Tell Oregon’s senators to fix the permitting bill before they vote on it

Why this Matters

On September 30, Senators Mike Lee, Shelley Moore Capito, Martin Heinrich, and Sheldon Whitehouse released a bipartisan permitting bill, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. Senate leaders are not expected to bring it to the floor until after the November election.

Parts of it are good. It would make it easier to build the power lines that carry clean energy to the grid. Other parts reach far past energy, and they hit the places and creatures we care about on this coast.

Section 1110 gives neighbors 150 days to challenge a federal permit in court. It requires them to have commented during the review, and when a court finds the review was flawed, it can only send the permit back to the agency while the project carries on. Section 1401 bars agencies from revoking or changing permits that are in effect on or after September 16, 2026, with narrow exceptions, so decisions made quickly under this administration would be hard for any later one to revisit. Section 1301 rewrites how the Endangered Species Act defines the best science available, and Section 1302 shortens the clock for wildlife consultations from 90 to 60 days and from 150 to 100 days. Section 2251 lets the Interior Department grant rights-of-way for power cables through national marine sanctuaries, in consultation with the Commerce Department.

The wind promise is thin. Two floating wind areas off Coos Bay and Brookings, nearly 195,000 acres, lost their federal designation in July 2025, and critics say the bill gives wind and solar little firm protection from the same administration.

ECC could not find a public statement from Senator Wyden or Senator Merkley on how they will vote. This action asks both to say where they stand, and to vote no unless the court-access, endangered species, and permit lock-in sections are fixed. It does not ask them to oppose clean energy or transmission. ECC is amplifying a toolkit prepared by Ocean Defense Initiative and does not claim a partnership with them.

Steps to Take

Step 1

Send a message to Senator Ron Wyden through his email contact page. Paste in one of the sample texts below and add a sentence about why this coast matters to you.

Step 2

Send a message to Senator Jeff Merkley through his contact form. The form asks you to pick one topic, so choose the one closest to energy or the environment.

Step 3

If you can, ask each office to tell you where the senator stands on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. A reply, or no reply, tells you something.

Step 4

Share this action with a neighbor who fishes, surfs, farms, or walks the beach. Oregon voices matter most in the weeks before the vote.

Sample Text

Option 1

Dear Senator, I live on the Oregon Coast and I am writing about the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. We need more clean energy and more power lines, but not at the cost of the protections that keep our ocean and shoreline healthy. Please tell me where you stand on this bill, and please vote no unless the court-access, Endangered Species Act, and permit lock-in sections are fixed.

Option 2

Dear Senator, I am writing about the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. Section 1110 would cut the time to challenge a federal permit to 150 days and would stop courts from halting a flawed project. For coastal communities, the courts are often the last line of defense. Please tell me where you stand, and please vote no unless that section is fixed.

Option 3

Dear Senator, I am writing about the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. Section 1401 would lock in permits issued quickly now, and Sections 1301 and 1302 would change how wildlife is protected. Whales, salmon, and seabirds cannot speak for themselves in a rushed review. Please tell me where you stand, and please vote no unless these sections are fixed.

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