by Policy Director Kelly Campbell and Staff Attorney Teryn Yazdani
This year, Columbia Riverkeeper dove deeper into state legislative engagement than ever before. As an organization working in both Oregon and Washington, we spent the 2025 legislative sessions tracking and analyzing bills coming out of both Salem and Olympia. We weighed in on more than a dozen bills in Washington and more than 25 bills in Oregon. It was a session of learning and growth, and it taught us valuable lessons about the importance of continuing the fight for clean water, the climate, and river communities at state legislatures.
While national environmental laws are continuously under attack, there is strategic work we can and are doing in both Oregon and Washington to ensure our state laws and policies are as strong as possible. Powerful, focused local action is more important than ever.
With legislative sessions in the rearview mirror and relaxing by the river on the horizon, we wanted to share legislative highlights. These include bills where we submitted verbal or written testimony, met with legislators to discuss, supported partner-led efforts, asked our members to make phone calls or send emails, and organized or attended lobby days. (Yes, we are ready for a summer vacation!)
Wins in Washington during the 2025 Legislative Session
- Defeated harmful stormwater bills (SB 5712 & HB 1937): Thanks to the overwhelming turnout of our members and partner groups, together we defeated two bills that supported industrial water polluters. If passed, this bill would have gutted environmental protections, created a shield for polluters from being held accountable for permit violations, and halted stormwater sampling for transportation facilities across Washington. This victory is a win for all of Washington’s waters—including the Columbia River.
- Protected Gorge Commission total funding: This year, the Gorge Commission was at risk of complete defunding. After a hard-fought battle, the Washington State Legislature reached an agreement to fund the Commission for the 2025-2027 biennium. While the Commission’s budget was still reduced by 27%, keeping it from being completely defunded was a major victory and will allow the agency to continue its vital work.
- Stopped bills promoting and funding dangerous and dirty nuclear technologies (HB 1210, HB 1249, HB 1481, HB 1679)
Bills We Supported That Passed
Recycling Reform Act (HB 1150/SB 5284)
Bills We Supported That Failed
CURB Pollution Act (HB 1303/SB 5380)
Sewage Spill Right to Know (SB 5450)
Establishing a Statewide Low-income Energy Assistance Program (HB 1903)
Wins in Oregon during the 2025 Legislative Session
- Defeated 13 bills that would have promoted dirty nuclear power, including one that would have allowed Umatilla County to build nuclear reactors despite the statewide moratorium on new nuclear. Read our blog post for more details.
Bills We Supported That Passed
Performance-Based Regulation of Utilities by the Public Utility Commission (SB 688)
Hydrogen Transparency Bill (SB 685)
Support Grid Enhancement Technologies (HB 3336)
POWER Act: Require large energy users (data centers) to pay their fair share (HB 3546)
Seafood Processing (HB 3814-4)
Bills We Opposed that Failed
Task Force on Renewable Diesel (HB 3261)
Allows Hydropower to be counted towards Renewable Portfolio Standard (SB 631)
Bills We Opposed That Passed
Groundwater Contamination Act (SB 1154)
Bills We Supported That Failed
Planning for Healthy Communities Act (HB 3062)
Extend Funding for Community Resilience Hubs (HB 3170)
Make Polluters Pay Bill (SB 1187)
Fertilizer Reporting Act (SB 787)
The Pause Act (SB 681): Moratorium on PERS investments in private fossil fuels
Moratorium on large Confined Animal Feeding Operations in Groundwater Management Areas (SB 80)
As you can see, 2025 was a mixed bag, with some exciting victories, including defeating bad bills and passing positive ones. There were also many bills we supported that didn’t make it through, or were even so watered down that we ultimately withdrew our support. We’ll use our lessons learned to develop our game plan for the next session.
One of our most powerful strategies this session involved you—activating our members and supporters to contact your legislators made a huge difference. Stay tuned for the short sessions in 2026 and more ways that we can work together at state legislatures to advocate for clean water, climate action, and salmon recovery.
