The 2025 Oregon Legislative Session ran from January 21 to June 27 and was marked by fiscal uncertainty and systematic challenges as the Capitol community grappled with how to process a record 3,466 bills introduced. Within this context, the session did not feature any of the signature climate or environmental packages that have been a hallmark of Oregon policymaking in recent biennia. Instead, legislators grappled extensively with how to address imminent major challenges in a constrained budget environment, namely issues relating to wildfire and water. The legislature also authorized significant fee increases across many environmental and natural resource agency programs.
As the Legislative Liaison to the Oregon State Bar Environment and Natural Resources Section Executive Committee, I had the honor this summer of providing a legislative update in the Section’s E-Outlook newsletter, published this August, and will be expanding on that report during the ENR Section’s upcoming annual Year-in-Review CLE on October 16, 2025. A few of the most salient session highlights relevant to environment and natural resources policy are outlined below.
General Environmental Protection & Climate
While 2025 lacked signature climate legislation, conceptual groundwork was laid with SJR 28, a proposed constitutional amendment asserting a “fundamental right to a clean, safe and healthy environment.” SJR 28 failed, but a similar measure—Initiative Petition 45—was submitted by petitioners to be included on the 2026 ballot. Chief petitioner recently withdrew the petition for IP 45, but this conversation is likely to continue in future sessions.
Other notable failed bills that may resurface in future sessions included:
- SB 680: Greenwashing liability
- SB 681: Moratorium on fossil fuel investments by State Treasury
- SB 682 and SB 1187: Separate formulations of Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program
Separately, efforts to repeal and replace Oregon’s Climate Protection Program (CPP) with a Cap & Invest model gained traction, as evidenced by HCR 42, a resolution introduced during the last week of session declaring the legislature’s intent to reduce proposed transportation taxes if the Legislative Assembly enacts a cap-and-invest program.
Other environmental protection discussions focused on PFAS, a topic that continues to garner attention nationally and in Oregon. Enrolled SB 91, which becomes effective January 1, 2026, prohibits use of “PFAS firefighting foam” with exceptions, and enrolled HB 2947 requires a study on PFAS in biosolids applied to land, with the final report due September 1, 2028. A bill proposing to prohibit the distribution or sale of certain products that contain intentionally added PFAS, HB 3512, received a public hearing but otherwise did not move forward.
Water
Legislators considered a broad slate of water bills this session, with 26 bills ultimately receiving hearings that addressed water quantity policy, and another 12 addressing water quality. Discussions on water policy during 2025 were a significant, bipartisan priority, with several successful water-related bills of note passing. The most important of those include:
- HB 3372: Expands exempt well use on small farms
- HB 3544: Establishes uniform processes for water-related contested case proceedings
- HB 3342: Modifies laws related to regulation and administration of water rights
- SB 1154: Groundwater Quality Protection Act update
- HB 3525: Drinking water well testing by landlords for rented dwelling units
Wildfire
Wildfire was a topic of considerable discussion this legislative session. Regarding wildfire funding, legislators considered various proposals but ultimately adopted HB 3940, establishing a new “Zyn tax” on nicotine pouches and directing those funds toward wildfire prevention; redirecting a portion of interest earned on the rainy-day fund to purposes related to wildfire; restructuring how landowners pay for fire protection; and creating a grant program for retrofitting dwellings for wildfire resilience. The legislature also appropriated funds to ODF for ongoing wildfire costs through the end-of-session budget package, HB 5006. This funding, while helpful, totaled well short of legislator’s goals and is largely considered just a first step in addressing mounting wildfire costs. It is all but guaranteed that wildfire funding will continue to be a significant conversation in future sessions.
For More Information
For a more in-depth look at environmental and natural resources highlight from this year’s legislative session, you can read my full article in the Oregon State Bar Environmental & Natural Resources Law Section E-Outlook Newsletter, or join the ENR Section for the group’s annual Year in Review CLE on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at the McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, where an Oregon legislative update will be just one of several insightful panel presentations.
