You may have seen an earlier email regarding rulemaking for OAR 690 Division 250-260. I wanted to reach out to invite you to participate in the open houses, as well as see if you were interested in meeting with me and Kelly Meinz to talk about the potential rulemaking scope.

OWRD needs to update some rules due to statute change but we are considering other improvements to Division 250 (water distribution), 260 (civil penalties in other than well construction) 340 (exempt uses) and 300 (definitions—really the overlapping definitions with the other rules). We are interested in what suggestions you and others have in terms of how the rules could be improved for clarity and consistency in application. We are also happy to share what we are currently considering as part of the scope and are open to feedback. More information about the scoping effort will be posted online.

These open houses will be statewide, but the two in the East Region will be in Baker City and Ontario, on June 15th and 16th respectively.  I have attached a copy of the flier for the Ontario open house but am happy to share other locations and dates (Late May to June) if they work better for you.

If you or others cannot attend the open house in person, there are three other ways folks can engage in scoping:

• Attend the virtual open house on June 22 – specific details will be posted on our website soon
• Submit feedback on the rulemaking webpage May 19 - June 26, 2026
• Request to meet with project team staff by contacting Kelly Meinz at Kelly.A.MEINZ@water.oregon.gov

Please note that this will not be the only opportunity to participate. Additional opportunities will be provided during the formal rulemaking process.

The current goal is to complete scoping this summer to hold RAC meetings in the fall, but the final decision on whether we move ahead with that timeline will depend in part on what we hear in the next few months. 

Please reach out if you have any questions and if you are interested meeting between now and early July as part of scoping the rulemaking. 

I will be inviting others in the basin to the rulemaking open houses as well as well, but please share with anyone you think may be interested in attending.

Jason

Jason Spriet

East Region Manager

Oregon Water Resources Department

39155 Pocahontas Road

Baker City, OR  97814

(971) 719-6623