Salem, Oregon – More than half a million dollars in federal funding that had been stuck in limbo is finally headed to a Washington County conservation district, closing a gap that local taxpayers otherwise could have been forced to cover.
The $531,000 payment comes after Oregon lawmakers pressed the federal government to finish paying for work that had already been approved, and largely completed, to improve fish passage and waterways in the county.
U.S. Reps. Andrea Salinas and Suzanne Bonamici, along with Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service has released the remaining money owed to the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District.
The dispute traces back to 2022, when the district applied for NRCS funding for fish habitat improvements in Washington County. The work included replacing deteriorating culverts with bridges and modern culverts designed to make it easier for threatened fish, including steelhead trout, to travel through local waterways.
NRCS approved the project and, in February 2024, obligated $1,074,887 to reimburse the conservation district.
But by early September 2026, only $543,837 had been paid. That left a shortfall of roughly $531,000 and put significant pressure on the district’s budget.
Oregon’s congressional delegation then stepped in, sending a letter supporting the district and urging action. Following that outreach, NRCS released the remaining funds.
“When Oregonians make a promise, we keep it. The federal government should be held to the same standard,” Rep. Salinas said.
“Tualatin Soil and Water did the work to improve our waterways, and Washington County taxpayers should never have been left holding the bag. I’m glad we got this money out the door and where it belongs.”
Bonamici said the project reflects Oregon’s commitment to protecting threatened species and their habitat, while noting that the district had initially received only about half of the federal funding it had been promised.
Merkley said the payment will allow the district to continue improving Washington County waterways, describing native fish as important to Oregon communities, local economies and Tribes.
Wyden called the delegation’s effort a “full-court press” that unlocked federal resources and said the money would help keep water-quality and fish-habitat improvements moving forward.
Dean P. Moberg, treasurer of the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, said the delayed payment involved a successful fish habitat project in the Gales Creek watershed. He credited Salinas and the rest of the delegation with helping cut through the federal red tape.
“This payment will greatly facilitate the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District’s work in helping residents of Washington County conserve natural resources with voluntary and locally led projects,” Moberg said.
