Langlois Asphalt Plant Proposal, Withdrawn
In February, KAS submitted comments regarding a proposed asphalt processing plant in Langlois, south and across highway 101 from the KOA campground. While we recognize the need for locations where rock can be stockpiled and made into asphalt from time to time, this proposal was clearly out of compliance with county ordinances. The project proponent claimed “temporary” use but, in fact, was trying to get blanket permission to make asphalt at the site, on and off, indefinitely. KAS also pointed out the need for state air quality permits and called for special conditions to protect riparian areas from runoff since threatened coastal coho spawn right in the reach of Swanson Creek (a tributary to Floras Lake) that runs through the property. The Oregon Coast Alliance also submitted comments in opposition, and several citizens from Langlois attended the Curry Planning Commission meeting to voice their concerns about noise and noxious fumes. The application was withdrawn.
Local Action for Inaction on the Climate Crisis
Earlier this year, the Oregon Legislature again considered a cap-trade-and invest bill (SB 1530) as a way to start tackling the global climate crisis. The cap, trade, and invest approach would cap emissions, set up a system to charge for and trade emission credits, and use proceeds to start investing in infrastructure, technology and restoration needed to adapt to climate change, especially in Oregon’s rural areas. To be clear, there have been debates for decades about the pros and cons of cap and invest versus a carbon tax versus regulation. Each approach has pros and cons, but at this point, with the ever-growing urgency of the climate crisis, it was time to make a decision and move ahead.
It didn’t happen. The group “Timber Unity” organized a rally in opposition, with hundreds of big trucks driving around the capitol. The group claims to be grassroots, representing loggers, truckdrivers and others whose livelihoods depend on extraction, but its major donors, no surprise, include corporate logging interests. As a result, for the second year in a row, despite many compromises made in the bill, the minority party Republican senators walked out, leaving a lack of quorum for any action.
While this was happening in Salem, county commissioners organized in rural counties—to back-up Timber Unity and Republican legislators—by passing resolutions opposing the climate bill. When Curry County considered such a resolution in early February, KAS board member Tim Palmer attended, urging the Curry Board of Commissioners (BOC) to not pass the resolution that assured more gridlock but instead to offer support for some constructive way forward. He explained how rural areas will be hardest hit by the climate crisis—that acidifying and warming oceans will affect our local fisheries, that rising sea level will affect our roads and towns, and that higher temperatures and lower humidity will amplify wildfire threats. He pointed to changes in the bill specifically intended to provide for investment in rural areas to start addressing these issues. Local leaders from Curry Democrats also asked the BOC to hold off on the resolution and instead hold a workshop to consider pros and cons more carefully. In the end, two commissioners, Chris Paasch and Court Boice, voted to support the resolution, while Commissioner Sue Gold voted to hold a workshop to learn more. We appreciate Commissioner Gold’s thoughtful response to this critical issue.
It’s deeply unfortunate that the climate crisis has become such a partisan and paralyzing issue to our society. Ultimately, in response to the legislature’s failure, Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 20-04, pressing state agencies to take actions within her administrative purview to reduce emissions. This happened right before the covid-19 outbreak came to dominate everyone’s attention, but the EO should initiate some meaningful changes. Please call Governor Brown to thank her for moving forward to address the climate crisis: (503) 378-4582.
Jordan Cove Update
Many of you heard news in mid-March that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the Jordan Cove facility for the north shore of Coos Bay. This was hugely disappointing but not surprising. Though the FERC is supposed to be an independent, bipartisan body, the current administration stacked it with its own pro-development Republican appointees and neglected to follow longstanding tradition to appoint another Democrat for balance. In the wake of this “rigged” FERC decision, Senator Wyden joined Senator Merkley and Rep. DeFazio in condemning the project. Despite FERC approval, the state of Oregon has denied Jordan Cove several key permits, including for dredging. Meanwhile, natural gas prices have been dropping precipitously, so the economics of this project are in limbo. In mid-April, a coalition of groups and tribes, as well as Oregon state agencies, asked FERC to withdraw or re-hear its decision, on grounds that the decision process was procedurally flawed and violated multiple federal environmental laws.
Jordan Cove and the Pacific Connector gas pipeline would cross 400 streams in southern Oregon (including the Rogue), condemn thousands of acres of private property, degrade the Coos Bay estuary, and become Oregon’s largest carbon emitter—all so a Canadian corporation can export natural gas to Asia at a time when we need to reduce emissions. Despite the FERC decision, this house of cards may be starting to collapse. Stay tuned.
Floras Lake Land Swap
I am glad to report that on April 1, the Curry BOC voted unanimously to take next steps to advance the Floras lake land swap. The agreement made last fall between Curry County and Oregon State Parks had stipulated that platted road right-of-ways be vacated before the swap could proceed. The Curry BOC directed the road-master to proceed with this necessary “vacation.” We’re grateful to Commissioners Sue Gold, Court Boice, and Chris Paasch for keeping the ball rolling on this matter.
Protecting Forest Waters
In mid-February, KAS sponsored an educational program in Port Orford about grassroots efforts to press for increased protections for streams that flow through industrial forest land. Logging on private industrial forests is governed by the Oregon’s State Forest Practices Act, which has come under increasing criticism for lagging behind other states. In particular, buffers to protect streams and communities from aerial spraying and logging are woefully inadequate. Grassroots groups up and down the coast were planning a ballot initiative effort to finally put these issues before voters. KAS had intended to help with this important effort. But then, upping the stakes considerably, the timber industry put forth its own set of ballot initiatives, including one that would require the state to compensate private landowners for any future changes in regulations. Ultimately, the governor’s office negotiated an agreement between statewide environmental groups and big timber companies to withdraw all ballot initiatives so that some compromise could be made through the legislature. However, the walk-out of Republican senators nixed the possibility of this agreement leading to legislation.
In early April, parties to the agreement re-iterated interest to Governor Brown in working toward a compromise rather than proceeding with the ballot initiatives. Of course, the covid-19 epidemic has made collecting signatures impossible. At this point, everyone recognizes the need for reform, but we don’t yet know what form it will take or if it will go far enough without broader citizen input.
Regardless of the uncertainties, we felt it was important to keep sharing information about these issues that affect so many of our members who live in watersheds predominantly managed for industrial timber production. At our program, assistant conservation director Teresa Bird gave an excellent talk describing the impacts of aerial spraying of herbicides on forests and the shortcomings of Oregon’s rules. She shared maps showing the extent of spraying planned for local areas this spring and explained how people could use the Oregon Department of Forestry’s FERNS program to sign up for notifications, and then make calls to spray applicators to get more information.
We’d hoped to be able to sponsor workshops in Gold Beach and Brookings, too, but, of course, covid-19 has prompted us to cancel all programs. Still we’d like to reach out to our members in watersheds most likely to be affected by aerial spraying this spring—including Floras Creek, Sixes, Hubbard Creek, Euchre Creek, Hunter Creek and Pistol River— to help everyone become better informed about how to keep safe and to better track what is happening. We’ll be in touch about this via email HOOT OUTs, or for more information about how you can help please contact Teresa Bird at kalmiopsisaudubon@gmail.com.