Union County Fairground’s wastewater project is once again pushing for state funding

UNION COUNTY – January 21 officially marked the beginning of Oregon’s 2025 Legislative Session. Among the plethora of bills going before Oregon’s state legislature this session, Union County leadership are once again pushing to secure funding for the Union County Wastewater Project, this time via House Bill 2527. 

Titled “Relating to Union County Fairgrounds,” House Bill 2527 requests 2.5 million dollars for the Union County Fairgrounds Wastewater Project. The bill summary, as written in the HB 2527 introduction document, is as follows:

“Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropriated to the Oregon Department of Administrative Services, for the biennium beginning July

1, 2025, out of the General Fund, the amount of $2,500,000 for distribution to the Union

County Fair Association for the purpose of water and sewer improvements to the Union

County Fairgrounds.”

For those unfamiliar with the bill, Union County Commissioners have been seeking state funding for several years to pay for the long-planned water and sewer line expansion of the Union County Fairgrounds. The project, if completed, would connect the fairgrounds to the City of La Grande’s water and septic system and construct new indoor restroom facilities at the Fairgrounds, among other improvements. 

Due to the fairgrounds proximity to the Grande Ronde River, the new water and septic system would have to run over the river by connecting to existing infrastructure rather than running under or through, increasing project cost and complexity. As such, state funding has continued to be sought in addition to funds available locally. 

The previous House Bill seeking fairground funding, 2635, was denied in June 2023 by the Ways and Means committee after gaining initial approval. Another attempt was made in the 2024 legislative short session to include the funding as part of House Bill 5202, though this too failed.

According to the bill’s informational page on the Oregon Legislative Website, 2572 had its first reading on January 13, 2025. On Friday, January 17, the bill was, “referred to Economic Development, Small Business, and Trade with subsequent referral to Ways and Means.” It is currently located in the House Committee. Details can be found at https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB2527

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