1. (1) Unless a timeline is otherwise specified under ORS chapter 537, 540 or 541, protests must be submitted within 45 days after publication of the notice of the proposed final order in a weekly public notice of the Water Resources Department or, if weekly public notice is not required, within 45 days after issuance of notice of the proposed final order. Protests governed by these rules are considered submitted only when actually received by the Department.
2. (2) Protests actually received after the deadline for submission will not be accepted by the Department. OAR 137-003-0528(1) does not apply to protests governed by these rules.

3. (3) Protests governed by these rules must meet the requirements of Or Laws 2025, ch 575, section 3a. In addition, protests governed by these rules must:

   1. (a) Include the electronic mail address of the protestant, if the protestant has an electronic mail address.
   2. (b) Include the name, address, telephone number, and electronic mail address of the protestant’s attorney, if the protestant is represented by an attorney.
   3. (c) Include any required fees.
4. (4) A person may file a protest by electronic mail to the electronic mail address provided for submission of protests in the notice of agency action or proposed agency action to which the protestant objects. While submittal of documents by electronic mail is preferred, until the Department has an electronic payment system, payments of fees will need to be received by the Department in the mail or in person prior to the deadline. For entities that conduct frequent transactions with the Department, payment may be made through withdrawal of funds from an established customer holding account. Nothing in this section obligates the Department to establish new holding accounts or to continue to provide holding accounts.

Statutory/Other Authority

Or Laws 2025, ch 575, section 3a

Statutes/Other Implemented

Or Laws 2025, ch 575, section 3a

History

WRD 3-2026, adopt filed 03/20/2026, effective 04/01/2026