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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 3786
Sponsored by Representative GOMBERG, Senator ANDERSON; Senators SMITH DB, WEBER
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: This Act gives money to the Oregon Ocean Science Trust to provide grants. (Flesch
Readability Score: 76.5).
Appropriates moneys to the Oregon Ocean Science Trust for deposit in the Oregon Ocean Sci-
ence Fund for the purpose of providing competitive grants.
Declares an emergency, effective July 1, 2025.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to coastal research; and declaring an emergency.
Whereas changing ocean conditions are having profound effects on the abundance, distribution
and biodiversity of marine species; and
Whereas the west coast is experiencing ocean acidification at twice the global rate, impacting
important commercial and recreational marine species and first foods for tribal nations, such as
Dungeness crab, oysters and salmon; and
Whereas ocean warming and melting glaciers are predicted to increase global sea levels by at
least three feet, and possibly as much as six feet, in the next 80 years, causing increased coastal
flooding and erosion in Oregon; and
Whereas 72 percent of Oregon’s coastline consists of dune or bluff-backed sandy beaches that
are popular destinations for both tourists and residents while providing important habitats for
coastal and marine wildlife, yet key data gaps exist that limit Oregon’s ability to address coastal
erosion issues at local and state scales; and
Whereas proposed wind energy development off the Oregon coast will require an improved
understanding of the infrastructure impacts to nearshore ecosystems; and
Whereas Oregon has significant priority management needs relating to commercial and recre-
ational fisheries, kelp forest ecosystem disruptions caused by sea urchins, the proposed reintroduc-
tion of sea otters and other nearshore species management issues; and
Whereas further understanding of ocean, estuarine, sandy beach and nearshore ecosystem con-
tributions to blue carbon storage and resilience to climate change are timely and relevant topics
that can inform nearshore species and habitat management; and
Whereas Oregon’s ocean, public beaches and estuaries are a beloved part of the state’s identity
and a key economic driver for coastal communities; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropri-
ated to the Oregon Ocean Science Trust, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, out of the
General Fund, the following amounts, to be deposited in the Oregon Ocean Science Fund and
expended for the following purposes:
NOTE:Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 3975 HB3786
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(1) $1,000,000 to provide competitive grants for ocean acidification and hypoxia research
to address risks and vulnerabilities that threaten Oregon’s economy and ecosystems.
(2) $1,000,000 to provide competitive grants for sandy beach and dune ecosystem research
to inform management strategies to address coastal erosion.
(3) $1,000,000 to provide competitive grants for nearshore data collection to understand
changing ocean conditions and effects on species and ecosystems.
SECTION 2. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
July 1, 2025.
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