SALEM — Oregon lawmakers are considering a proposal to invest $4 million in studies and grants intended to resolve water problems faced by disadvantaged communities.

House Bill 3528 would allocate $3.2 million to the University of Oregon for research on the water needs of “environmental justice communities” and $800,000 to Portland State University for water studies involving tribal communities.

Environmental justice communities are those composed primarily of racial minorities or people experiencing high levels of poverty, who often encounter elevated environmental hazards.

“Every Oregonian deserves clean, safe water regardless of where they live, their income, or their history,” said Rep. Annessa Hartmann, D-Gladstone, a chief sponsor of HB 3528, which has been co-sponsored by several other Democratic and Republican lawmakers.

Supporters of the bill say similar projects previously undertaken by the two universities have helped rural and underserved communities cope with aging water infrastructure and have also supported traditional practices, such as “cultural fires” that improve water quality in riparian areas.

These projects have been able to produce “miracles” with relatively small amounts of money and are creating a national model for water research and grants, said Alai Reyes-Santos, a law professor at the University of Oregon, during a recent legislative hearing.

“These projects not only support the health of our waters today and in the future, as well as food security, they also foster community-building across generations,” she said.

The American Association of University Professors submitted testimony in favor of HB 3528, arguing the funding will help stabilize water research at the two universities and help “solve real-world problems” exacerbated by climate change.

“At this moment, federal funding for research and applied science is uncertain, particularly when it comes to environmental justice issues such as protecting water resources in marginalized communities,” the organization said in written testimony.