TL;DR (generated · confidence: high)

The state should establish permitting performance standards and partner with local governments on best practices. Agencies should adopt a solutions-oriented regulatory culture with rapid-review pathways for strategic projects. The Governor should coordinate tri-state alignment on competitive policies including agricultural overtime standards and paid family leave, advance electric utility system resilience through the PUC, and pause the Cleaner Air Oregon Toxic Air Contaminant Rule rulemaking for rigorous scientific review while focusing DEQ staff on timely permit implementation.

Key points (each cites a PDF page):

State should lead by example through permitting performance standards and partner with local governments on best practices including clear decision timelines, service level expectations, consistent application requirements, online permitting systems, and transparent standards for determining application completeness. (p. 24)
Promote solutions-oriented regulatory culture across state departments of Environmental Quality, Land Conservation and Development, State Lands, Transportation, Oregon Health Authority, and local jurisdictions. (p. 24)
Expand coordinated rapid-review pathways for strategic projects and authorize Governor's office to elevate and coordinate stalled projects across agencies and jurisdictions. (p. 24)
Governor should work with California and Washington to ensure alignment on agricultural overtime standards (including total compensation) and Oregon's Paid Family Leave Program. (p. 24)
Oregon should advance electric utility solutions through Oregon Public Utility Commission to address utility wildfire liability and long-term system resilience. (p. 24)
Governor should direct DEQ to pause Cleaner Air Oregon Toxic Air Contaminant Rule rulemaking to allow for more rigorous scientific review. (p. 24)
DEQ program staff should focus on timely implementation of covered facilities and processing of new permits. (p. 24)
Oregon hospitals contribute $32.4 billion in economic activity and support 160,000 jobs statewide. (p. 24)

Amounts: $32.4 billion · 160,000 jobs · Programs: Cleaner Air Oregon Toxic Air Contaminant Rule · Paid Family Leave Program · Parties: Department of Environmental Quality · Land Conservation and Development · State Lands · Transportation

Additional Recommendations

Additional Recommendations The state should lead by example through permitting performance standards for state agencies and partner with local governments to advance shared best practices, including clear decision timelines, service level expectations, consistent application requirements, online permitting systems, and transparent standards for 1 determining application completeness. Promote a pragmatic solutions-oriented regulatory culture across agencies including the state departments of Environmental Quality, Land Conservation and Development, State Lands, and Transportation, Oregon Health 2 Authority, and local jurisdictions. Expand coordinated rapid-review pathways for strategic projects and authorize the Governor’s office to elevate and coordinate stalled projects across agencies and jurisdictions. The Governor should work with California and Washington to ensure alignment of key policies that affect business competitiveness, such as agricultural overtime standards including total compensation, and Oregon’s Paid Family Leave Program. Because a stable electric utility system is a necessary component of a competitive economic environment, Oregon should advance solutions through the Oregon Public Utility Commission, in coordination with electric utilities, which should advance durable solutions addressing utility wildfire liability and long-term system resilience. The Governor should direct the DEQ to pause the Cleaner Air Oregon Toxic Air Contaminant Rule and Update rulemaking to allow for more rigorous scientific review. Direct DEQ program staff to focus on timely implementation of covered facilities, and processing of new permits. 1 2 The healthcare sector is one of Oregon’s largest employers, and in many rural communities and regions, it represents the single largest employer. Oregon hospitals alone contribute $32.4 billion in economic activity and support 160,000 jobs statewide (Hospital Association of Oregon). However, the cost of healthcare is also a drag on the economy. Reducing the total cost of care and overall regulatory burden is critical to Oregon’s prosperity.

24 - OREGON PROSPERITY COUNCIL | RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OREGON’S LONG-TERM COMPETITIVENESS AND PROSPERITY | JUNE 2026

Parent: Chapter 3: Permitting & Regulations · PDF: p. 24