The Department of State Lands (DSL) is seeking comments on proposed fee changes for Oregon’s removal-fill program. The comment period is open from January 6 – February 17, 2025.
Oregon’s Removal-Fill Law helps protect wetlands and waters by requiring permits to remove or add materials in wetlands, rivers, streams, lakes, and other waters of the state. For example, building bridges or boat ramps, installing culverts, or filling wetlands to develop property are common types of projects that require a removal-fill permit. When wetlands or waters are present, a delineation report is required to identify the boundaries of the protected resource.
The statutory Common School Fund heavily subsidizes Oregon’s removal-fill permitting process. The current fees paid by developers, property owners, and other permit applicants cover just 21%. On average, it costs $2.8 million every year to cover the remaining removal-fill permitting costs. With 2023’s House Bill 2238, the Oregon Legislature approved moving removal-fill fees from statute into administrative rule, allowing the statutory Common School Fund subsidy to be addressed with a new fee structure…