SalemWatch: The Session Heats Up
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Each week we will update you on any of OCN’s priorities when there is news to report. For the complete list and overview of all of the Priorities for a Healthy Oregon visit www.oregonpriorities.org
Increase Transportation Options Transportation Package Currently Forming as House Bill 2001
House Bill 2001 is the basis on which the long awaited transportation package will help Oregon build a 21st Century transportation network through a shift in transportation funding and better planning. At this time, the bill is only a few sentences, a virtual shell. Amendments will be considered over the week or so that will take the bill from shell form to what we hope will become one of the greenest transportation reforms to be passed by any legislature. The first hearing on the bill will be Monday, April 20th, 2:00 pm in the House Transportation committee. Subsequent hearings will be held. Please take a minute to contact your legislators urging them to suport a balanced transportation package. Contact: Brock Howell, Environment Oregon or Danielle Welliever, 1000 Friends of Oregon, (360) 259-8385
Global Warming Solutions HB 2186, Common-Sense Measures to Reduce Global Warming Pollution, Up Tuesday
On Tuesday, April 21, the House Environment and Water Committee will hold a work session on House Bill 2186. The bill would allow the state to consider and adopt common-sense strategies to reduce global warming pollution from key sources, including transportation fuel, tires, heavy-duty trucks and commercial ships, and products that emit high-potency greenhouse gases. Following concerns voiced about the bill, several work groups met with bill backers. Several prominent opponents (aftermarket car parts suppliers, auto manufacturers, and rubber manufacturers) have since withdrawn their opposition. Contact: Evan Manvel, Oregon Conservation Network, (503) 515-8548
Eliminate Invasive Species House Bill 2020, which creates an immediate response fund to deal with invasive outbreaks is expected to have a work session scheduled soon.
State Forests Need Our Help. This Tuesday, April 21st, at 8 am the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Communities committee is hearing House Bill 3072, a bill that is considered a major threat by the Oregon Conservation Network that would drastically increase unsustianable logging in the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests by requiring that these public lands be 'managed primarily for timber production.'
This is the third session that Oregon Conservation Network groups have had to fight this bill.
Currently, the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests the only significant block of publicly owned land between the Portland area and the Coast. These 'Oregon rainforests' are home to world class salmon runs, healthy forests, and amazing recreational opportunities within an hour of Oregon's largest population center.
Under current rules, they are managed to achieve the 'greatest permanent value' which means 'healthy, productive, and sustainable forest ecosystems that over time and across the landscape provide a full range of social, economic, and environmental benefits to the people of Oregon.'
HB 3072 would abandon this principle to put timber production as the primary use of these publicly owned forests, as the Oregonian newspaper editorialized this week against HB 3072, Oregon's forests are not tree farms.
The extreme change in management proposed by this bill will leave behind thousands of acres of clearcuts, damaged water quality, harm to world-class salmon fisheries, and reduced recreation, hunting and fishing opportunities on our state forests.
Contact: Ivan Maluski, Sierra Club, (503) 449-2270
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Contact: Lisa Arkin, Oregon Toxics Alliance, (541) 465-8860. Senate Bill 105, which would adjust the maximum penalties for environmental violations to partially make up for inflation, squeaked through the Oregon Senate earlier this week 16-13 vote. All the 12 Republicans voted against the bill, as did Sen. Joanne Verger (D-Coos Bay). Oregon's maximum daily penalty for violations of pollution standards on air quality, asbestos, hazardous waste, and water quality was set in 1973 at $10,000. It has not changed since, and inflation means the penalty is 80% lower today than it was 36 years ago. SB 105 is a small step, raising the maximum penalty to $25,000 per day. The maximum penalty is rarely assessed.
Contact: Sue Marshall, Tualatin Riverkeepers, (971) 506-4617
On Tuesday, April 21st the House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Communities Committee will hold a vote on House Bill 2999. Oregon’s PURS program collects data on what pesticides are used in Oregon and in what areas they are used. HB 2999 would extend the sunset of the PURS program to January 2, 2016 in order to collect six more years of vital pesticide use data and would also improve the scientific usefulness of the data collected by moving from a water basin level of reporting to a watershed level of reporting. Please contact the members of the House Agriculture Committee and your local legislator and encourage them to support a healthy Oregon by continuing the critical and unfinished work started by the Oregon Pesticide Use Reporting System through passage of HB 2999.
Contact: Kristen Leonard, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, (503) 320-9427
The House narrowly passed House Bill 2227 this week (31-28) which reforms the way destination resorts are approved in Oregon. HB 2227 is now headed to the Senate! The original purpose of destination resorts was to bring tourist dollars to rural communities. A flood of resorts in Central Oregon have become gated subdivisions impacting the rural landscape and local agriculture. HB 2227 now moves to the Senate, where developers will try again to kill it. Please ask your senator to support HB 2227 because it:
The Metolius needs your help! On April 21st, 3pm in HR E, the House Land Use committee has scheduled a work session on House Bill 3100, the Metolius Protection Act. HB 3100 is the landmark legislation that will designate the Metolius as an Area of Critical Statewide Concern. This designation will protect the Metolius from current and future threats from resorts and other large-scale development. Naming the Metolius an Area of Critical State Concern received overwhelming public enthusiasm at hearings in Central Oregon. The first hearing of the House Land Use Committee drew an overflow crowd of supporters. Despite enormous public support, the Metolius is still in danger. The legislature needs to hear from you soon or we will miss this historic opportunity! Please tell legislators that you supoprt HB 3100 and permanent protection for the Metolius Basin and its surrounding landscape. Contact: Danielle Welliever, 1000 Friends of Oregon, (360) 259-8385
5. Hearing Scheduled for Natural Resource Conservation Areas Bill
On Tuesday, April 21, at 3 pm the House Environment and Water Committee will be hearing House Bill 3249, a bill supported by OCN groups which would allow the state Board of Forestry to create "Natural Resource Conservation Areas" on our state forests. This would provide the Board of Forestry a new tool to proactively protect important lands from logging in order to sustain water quality, healthy fisheries, recreational opportunities and long-term carbon sequestration to help prevent climate change. Contact: Ivan Maluski, Sierra Club, (503) 449-2270
Portland: This inter-generational town hall will span all levels of government representation - from federal to city - and will be the unveiling event for the Multnomah County Climate Action Plan from Mayor Sam Adams and Commissioner Jeff Cogen.
When: Friday, April 17th, 6-9PM Where: Portland State University, Hoffman Hall Information: http://www.focusthenation.org
Oregon Bike Summit coming up next week!
Surfrider Presents: JUNKRide 2009 - An Event to Benefit the Ban the Bag Campaign
The Portland Surfrider Chapter welcomes Anna Commins from Algalita Marine Research Foundation and Dr. Marcus Erikson of JUNKride, an educational tour by bike from Vancouver to Tijuana, Mexico. The duo will highlight the voyage of JUNKraft, a recently completed trip from California to Hawaii on a raft made of Garbage. Our own OCN alum, Jessica Hamilton, will present the West Coast Governor's Agreement to reduce the western seaboard's impact on the oceans with regard to marine debris. Mayor Sam Adams will also be in attendance. When: Tuesday, April 21st, 6:30-9:30 pm
Where: Keen Footwear, 926 NW 13th Ave #210, Portland
Refreshments and live music provided
For more information visit www.junkraft.com
Ways and Means Roadshow All meetings, 6:00 - 9:00 pm Lincoln City - April 20th, Lincoln City Cultural Center
Coming Up - This Saturday, April 18th
Representative Brent Barton Coffee with Representative Sara Gelser
Representative Chuck Riley
Saturday, April 18
9:30 -10:30 am
BJ's Coffee Company
2834 Pacific Ave. #C, Forest Grove
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| During the session, SalemWatch is sent out weekly to conservation advocates across the state. Have any submissions? Anything you would like to hear more about? Email Melissa@olcv.org or call at (503) 224-4011. |
