(1)(a) The Oregon Climate Action Commission shall annually determine amounts to be allocated from the Natural and Working Lands Fund. The commission shall evaluate the following factors when determining amounts to allocate under this subsection:

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(A) The expected ability of each agency to carry out programs or other activities under this section; and

(B) The degree to which moneys allocated to the agency may be used to secure federal funding or other sources of funding.

(b) Prior to determining the allocations under this subsection, the commission shall consult with the State Department of Agriculture, the State Forestry Department, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board to determine each agency’s proposed uses for moneys allocated from the Natural and Working Lands Fund.

(c) In accordance with the provisions of ORS Chapter 183, the commission may adopt rules for determining the amount of allocations to agencies as provided in this subsection.

(2) The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board shall transfer moneys under ORS § 468A.187 when directed to do so by the commission in the amounts determined by the commission.

(3) The State Department of Agriculture, the State Forestry Department and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board shall use moneys allocated from the Natural and Working Lands Fund to establish and implement programs to:

(a) Provide incentives to help landowners, Indian tribes, land managers and environmental justice communities adopt practices that support natural climate solutions; and

(b) Provide financial assistance for technical support for landowners, Indian tribes, land managers and environmental justice communities for the adoption of natural climate solutions.

(4) Of the moneys expended by each agency pursuant to subsection (3) of this section, priority shall be given to expenditures for:

(a) Technical assistance to environmental justice communities or Indian tribes; and

(b) Incentives for programs or activities supported by an environmental justice community or supported by a resolution of an Indian tribe, with priority given to those projects or activities administered or proposed by an environmental justice community or an Indian tribe.

(5) The State Department of Fish and Wildlife shall use moneys allocated from the Natural and Working Lands Fund to promote natural climate solutions and mitigate the future impacts of climate change by:

(a) Conducting research to understand:

(A) The effects of natural climate solutions on natural and working lands;

(B) The climate, ecosystem and carbon benefits of products from natural and working lands;

(C) The contributions of natural climate solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing net carbon sequestration and storage and strengthening climate resilience; and

(D) The cobenefits to communities and Indian tribes that derive from natural climate solutions.

(b)(A) Relying on existing programs where possible, securing federal matching funds or other sources of funding to support investments in natural climate solutions on natural and working lands.

(B) In carrying out this paragraph, the department shall ensure the benefits of natural climate solutions are equitably distributed among landowners, Indian tribes, land managers and environmental justice communities.

(6) The State Department of Agriculture, the State Forestry Department, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, in consultation with the Oregon Climate Action Commission, may adopt rules as necessary to carry out the programs described in this section. Rules adopted by agencies administering programs for financial assistance or incentives may include, but need not be limited to, rules establishing application procedures, eligibility criteria, maximum amounts for individual grant awards and reporting requirements for grant recipients.

(7) The Oregon Climate Action Commission, the State Department of Agriculture, the State Forestry Department, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board shall jointly:

(a) Coordinate, to the maximum extent practicable, on the development and implementation of programs and activities related to natural climate solutions to reduce duplication and overlapping or redundant efforts;

(b) Review, at regular intervals, progress made in implementing natural climate solutions and barriers to future implementation;

(c) Identify opportunities for cross-agency coordination on natural climate solutions; and

(d) Identify opportunities for leveraging natural climate solution capacities across agencies.

(8) The Oregon Climate Action Commission shall provide a summary of the uses of the Natural and Working Lands Fund, and identify additional funding needs, in a report to the committees of the Legislative Assembly related to the environment, in the manner provided by ORS § 192.245, no later than September 15 of each year.

(9) The State Department of Energy shall provide staff support to the commission for the purpose of carrying out the commission’s responsibilities under this section. The department may contract with a third party to provide staff support services described in this subsection. [2023 c.442 § 56]

See note under 468A.183.