proposed increase from 0.1% to 0.18% in 2026, before increasing to 0.25% in 2028, and 0.3% in 2030. The amendment would also change the distribution of some of the revenue. Revenue from the privilege tax would be distributed as follows: 38% to the Great Streets Fund. The original bill specified $125 million. 38% to an Anchor Projects Fund for major projects. Funds would first go toward the completion of the Rose Quarter project and Abernethy Bridge project before being distributed to the Interstate 205 widening, the Newberg-Dundee Bypass and the Center Street Bridge seismic retrofit projects. The original bill specified $125 million. 10% to the Zero Emission Incentive Fund for vehicle rebates. 8% to the Connect Oregon Fund for rail, aviation and marine projects. 6% to the Railroad Fund for public transportation by rail. Half of the funds from the privilege tax were previously going to the railroad fund, and the remaining 50% was split, with $12 million or 45%, whichever was larger, going to the Zero Emission Incentive Fund. Revenue from the use tax would be distributed into the State Highway Fund, which is where revenue from the gas and use taxes and fees go, as follows: Up to $5 million would first go to the Wildlife-Vehicle Collision Reduction Fund. The original bill put $5 million into this fund. Up to $25 million would then go to the Safe Routes to School Fund. The original bill put $25 million into this fund. Any remaining money would be allocated as follows: 50% to ODOT 30% to counties 1.37% or $3.5 million of that 30% to small counties 20% to cities Statesman Journal reporter Dianne Lugo contributed to this report. Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@ or 971-208-5615. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon gas-tax increase advances as part of transportation package
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Last-ditch effort to fund Oregon Department of Transportation fails
A last-ditch effort on the final day of Oregon's 2025 Legislature to prevent job cuts and service reductions for the Oregon Department of Transportation failed. House Bill 3402 was amended in the House Committee for Rules but did not receive the required votes to suspend the rules and move it to a final reading and vote on the House floor. Despite having until June 29 to conclude the session, the Senate and House moved forward with adopting sine die resolutions and bringing the 83rd legislative assembly to an end. The placeholder bill would have raised the gas tax to 43 cents per gallon and increased registration and title fees to raise an estimated $2 billion over 10 years. Without it, Gov. Tina Kotek said she would have to begin the process of ordering 600-700 layoffs at ODOT starting on June 30. Lawmakers presented the stopgap solution just hours earlier when it became clear the passage of House Bill 2025, an $11.7 billion transportation funding package, did not have the votes needed to pass. HB 2025 required a three-fifths majority for passage because of tax increases. Democrats currently hold that exact majority in each chamber, but some expressed opposition. The bill was not heard on the floor of the House of Representatives after being re-referred to the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment on June 23. Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, said if Democrats are "ready to get real," Republicans would discuss funding options. House Republican Leader, Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said in a press conference following adjournment, that during the amendment's public hearing on June 27, she "did not hear from a single Oregonian that was not going to be a recipient of that tax. I was stunned by that." Bonham and Drazan both cited "failed leadership" as a contributor to the failure. 'Obviously the result of the transportation package was disappointing, but I'm really proud that my Democratic colleagues stuck together and we fought for our communities until the very end,' said House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene. Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, said that unlike previous transportation packages focused on projects, lawmakers were focused on preservation and maintenance. "It is really hard to have conversations about paradigm shift," Wagner said. The amendment to HB 3402, which had previously been a placeholder, was uploaded at 11:17 a.m. June 29. Lawmakers scheduled ahearing for 3:45 p.m., but the House Committee on Rules did not convene until 6:05 p.m. with Gov. Tina Kotek testifying. Lawmakers voted 4-3, along party lines, to send the amended House Bill 3402 to the House floor. Reps. Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, Hải Phạm, D-Hillsboro, Jason Kropf, D-Bend, Andrea Valderrama, D-Portland, voted in favor and Reps. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, and Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville, voted against. 'I would say that getting to this amendment was potentially faster than it should have been and tonight was potentially slower than it should have been,' said Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby. Rep. Andrea Valderrama, D-Portland, sympathized with people concerned about cuts to safety improvements, but said she would support the bill to avoid causing larger budget problems for ODOT. Bowman, chair of the House Committee on Rules, said he was "extremely frustrated" and "really upset that this bill (House Bill 2025) is dead." "My 'yes' vote tonight is because a 'no' vote is a vote not to pay for paving, not to pay for fogline striping, not to pay for filling potholes, not to pay for snowplowing," Bowman said. "We have to protect these services. This is our choice, a 'yes' or a 'no.' Protect hundreds of jobs and provide basic safety measures, or vote 'no' and don't fund those basic safety measures. The House of Representatives convened just after 8:30 p.m. Many people waited hours to testify online or in person to share their thoughts on the newest transportation proposal. While they waited more than two hours for the committee to begin, Democrats were caucusing and having dinner without providing updates on the schedule. 'I've been struck, actually, by how many people are still hanging on here. They've been here since 3:45. And I think that is a testament to the opposition to the dash 3 amendments, which the League of Oregon Cities shares,' said Jim McCauley, legislative director for the League of Oregon Cities. McCauley joined other city and county representatives in calling for the revenue split of 50% to ODOT, 30% to counties and 20% to cities included in House Bill 2025 to be restored. Garlynn Woodsong, executive director of PLACE Initiative, said lawmakers who sign an amended House Bill 3402 should 'just resign now,' so as not to 'face the wrath of Oregonians.' Woodsong called on lawmakers to either pass the most recent version of House Bill 2025 or convene in a special session. The committee concluded public testimony, which was limited to two minutes per speaker, at about 7:45 p.m. Al Pollock, general manager of Cherriots bus service in Salem, Keizer and the Mid-Valley, testified against the amendment to HB 3402 on behalf of the Oregon Transit Association. The association is worried that if the stopgap bill is passed, lawmakers' support for transportation improvements will lose momentum, Pollock said "My ask of you would be to defer action on this bill during this session in order to have a conversation on a solution that addresses the needs of all transportation voices, either in the special session or the 2026 session," he said. Phil Chang, a member of the Oregon Transportation Commission, which functions like a board of directors for ODOT, submitted written testimony against the amendments to House Bill 3402 proposed by Democrats and Republicans. Chang did not mention his affiliation with the OTC, identifying himself as a Deschutes County Commissioner. Chang was appointed to the OTC by Gov. Tina Kotek in 2024. Neither amendment provides the funding local governments need, Chang said. "Please go back to working on a comprehensive package like what is found in HB 2025," he wrote. Chang was in the queue to testify virtually, but the committee moved to the next person due to technical issues. House Republicans sent out a press release following Kotek's testimony to the House Committee on Rules, celebrating the defeat of House Bill 2025, which had been a major priority for Democrats. 'Forcing families to pay one of the largest tax hikes in history when they can barely get by was a cruel policy from the start,' said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby. 'While our work represents a major victory for working-class, low income, and rural communities, House Republicans will continue to listen to and fight on behalf of Oregonians against any future taxes that raise the cost of living," Drazan said in the statement. "We welcome House Democrats to join us.' Gov. Tina Kotek all but confirmed the fate of House Bill 2025, telling the committee: "I know it is disappointing when you get to this point in the session and such a big bill with so much work is not going to move forward.' She called the amendment to HB 3402 "a Band-Aid in every sense of the word." If the amended placeholder bill is not passed, Kotek said, between 600 to 700 ODOT employees will have to be laid off beginning July 1. The amendment would increase the gas tax by 3 cents per gallon, from the current 40-cent-per-gallon and increase the standard vehicle registration fee from $43 to $64. House Bill 2025 would have increased that fee to $75. Title fees for a standard vehicle would go up to $168 from $77. House Bill 2025 would have increased the standard title fee to $312. A revenue estimate predicts the amendment would raise $2 billion over the next 10 years, with all the money going to ODOT. The amendment, which would take effect 91 days after the session ends, could prevent cuts to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Lawmakers passed a budget for ODOT on June 27 that assumed revenue increases from HB 2025. ODOT Director Kris Strickler submitted written testimony June 27 in support of the amendment to House Bill 3402, calling it an "interim step." The bill would not address structural revenue problems, Strickler said, but would provide the department enough funding to keep its current service levels for the 2025 to 2027 budget cycle that begins July 1. As of 10 p.m., 225 people had submitted written testimony, with 220 in opposition and two neutral. The only support came from Gov. Tina Kotek, ODOT and a single constituent. Tara Wilkinson, director of The Intertwine Alliance, said in written testimony: "This bill would be a disaster for our state and for all of our communities. It's an outrage." "It is a betrayal that deepens injustice and harms those who need support the most," Joel Iboa of the Oregon Just Transition Association said in a statement to the Statesman Journal. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued a statement against the amendment, saying it "threatens to sideline local authority and transit priorities at a time when collaboration is most needed." Another proposed amendment by House Republican leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, includes language to ensure that light and heavy vehicles pay their fair share. A placeholder funding bill was scheduled for a work session in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means for Transportation Reinvestment before being removed from the agenda on June 27. The likelihood of House Bill 2025 succeeding in the Senate seems uncertain. Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, walked off the floor June 26 and shared on Facebook that he would be voting against the bill. Meek was removed from the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment June 23. He said his removal was because he spoke against the bill. Senate Republicans said in a press release on June 27 that they were unanimously opposed to House Bill 2025 and would not support it. That would mean every Senate Democrat, including Meek, would have to vote in favor of the bill for it to pass. Lawmakers have long said passing a new transportation package would be a priority for the 2025 session. The Joint Committee on Transportation held workgroups with stakeholders and toured the state to assess transportation needs. But the bill faced a series of delays, culminating in a scramble in the last days of the session. Legislators must finish this year's session by sine die, June 29 at midnight. Sen. President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, told reporters in February he believed a framework could be available by Valentine's Day. That week, the Statesman Journal published a three-part investigation on the results of legislation passed in 2017 to fund ODOT and major projects. The bill was not introduced until June 9 and revenue estimates were not available until after days of public testimony. An amended version of the bill was sent to the House floor on June 23, then returned to committee for more revisions because it lacked support. An updated version was approved June 26 with all committee members voting along party lines, with the exception of Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, voting in favor. Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@ or 971-208-5615. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Stop-gap transportation funding bill fails in final hours of session
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon legislative session ends as hundreds of transportation jobs face cuts
SALEM, Ore. () — The Oregon Legislative Session concluded for the year late Friday night, with sine die officially adopted. Now, the death of one bill on the House floor with an added amendment is expected to usher in hundreds of layoffs for state transportation workers. House Bill 3402 passed out of committee with an amendment to help fund the Oregon Department of Transportation. It was headed to the House floor in the hopes that the bill can prevent the layoffs. Police officer found justified in shooting armed man This comes after a marathon committee meeting took place in Salem on Friday. The House Rules Committee discussed the amendment to HB 3402, looking to bridge the ODOT's funding gap, after a . ODOT has said if its $350 million shortfall is not addressed, several hundred jobs will be on the chopping block. The new amendment featured bumps to registration and titling fees, with a 3-cent increase to the gas tax, allowing for all that money to go to ODOT. The bill and all of its amendments were supposed to go before the House floor at 6 p.m. However, the deadline got extended several times until the House finally met after 8 p.m. Without the funding, ODOT could face 700-800 layoffs on Monday. House Republicans said working Oregonians don't want more taxes. Governor Tina Kotek said during the amendment's public hearing that not passing it would be catastrophic for Oregonians. Kotek said the possible ODOT job cuts include roles like incident response teams and maintenance crews, which would be 'unacceptable' for Oregonians. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Christine Drazan echoed the sentiments of her Republican colleagues. 'It's really, really simple for us. Oregonians themselves have said our number one issue is affordability, and this is tone-deaf. It flies in the face of what Oregonians are telling us as policymakers that they need right now,' Drazan said. KOIN 6 News has reached out to ODOT for comment. We will update this story if we hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
