October 22, 2021 11:00 a.m. 

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have announced that federal grants totaling nearly $19 million will come to Oregon to assist with recovery efforts from last year’s wildfire disasters.

Merkley said after his visit to Santiam Canyon and other areas in the aftermath of the devastating fires, “…it was clear that the damages to our forests, rural neighborhoods, and community infrastructure needed urgent attention”. Merkley said he is pleased that Oregon will receive critical funding that will help communities in Marion County and across the state recover from damages caused by the catastrophic Labor Day wildfires.

Wyden said he is glad that these federal funds are heading to the state to help Oregon families and small businesses rebound from the destructive Labor Day fires. Wyden said, “And I am all in with the ongoing work to provide similar wildfire recovery help statewide, and take proactive steps to reduce wildfire risks in Oregon and nationwide”.

The release said the Federal Emergency Management Agency will allocate nearly $7 million to Consumers Power Inc, a rural electric company that serves six Oregon counties, to repair electrical systems damaged by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires. The Oregon Department of Transportation will receive roughly $12 million, covering the full cost of its disaster recovery projects.