A watershed-council representative told the Philomath Parks Board the project will remove two undersized culverts on Newton Creek and replace them with a 50-foot and a 30-foot bridge, citing fish passage and public-safety concerns; work is funded by NOAA and tentatively scheduled for summer 2027.

The committee adopted SCR 29 to create a joint legislative task force on Atchafalaya Basin water quality, added Atchafalaya Basin Keeper via amendment 2541, and passed SCR 38 to repeal joint rule 7; witnesses raised concerns about sedimentation, flood capacity and agency oversight.

Public commenters at the MPSC meeting urged both denial and approval of Consumers Energy's proposed sale of 13 hydropower projects to Confluence, arguing about local economic impacts, ecological risks, and procedural fairness. Commenters criticized a last-minute extension request while supporters said the sale preserves local jobs and tourism revenue.

Residents and speakers presented video evidence of a rotenone treatment at Pleasant Creek and urged the town to request local notification and reconsideration; Mayor Carol Cox said she will draft a town letter as a first step and council discussed a possible future resolution.

Multiple landowners and scientists told the district the E11/4 alternative would damage century‑old cypress stands and rare species, asked DOTD to reissue corrected wetlands findings and clarified that late comments should still be considered in the NEPA process.