(1) The Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon finds and declares that:

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(a) It is the policy of the State of Oregon to maintain a strong economy in order to provide its citizens a stable and plentiful job market, and to conserve and protect its natural resources, scenic beauty, historical and cultural sites and other community facilities;

(b) The development and maintenance of a healthy economy for Oregon depends substantially upon a strong work ethic among Oregon’s disadvantaged and at-risk young adults;

(c) Many public lands and environmental resources, including parks, rangelands, forests, wildlife habitats, fisheries, soils and waters are and will continue to be subject to resource production demand and public uses;

(d) In order to instill and preserve superior work attitudes among Oregon’s disadvantaged and at-risk young adults and to maintain, protect and conserve the valuable resources of the State of Oregon, programs need to be implemented which will assure continued economic productivity and scenic beauty, as well as the public health, safety and social benefit;

(e) To these ends, conservation work programs may prove successful and cost-effective both in providing jobs for disadvantaged and at-risk young adults and in assisting land preservation and management agencies to conserve and protect natural and urban facilities; and

(f) As a result of such employment opportunities, benefits will redound to the state’s environmental maintenance and productivity, the state’s economy and to the disadvantaged and at-risk youth participants who benefit from the exposure to and respect for the work ethic in the context of safeguarding and improving the environmental resources of the state.

(2) The general purposes of ORS § 418.650 to 418.663 are:

(a) To establish a disadvantaged and at-risk youth work program in order to perform conservation work of public value in the most cost-effective manner;

(b) To utilize such a program as a means of needed assistance to protect, conserve, rehabilitate and improve the natural, historical and cultural resources of the state; and

(c) To utilize such a program to increase educational, training and employment opportunities for disadvantaged and at-risk youth for the purpose of improving work skills, instilling a work ethic and increasing employability. [1987 c.326 1,2; 1991 c.581 § 1; 2019 c.384 § 1]

418.650 to 418.663 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS Chapter 418 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.