Governor Kotek Unveils Plan for Climate and Disaster Resilience

Salem, OR - Today, Governor Tina Kotek announced the release of the Plan for a Resilient Oregon (PRO), a statewide strategy designed to help Oregon communities prepare as disasters grow more frequent and severe.

"Resilience is not the work of one person or one level of government," Governor Kotek said. "It requires a comprehensive approach grounded in the lived experiences of those who have faced and endured disaster and reflects the unique needs of each and every community. That is the foundation of the Plan for a Resilient Oregon. As we recognize the six-year anniversary of the 2020 Labor Day fires this week, it is critical that Oregon moves forward with a new vision for resilience that will protect all of us into the future."

The PRO is a people-centered, multi-hazard resilience strategy intended to help communities adapt and thrive amid increasingly severe disasters. The initiative is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Recovery, with initial work beginning in spring 2025. Key strategies include:

• Expediting services for survivors and frontline communities
• Strengthening community networks
• Assisting businesses impacted by disasters
• Making data-driven investments in critical infrastructure
• Building a culture of collaboration to strengthen cross agency resilience work

The PRO is the product of more than a year of work directed through Executive Order 25-26, which assigned the Oregon State Resilience Officer to lead an effort to create a plan that identifies and offers funding pathways for strategies to help communities adapt and thrive in the face of increasingly severe climate risks, and to support communities in long-term recovery from climate-driven disasters. The PRO was shaped by statewide and regional forums, Tribal nations, local governments, researchers, emergency managers, and community organizations across Oregon. The strategy will inform the Governor's Recommended Budget for the 2027-2029 biennium and guide how state agencies invest, plan, and partner with communities to prepare for and recover from disasters.

"In the Rogue Valley, we learned the hard way that recovery is not just about putting things back the way they were. It's about building the relationships, systems, and community capacity that make us stronger the next time something happens," Matthew Havniear, Executive Director at Jackson County Long-Term Recovery Group, said. "The Plan for a Resilient Oregon reflects what we've learned locally, and encourages the state to adopt a full-cycle approach to resilience-one that brings together local government, nonprofits, community organizations, and the people we serve. With the PRO, now Oregon has a plan. Now we need to make the investments necessary to put it to work."

"Our community knows what it means to come together and help one another through difficult times," Debbie Cabrales, Executive Director at Centro de Servicios Para Campesinos, said. "The Plan for a Resilient Oregon gives us a chance to build on that strength and make sure our community's voice is part of how Oregon prepares for the future. Now we need the Legislature to invest in putting the plan into action so our communities have the resources they need to be ready."

"Building resilience means investing in the local capacity, opportunities, and relationships that help communities adapt before a crisis, strengthening their economic resilience, and developing the resources they need to put good ideas into practice," Heidi Khokhar, Executive Director at Rural Development Initiatives, said. "We hope this plan can be a catalyst for that work, and if approved, we'll be looking for meaningful follow-through."

For a copy of the PRO, click here.