In the mist of the political games in Oregon, Democrats released SB 83 for a floor vote hoping to mask the tax increases in the Transportation bill. SB 83, which repeals the costly and burdensome regulations imposed on communities by the Statewide Wildfire Hazard Map, goes to the Governor for signing.

Stuck in Ways and Means is HB 3103. This bill tells the State Forester to see how much forestland there is. Then the State Forester is directed to make harvest levels for cutting timber on state forestland, and to manage state forestlands. It allows certain persons to seek an injunction if the State Forester fails to establish sustainable harvest levels or manage available state forestland.

The Trump Administration proposes to sell more than 2 million acres from a total of 258 million acres in the next five years. Proposal puts federal forests up for sale using wildfires as a pretext for fast-tracking logging proposals on up to 59% of U.S. Forest Service lands. This initiative aligns with an executive order from Trump that calls on federal agencies to dramatically increase timber harvests aimed at generating revenue and addressing the "housing crisis".

In the meantime, Zaugg Timber Solutions, a third generation run business in Rohrbach, Switzerland, entered into a long-term lease with the Port of Portland to develop a manufacturing site at Terminal 2. Zaugg is a manufacturer of engineered wood products and uses its own materials to build structures. Buildings are nearly completed at a Zaugg warehouse before leaving the factory. The company’s buildings expertise is around affordable modular and prefabricated mass timber elements are used to build homes and other structures. They will be able to produce around 700 manufactured homes a year. The company is also expected to hire 60 workers.

Where will Zaugg sell their homes? HB 2258 is waiting the Governor’s signature, which requires local governments to approve certain land use applications for residential developments using building plans preapproved by the Department of Consumer and Business Services. The League of Oregon Cities, along with individual cities, oppose HB 2258 creating a one size fits all model for housing that doesn’t work. ”Oregon needs more housing, we need bills that significantly move the needle and work with our communities, HB 2258 is not one of them."

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Spoiler alert. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden is proposing new national legislation targeting wildfire prevention in his National Prescribed Fire Act of 2025. The bill aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires by investing in hazardous fuels management. It seeks to accelerate and expand the use of prescribed burns during cooler, wetter months, develop a technically skilled prescribed fire workforce. “This is a major science driven bipartisan approach to preventing fire,” Wyden claims. However, not everyone agrees since lack of management of prescribed burns has been the source of major fires. Prescribed burns would also burn up the supply Zaugg is looking to use for their prefab wood.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-06-26 13:20:58

Last Update: 2025-06-26 15:30:06

Why would anyone care about HB 3390? It has been stashed out of sight in the House Rules Committee since January, with all the other bills expected to die there. Then, suddenly on June 18, Speaker Julie Fahey (D-W Eugene), who isn't a member of the committee, used her majority power to resurrect the bill with a 'gut-and-stuff' changing it from a study bill to giving the legislature power to write their own ballot title. It surfaced in a public hearing that produced just 12 written testimonies on the amended bill.

Currently, the Attorney General determines ballot titles for state measures. The Attorney General is responsible for ensuring that the ballot title accurately reflects the measure's purpose and is clear to voters. HB 3390-2 allows the Legislature to write the ballot title, the explanatory statement, and the legislative statement in support for every referral and every referendum stemming from the 2025 session. Further, HB 3390-2 requires that any committee of legislators writing ballot titles and/or explanatory statements must be comprised of 2/3rds members from the majority party in each chamber, minimizing the voice of the minority party overriding any objection.  

  Stacey Holeman writes, "... from where I sit the system already in place seems more impartial and makes more sense than handing the tasks to the legislature. That makes this bill feel like a power grab to me ..."  

  Even INDIVISIBLE, a far left political organization said, "... Replacing these processes with the Legislature writing its own ballot titles and explanatory statements would remove impartiality and thus place accuracy into question."  

Others wrote: "The Legislature would have a very strong incentive to favorably portray the measures it places on the ballot and to criticize any referendum that challenges a statute it has enacted. This can only erode the confidence of voters in the accuracy and impartiality of these statements in the Voters’ Pamphlet–-and on the ballot itself ..."  

So, what's at risk for the current supermajority to try to push through this unfair foundation for controlling what the citizens know about a bill?  Every poor piece of legislation passed in 2025 that will be referred to the ballot, like HB 2025, the draconian transportation tax bill, will have a biased title, explanation and legislative statement to get the outcome they desire. According to the Secretary of State, passed in 2021, this is "mal-information" subject to $10,000 fine for spreading false election information. Voters will be lied to again, and again and again.

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To make sure there is no opposition from Oregonians, Speaker Fahey added an emergency clause.  Voters used to be able to challenge poor legislation that passed the legislature by a veto referendum.  However, an emergency clause can be added at the option of the sponsor, even if there is no emergency declared by the governor. It restricts voters from filing a veto referendum on bills that have an emergency clause, which leaves us ... powerless.

Contact Senate Rules Committee and legislators on your concerns.


--Virginia Hall

Post Date: 2025-06-26 13:00:25

Last Update: 2025-06-26 15:29:26

Your right to vote on utility rates just vanished with the stroke of a pen.

The Legislature, in passing SB 1062 has quietly stripped voters of their authority in three cities to approve utility rate increases, transferring that power directly to mayors and city councils. The legislation effectively overrides voter initiatives that had previously secured this authority within city charters.

Two Republican Senators, Anderson and Wright, spearheaded this significant change by sponsoring SB 1062. This bill limits voters' right to choose, effectively betraying constituents in three specific cities: Bandon, North Bend, and Reedsport. Their action represents more than a procedural adjustment. It alters the balance of power between the voters and local government officials.

The state legislature's vote to approve this bill, which has a Democratic majority, was ironic because it represented an apparent attempt to circumvent established democratic processes.

The Players

The city officials of the three cities mentioned in the bill initiated the political play to discreetly remove voter authority without them having to follow any election requirement of sending a local notice to the voters. They knew they would never get the voters to give up their rate-setting authority, so they had Senator Anderson and Senator Wright do the dirty work. Officials from all three cities colluded with the local state senator and state rep to secure that authority through legislation, which some believe is validated in their testimonies on the bill.



In an excerpt from testimony in favor of SB 1062 written by the Mayor of Bandon, Mary Schamerhorn, she made promises assuring the legislators and voters the city officials would not abuse their authority when that was the reason the voters passed the City's rate-setting amendment in the first place.

"Senate Bill 1062 offers a thoughtful, targeted solution by restoring this critical authority to the cities of Bandon, North Bend, and Reedsport. If passed, our City Council is committed to ensuring that any future rate adjustments are based on objective, data-driven methodologies, supported by transparent and empirical cost analyses to justify the need and scale of such changes."

The City Manager of Reedsport Deanna Schafer complains about the City's electorate and how they have constrained the City in her testimony on the bill.

"The City of Reedsport has been operating under the constraints of a citizen-initiated City Charter amendment that says that any creation or increase in any tax or public utility rate, shall not be effective unless ratified by a majority of the City's qualified electors who cast a ballot (May 2012). To compound the issue, the City had not had a water rate increase since 2006."

North Bend City Administrator David Milliron complains about the voters and then attempts to claim that SB 1062 will restore local authority. The voters of North Bend might think they were the locals and their vote was the authority.

"Why are we stuck? A 2020 charter change—passed by a simple majority—now demands a double-majority of all voters before the council can raise sanitary-sewer rates at all, and it caps any hike at the Social Security COLA—currently at 2.5 percent. One sentence wiped out the state-granted duty you gave us to keep this regulated utility safe. SB 1062 A is the narrow fix. It restores local authority—nothing more—for three coastal cities, costs the state nothing, and leaves every councilor fully answerable at the ballot box. With that power our governing body will move in clear, planned steps—so families can budget and our bay can stay clean."

Maybe Milliron should have made that passionate plea to the voters during the election, and the City would not have suffered from voters who had lost trust in the local authorities.

The Power Shift

Supporters of this legislation might argue that elected officials already represent voter interests, which was the argument made by the North Bend City Administrator, but it has not passed scrutiny.

When a charter requires direct voter approval for rate increases, utilities must make their case to every city voter. They must demonstrate genuine need and reasonable pricing. Without this check, the path of least resistance often leads to higher rates with less justification.

When all levels of government waste taxpayers' money, there must be political mechanisms of legal restraint the people can foist on authorities to check the balance of power. The reason the voters might reject a rate increase is due to the city’s spending habits in other areas. The people have a right to require fiscal responsibility.

The shift away from voter approval also removes a crucial transparency mechanism. Rate hearings before city councils typically receive minimal public attention, while ballot measures force broader public engagement and media coverage.

The Larger Pattern

This legislative action reflects a broader trend in both major parties of consolidating power away from direct democratic processes recognized in the state constitution. State legislators are willing to modify the locally established process by overriding local charter provisions established through public initiatives.

These policies give utility rate-setting authority to city voters but do not oppose our Constitutional Republic, where the federal system enacts law through the people's representatives. These mechanisms were complex to enact by average citizens who campaigned on the people's right to choose their style of government in their cities and counties under the authority of the State and the US Constitution. Oregon has a long tradition of voter-approved initiatives, demonstrating the state's unique respect for the people's right to choose where their authority resides.

Citizens should ask the simple question: If utility rates do not require voter approval, what other local decisions will the legislators remove from public oversight?

The charter provisions requiring voter approval for rate increases for these three cities did not materialize by accident. A group of concerned citizens established those charters, and now their work was for naught. They recognized the potential for abuse when essential service pricing fell under the exclusive control of a small group of officials.

What Happens Next?

Bandon, North Bend, and Reedsport will immediately feel the impact after the governor has signed this legislation. City councils will gain unilateral authority to set utility rates without voter approval.

The longer-term consequences may include higher utility costs, decreased transparency in rate-setting processes, and further erosion of direct democratic participation in a local government's decision-making authority.

Citizens concerned about this shift should recognize the severe consequences of losing a direct voice in decisions that affect essential services and household budgets. The transfer of authority from voters to officials represents more than a procedural change. It alters the relationship between citizens and local government.

When politicians take away your vote on utility rates, they change who makes decisions and who those decisions ultimately serve.


--Rob Taylor

Post Date: 2025-06-20 16:12:58

Last Update: 2025-06-21 13:56:19

Flag-waving patriots gathered at the U.S. Courthouse in Eugene on Wednesday morning to draw attention to the Judicial Watch lawsuit against the State of Oregon, Civil Action No. 6:24-cv-1783. Inside the courthouse, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane, heard the State's motion to dismiss and will make his decision in the the next two weeks.

Citizens of many counties joined in support of this highly visible election case, Constitutionally, administration of voter rolls must be based on "clean voter rolls". Judicial Watch alleges that Oregon has one of the worst voting lists in the country because the Secretary of State and the State of Oregon have failed to "conduct a general program that requires a reasonable effort to remove the names of ineligible voters who have died or changed residence from voter rolls."

Judicial Watch lawsuits and legal actions under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) have resulted in the removal of five million names from voter rolls in nearly a dozen states over the last several years.

In its complaint, Judicial Watch argues that Oregon’s voter rolls contain large numbers of old or inactive registrations, and that 29 of Oregon’s 36 counties removed few or no registrations in compliance with federal election laws. Judicial Watch also asserts that "Oregon and 35 of its counties had overall registration rates exceeding 100%" (of the voting age population); "and that Oregon has the highest known inactive registration rate of any state in the nation." More information is available in their press release here.

Federal law states that names be removed from the rolls, but Oregon law states names are cancelled. On June 6, 2025, the US DOJ submitted a supporting document saying, "the United States has a substantial interest in ensuring proper interpretation of the NVRA. The United States submits this Statement of Interest for the limited purpose of addressing the requirements under the NVRA for states to maintain and make available for public inspection certain records concerning the implementation of programs and activities conducted for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy and currency of official lists of eligible voters".

As a result of independent research, 733,488 registrations were found listed as inactive on Jan 8, 2025. Most often, this condition is a result of a challenge by county elections personnel because of unsigned ballot envelopes or signatures that don't match what's on file. These ballots cannot be counted until all discrepancies are resolved. Registrations can be made active again by correcting the problem with their county clerk. Unfortunately, these inactive voters will not be mailed a ballot for the next election.

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Citizens are fed up with voter rolls that look mostly inaccurate. They are taking issue with registrations of non-citizens, registrations at addresses where the voter died (current record is 8 years ago), registrations of persons that moved out of the county or state, and registrations with addresses where no one by that name has ever lived in the neighborhood. The voter rolls also appear to contain duplicates with the same exact name or slightly different names. With only digital records of voters, the possibilities for fraud and illegal registration attempts are unlimited.

In other states, it has been noted that after a Judicial Watch voter roll lawsuit and names have been removed from the lists, new registrations quickly reappeared to match or exceed the original level of registrants. Expert, Dr. Douglas Frank, has been watching voter rolls for years, and is watching this case closely for similar results.


--Virginia Hall

Post Date: 2025-06-20 12:16:31

Last Update: 2025-06-20 18:40:42

On the evening of June 13, 2025, troopers from the Oregon State Police Drug Enforcement Section and Mobile Response Teams partnered with the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) and Linn County Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE) for a targeted mission in downtown Portland aimed at disrupting illegal drug activity.

The enforcement effort focused on street-level dealers in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood. In total, the teams made five arrests on charges related to distributing and possessing controlled substances, as well as firearms-related offenses.

During the three-hour operation, officers seized 60.3 grams of methamphetamine, 11.7 grams of fentanyl, and 25 grams of Xanax pills. A privately made firearm, commonly referred to as a ghost gun, was also recovered. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially deadly dose, and 11.7 grams of fentanyl is equivalent to 11,700 milligrams, which potentially could have kill hundreds of thousands of people. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that could have taken lives depending on their tolerance. Xanax (alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine and not as lethal, but can be at high doses.

Arrests and charges included:

• Michael Yarborough, 60: Distribution of a controlled substance
• Lawrence White, 51: Distribution of a controlled substance
• Willie Waller, 50: Distribution of a controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule II substance
• Lawrence Serban, 54: Distribution of a controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl
• Candrew Post, 24: Distribution of a controlled substance, felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm

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OSP Domestic Highway Enforcement Initiative The Oregon State Police-Domestic Highway Enforcement (OSP-DHE) Initiative is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the OSP-DHE Initiative.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-06-16 17:20:55

Last Update: 2025-06-16 21:01:24

The Detroit Dam rarely made the headlines until it threatened to leave the tap dry.

Behind the seemingly routine dam management plans lies a complex battle of priorities with real consequences. For the City of Stayton, Oregon, the battle centers around the Detroit Dam drawdown project, which could intentionally compromise their drinking water supply.

A Critical Water System Under Threat

Stayton draws its drinking water from the North Santiam River, downstream from Detroit Dam. The city's water treatment facility uses Slow Sand Filters that operate effectively only when water turbidity remains below 10 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units). The project creates a vulnerability that few residents realize exists.

Stayton officials raised alarm bells when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed a deep-water drawdown at Detroit Lake to improve fish passage for endangered salmon and steelhead possibly. Similar projects have produced turbidity levels reaching 2,700 NTU, rendering treatment facilities ineffective. Killing the fishing process. Currently, a typical historical drawdown occurs yearly.

Federal environmental mandates that protect endangered fish species conflict with the fundamental human need for clean drinking water.

In addition, predation pressure, particularly from growing sea lion populations, represents another critical variable often underemphasized in policy discussions. These natural predators can significantly impact salmon runs, creating a predator-prey imbalance that officials have overlooked in declining Salmon populations.

Lessons

It is not merely a theoretical concern. In 2024, a similar drawdown at Green Peter Reservoir created a cautionary tale that Stayton officials are watching closely.

The resulting turbidity severely damaged Lebanon, Sweet Home, and Albany water treatment systems. These communities are now pursuing legal action against the Army Corps of Engineers for $37 million in damages, highlighting the real-world consequences of well-intentioned environmental projects implemented without adequate consideration for downstream water users.

What happened there could easily happen to Stayton.

A Complex System With Multiple Purposes

Detroit Lake represents one of the Willamette River basin's most significant reservoirs, with a storage capacity of 455,100 acre-feet behind a 463-foot dam. Its management has many priorities, including flood control, power generation, navigation, recreation, irrigation, and fish passage.

Each purpose comes with regulations and advocates. Yet drinking water—perhaps the most fundamental human need—sometimes gets lost in the bureaucratic shuffle.

The technical complexity of dam management often obscures the human impact of these decisions.

Temporary Relief and Ongoing Concerns For now, Stayton has received a reprieve. USACE has postponed the planned fall 2025 drawdown, acknowledging the legitimate concerns raised by affected communities.

This delay provides breathing room but does not provide resolution. The Army Corps does not expect to complete a supplemental environmental impact statement until early 2026, meaning the fundamental tension remains unresolved.

The postponement shifts the timeline of a potential crisis rather than eliminating it.

Proactive Response From Local Leadership

Stayton officials are not waiting passively for federal agencies to determine the future of their water. They have launched a multi-faceted approach to protect their community's interests:

1. Forming coalitions with other affected communities to amplify their collective voice.
2. Engaging legal experts to explore litigation.
3. Meeting directly with USACE representatives to explain their concerns.
4. Implementing enhanced water quality monitoring systems.
5. Exploring infrastructure upgrades and emergency supply alternatives.

These efforts reflect a reality: When the government imposes larger environmental policies, people often fight to protect their interests.

The Dilemma

Stayton's situation illuminates a broader challenge facing American infrastructure. How do we balance environmental restoration with the reliability of essential services? The aging dam and water treatment infrastructure throughout the country create vulnerabilities that become apparent only when stressed by management changes or natural events.

Everything downstream from major dams exists in a precarious relationship with federal agencies, whose mandates may not prioritize municipal water supplies. The tension between environmental goals and human necessities represents more than a first to third-world luxury. It also demonstrates a devaluing leap in policy that promotes a changing value, exalting the lives of animals and plants over the lives of humans.

Moving Forward With Informed Vigilance

For Stayton residents, the message is clear. Stay informed and engaged. The city continues to provide updates through council meetings and other communications, encouraging citizens to understand the potential impacts on their water supply.

The temporary postponement of the Detroit Dam drawdown provides valuable planning time but does not eliminate the conflict between fish passage and water quality.

Many ask whether federal agencies can develop approaches that truly balance these competing priorities without forcing impossible choices on communities like Stayton.

Stayton City officials have begun a campaign to ask citizens to contact their state and federal congressional representatives with their concerns. The city's website has different samples of letters for interested parties.

The Corp. of Engineers also requests comment until June 21, concerning the more destructive "Deep" drawdowns versus the historically done normal drawdown to support fish species traveling up and down the rivers. Here is the Email for the Corp. of Engineers for public comments: Willamette.EIS@usace.army.mil.


--Rob Taylor

Post Date: 2025-06-15 14:32:53

Last Update: 2025-06-15 16:27:41

The Willamette Basin dams serve multiple purposes including hydropower production, flood risk management, irrigation and recreation reserves, and habitat for many species. However, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to once again disrupt water resources focused on Stayton and Salem in deep drawdown of Detroit Lake and removing flood control dams. Eye witness researchers have pictures of fish easily jumping flood control dams, which shows there is no need for the drawdown or removal. Eliminating the fish concern and that there is no backup for electricity, it seems the purpose is to force out farmers and rural businesses, and force residents onto wind and solar energy.

Best practices are known as superior results based on proven quality as an alternative to mandatory standards. In 2024, the USACE drew-down Green Peter Reservoir with disastrous results that didn't support best practices or any justification to continue drawdowns. The cities of Sweet Home, Lebanon, and Albany employed a coordinated effort to halt the drawdown, but not in time to avoid severe damages.

This week, the cities of Lebanon and Sweet Home in Linn County filed a tort claim against USACE, citing the increased sediment load that severely impacted the water treatment systems of both cities, leading to heightened operational costs, equipment damage, and the need for costly pretreatment system upgrades.

USACE has been doing routine drawdowns for many years without impact under an Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), until NOAA fisheries wanted to add to the EIS. What people didn’t realize is the intent to remove hydropower from 10-12 dams in the Willamette Basin, and eventually from many other rivers (Columbia and Snake).

The fight Klamath County had over dam removal to preserve the salmon resulted in killing 2,000 salmon and a herd of elk. Tort claims are still pending. It resulted in USACE’s discussion of a Supplemental EIS to leave the dams in place and just remove the hydropower. How does that help the salmon move upstream? How does that help local communities with no backup power?

Why is this important? USACE is trying to proceed with Biden's EO under the radar of Trump and deep drawdown nine more dams in the Willamette Basin including Detroit Dam. Removing hydropower in a deep drawdown of Detroit will affect Stayton and Salem's water supply systems and electricity costs. News awareness is lacking and the council seems uninterested, so Salem residents remain in the dark to defend their water and electricity supply.

Lt Robert (Rocket) Powell GDO (Ret) released his comments to USACE, which exposes the involvement in deceit over the decline of fish species plagued with political ideology and pseudo-science by a flawed, ill-created initial premise going back to the 1960’s.

Powell says, “both political deception and military deception are twins in covering up multi-mission events. This is a non-negotiable truth. The Corp. of Engineers’ personnel are not with ill intent as being trapped by issues needing change by order of Trump’s Administration so the entire project is in need of a pause. Instead, they are in a hurry to complete the drawdown of nine dams in the Willamette Valley before the Trump Administration gets mobilized by confining decisions to the agency level, away from the eyes of Trump, employing deceit by the Corp and NOAA fisheries.

“In pre-planning for their differing objectives, information has been kept secret by a set of regulations, and neglected Congressional mandate of citizen involvement. Controlling water is their intent and take down power at the same time. There is a solution to protecting the salmon that has nothing to do with hydropower. If the fish are the initial concern, then the steps taken have been injurious to the fish and many other species for that matter. The damage done by possibly illegal dam removal causing silt travel, has killed thousands of many species, and polluted to literal extinction an entire river in Linn County who lost the use of their filtration in two days costing them millions of dollars in tort claims based on decisions on an incorrect premise.

"The incorrect premise is that dams are the reason for declining fish runs. NGO groups used junk science and outright ideological agitprop to taint the truth needed for discourse is in the NOAA Fisheries document. All up the west coast one can smell and view the up to 2,500-pound sea lion males – the main predator of salmon and other species. New and more valid research shows a complete correlation between sea lion numbers and declining fishery numbers are out of species food supply balance.

"USACE possess information on a device, designed by David White, that would be a one step at a time approach to protect fish from sea lions, especially at the dams in front of the fish ladders. In open media publishing and environmental movements, the intent has been aimed at dam removal. The misinformation has skewed best practices to the detriment of horrific damage in Southern Oregon, and the Willamette Basin is next. Taxpayers are the victims, and the tribes are being used by NGO groups with differing intent. This is happening because of the Woke education, and endless pandering to emotion versus common sense."

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The public can help shape the Detroit deep drawdown by attending public scoping meetings or by sending written comments by June 21 to:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Attn: CENWP-PME-E Willamette EIS
PO Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946
or via email at Willamette.EIS@usace.army.mil.

Wake up Salem City Council by speaking to the council or emailing to: citycouncil@cityofsalem.net and Major Hoy to: jhoy@cityofsalem.net.
Stayton City Council list and Mayor Brian Quigley to: bquigley@staytonoregon.gov.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-06-15 12:55:36

Last Update: 2025-06-15 16:17:24

A forest stands silent while two futures compete for its destiny.

Deep in Oregon's coastal range, the 83,000-acre Elliott State Forest has become the unlikely battleground in a conflict that will shape the future of public lands management across the American West. At stake is a fundamental question: Should forests primarily capture carbon or produce timber?

The answer carries profound implications for rural communities, climate policy, and the future of public education funding in Oregon.

A Precedent-Setting Transformation

In October 2024, Oregon approved a precedent-setting plan, making it only the second state nationwide to dedicate an entire state forest to carbon storage. Under this 40-year agreement, Anew Climate will manage the forest primarily for carbon sequestration rather than timber production.

Sequestration represents a dramatic departure from the forest's historical purpose.

From 1960 until 1990, The Elliott sold 50 million board feet of timber annually, generating hundreds of millions of dollars for Oregon schools while supporting over 400 rural jobs. Since the Department of State Lands took over management in 2017, critics claim the forest has lost more than a million dollars annually while funding just two road maintenance positions.

Brett Brownscombe, Elliott State Forest transition director, frames the carbon credit approach as finding a middle ground in a polarized debate: "Wouldn't it be nice to show that a middle ground is working somewhere on a large forest landscape like the Elliott? That's where the Elliott could punch above its 80,000-acre weight."

But critics see something else entirely. The state wants a new policy to redirect resources from rural communities and schools.

Major Partners Withdraw Support

The controversy intensified when Oregon State University and the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians withdrew from the project in 2023. Their reasoning was clear: the carbon storage scheme severely limited research opportunities and traditional forest uses.

OSU's president stated that "monetizing the carbon within the Elliott State Research Forest in its early stages would limit or interfere with the ability of researchers to conduct meaningful research."

This withdrawal raised serious questions about the plan's compatibility with multiple forest values.

The Carbon Economics Question

Proponents argue the forest could store up to 435,000 additional metric tons of carbon dioxide over 40 years, equivalent to removing about 100,000 gas-powered cars from roads for a year. This carbon sequestration could generate nearly $9 million in carbon markets over the next decade.

But these projections face skepticism from multiple angles.

The voluntary carbon market lacks robust regulations to ensure each ton of carbon dioxide released by a polluter is genuinely offset by absorption elsewhere. Critics point out that after the 40-year contract expires, landowners could log extensively or convert the land to other uses. In the case of the Elliot, the people of Oregon are the landowners.

More fundamentally, current carbon prices may be insufficient to drive meaningful change. For carbon projects to effectively incentivize long-rotation forestry and significantly reduce harvesting, experts suggest carbon prices need to reach $30 to $60 per ton, several times today's average cost of about $6.50 per credit in voluntary markets.

Rural Communities and Traditional Values

For timber-dependent communities surrounding the Elliott, the shift toward carbon credits represents more than an abstract policy change. It signifies a potential end to a way of life.

Dr. Bob Zybach, an environmental scientist advocating for a return to 1989 harvest levels, proposes the "Oregon Giesy Plan" as an alternative. This approach would maintain minimum harvests of 50 million board feet annually while preserving 550 miles of forest roads for multiple uses. Proceeds would be directed to K-12 schools as historically intended.

The Giesy Plan had a focus on research and education that fit perfectly into OSU’s obligations as a land grant university, with research focused on real-life problems and regulations while directly involving Oregon school kids and landowners in the process. Republican legislators have responded with bills (HB 3103 and HB 3508) designed to establish sustainable harvest levels and improve active forest management across Oregon's forests.

Meanwhile, the plan does make specific accommodations for tribal interests, including provisions for harvesting red cedar for traditional uses like canoe building and plank housing. It also allows for controlled burning and habitat development for culturally significant foods.

Transparency Concerns

Beyond the substantive debate over forest management philosophies, transparency issues have further complicated the controversy. The state allegedly hid critical financial information, management plans, and data models during the plan's development, which Dr. Sullivan's investigation revealed.

Dr. Dave Sullivan, an emeritus Professor of Business at OSU sued the state over the management of The Elliot. Dr. Sullivan said in a statement, “The proposed plan is little more than an elaborate ruse to convert the Elliott into a de facto wilderness. It appears the plan will shortchange the Common School Fund, something I find morally reprehensible.”

Questions have also emerged about potential conflicts of interest. Geoff Huntington, who played a central role in transforming the Elliott Forest management approach, moved between positions at OSU and the Department of State Lands and eventually became Governor Kotek's natural resources advisor, raising concerns about the political dimensions of the policy shift.

A Microcosm of Larger Tensions

The Elliott Forest controversy represents something larger than a dispute over 83,000 acres of Oregon forestland. It embodies the fundamental tension between climate mitigation strategies and traditional resource-based economies.

The legislature has set the path with the passage of SB 147. Either the State of Oregon will successfully create a world-class research forest for carbon sequestration, or local communities will suffer more severe conditions conducive to larger and widespread wildfires due to an experimental environmental scheme.

Rob Taylor has been an activist for over 30 years and was the Winner of the 2024 Don Mcintire Award for Excellence in Grassroots Political Activism. Rob’s podcast is on Facebook, Rumble, X, and YouTube @robtaylorreport, or visit the website at www.RobTaylorReport.


--Rob Taylor

Post Date: 2025-06-13 11:46:55

Last Update: 2025-06-13 19:20:18

Oregon House Republicans released HB 3982, which preserves operations and maintenance that are key to core functions of ODOT, especially in rural Oregon, such as plowing roads and filling potholes. The bill stabilizes ODOT and avoids raising the cost of living.

“Our legislation seeks to rebuild Oregonians’ trust in ODOT by refocusing their priorities without asking Oregonians to pay more,” said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby), a co-chief sponsor of the bill. “With a state budget that has doubled over the last decade alone, we reject the premise that politicians must make life more expensive for Oregonians if we want to fix potholes, plow the snow and keep our streets safe.”

“Senate and House Republicans are leading on transportation solutions that center around Oregonians’ transportation needs and their family budgets. HB 3982 proves that better outcomes come from better priorities, not bigger budgets,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles), a co-chief sponsor of the bill. “Democrats have given Oregonians two bad options: raise taxes, or raise them even more. Republicans are offering another path: cut the waste, refocus ODOT on its core mission, and stop asking taxpayers to subsidize government’s failure.”

“The roots of Oregon’s working-class community run deep, and this bill reflects where they are. Oregonians don’t want to pay more in taxes and fees for a government they should already be getting. They want potholes filled, snow plowed, roads and bridges maintained,” said Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany), Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment. “By cutting spending on non-essential programs, this bill will put ODOT on more solid ground than it is today without raising taxes. HB 3982 will be ‘first read’ this Monday and is ready for a public hearing.”

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LC 4934 would:

• Prevent a projected $0.60 increase over ten years to Oregon’s hidden gas tax (Clean Fuels Program).
• Redirect over $134 million of current spending on climate initiatives towards critical functions.
• Redirect $38 million in funding for passenger rail service towards critical functions.
• Redirect the payroll tax over two years to provide truckers with a tax credit on future tax bills, repaying them for years of unconstitutional overpayments.
• Adopt recommendations from the managerial review of ODOT, including the creation of the Major Projects Office.
• Modernize fuel taxes and regulations to reduce tax evasion and facilitate easier compliance.

A comprehensive breakdown of the bill can be found here. HB 3982 will be ‘first read’ on the House Floor on Monday, June 9th, and should be referred to the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment. Tell legislators how important it is to not add new taxes.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-06-08 22:32:48

Last Update: 2025-06-20 14:45:30

The FBI Portland Field Office and local law enforcement partners arrested a Columbia County, Ore., juvenile who conspired to conduct an improvised explosive attack and mass shooting at the Three Rivers Mall in Kelso, Wash., on May 22, 2025.

The teen, whose name will not be released due to an effort to limit public disclosure of a minor, was arrested on the morning of May 22, 2025, by deputies from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

The detailed and imminent attack plans were reported to the FBI on May 19, 2025. Immediately, the FBI began working with our partners to identify the suspect who was responsible for the threat. The subject was identified the next day, May 20, as a juvenile Columbia County resident who shared nihilistic violent extremist ideology and the plans in online chats. The suspect was placed under court-authorized surveillance for public safety concerns, and a federal search warrant was planned and executed on May 22, 2025, prior to the arrest.

The suspect demonstrated the intent and means to carry out their plan, which included precise details such as a map of the mall, a route the shooter would follow, a plan to use an improvised explosive device commonly known as a chlorine bomb to incite panic, and then to shoot mall patrons as they were exiting the movie theatre before ultimately committing suicide at a pre-determined location in the mall.

An alarming amount of indicators of a cogent path to violence were met - at no point in this plan did it seem like the suspect wouldn’t follow through with their plans.

“This plot was as serious as it gets,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Olson. “We, along with our partners, moved swiftly to interrupt this violent plan and to protect our community.”

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Initial contact with the subject was made by the FBI, however the arrest was made by local law enforcement on state charges.

The FBI encourages the public to report suspicious behavior to law enforcement, and for parents to engage with their children and have an open dialogue about their online activity.

The Columbia County District Attorney’s office is prosecuting this case.

If you were sitting in this theater, would you prefer it to be a gun-free zone, or be sitting next to someone with a concealed carry permit? A gun-free zone will not protect you. Fortunately, enforcement was notified of this plot. You can help gunowners protect you in like situations by letting legislators know to vote no on SB 254.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-06-08 10:00:16

Last Update: 2025-06-11 16:25:23

Wile Oregon's Department of Forestry has asked for a budget increase of 12% in preparation for an acceleration of wildfires, past survivors are still waiting for federal grant distribution.

Nigel Jaquiss reported in the Oregon Journalism Project that out of the $422 million grant Congress authorized to help Oregonians recover from the destructive 2020 wildfires, records show that more than 90% of the money remains unspent, even as hundreds of families still wait for relief.

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is the state agency responsible for distributing federal wildfire recovery funds. The federal funds, totaling $422 million, were granted four years ago by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help survivors of the 2020 wildfires. But, OHCS has spent less than 10%, including $11.8 million on administration and $21.1 million going to survivors. The fires ignited during the Labor Day weekend, consuming more than 850,000 acres and 4,000 homes in five “megafires”.

OHCS administers federal funds through a program called "ReOregon". However the website has been removed making it impossible to check status or apply for relief. In response to a mid-May public records request and subsequent questions from the Oregon Journalism Project, Delia Hernández, a spokeswoman for OHCS, acknowledged the rollout of the federal aid, which it calls “ReOregon,” hasn’t gone as the department hoped.

“The agency’s risk tolerance slowed down the process,” Hernández told Jaquiss. “Another challenge was that OHCS had not engaged in disaster recovery work of this scale. The agency was trying to figure out: Where did the state lead and where did it take a back seat?”

Spokeswoman Roxy Mayer for Gov. Tina Kotek told Jaquiss that Kotek is “frustrated” with the pace of recovery and the distribution of federal dollars. “The governor acknowledges that ReOregon was initially difficult to navigate for many people who need the support and did not meet community expectations. [She] will not be satisfied until all 2020 wildfire survivors have access to safe and stable housing.

As Oregon prepares for the 2025 wildfire season, which is expected to be worse, will Kotek put demand on her agency to clear up 2020? The agency has tripled in size over the past decade as the state battles a housing crisis, but it had no experience in disaster relief because Oregon had never experienced the residential destruction it saw in 2020. Survivors aren’t buying excuses for risk intolerance or inexperience. They are tired of living in temporary arrangements and want their homes. Even the legislators have turned against them putting additional restrictions on rebuilding.

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The OHCS 2025-27 budget proposal (page 483) presents Disaster Recovery and Resilience has $140,062,134 in federal funds for 2023-25 increasing to $167,383,063 and increases for 2025-27 and another increase to $170,404,188 in 2027-29. The increases indicate no distribution of fund are planned until the funds expire in 2029.

According to Jaquiss, OHCS chief financial officer Caleb Yant told lawmakers his agency feels confident the Trump administration will not withdraw the unspent dollars before the grant expires in 2029. The agency has also made substantial funding commitments to survivors in recent months and reached an agreement with HUD in May allowing greater flexibility in distributing such a large amount of money. But Yant apologized for how slowly dollars have gotten to fire survivors.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-06-07 10:34:00

Last Update: 2025-06-06 23:16:17

After Senate Bill 83 passed the Oregon Senate unanimously on April 22nd, with strong bipartisan support and praise from Senate Democrats for responding to public outcry over the flawed wildfire hazard map, the House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment voted "Do pass and be referred to Rules. Regardless of trying to blame Democrats in a plot to use the bill as a bargaining chip, they weren't the only votes that halted the progress.

Of course, Speaker Julie Fahey (D-Eugene) could have sent SB 83 to the floor for a vote, but she did as the committee proposed. “When policies don’t work for the people of Oregon…Democrats listen and take action,” Senate Democrats said in April after passing the bill. “Senate Bill 83 passed the Senate floor in a unanimous vote, reflecting a strong spirit of collaboration.”

Now, that spirit of collaboration has seemingly vanished. House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) said, “This bill matters to Oregonians and should not continue to be held hostage. SB 83 has been heavily vetted through an open public process that included multiple hearings, stakeholder input, and thousands of emails from Oregonians harmed by these flawed maps.”

For whatever political games are being played, the Democrats have the power in every committee and every floor vote, so sending SB 83 to Rules instead of a floor vote would have happened regardless of how Republicans voted. But blaming Democrats on a bi-partisan vote seems to smell of deceit.

Rep. Virgle Osborne (R-Roseburg), House Republican Whip voted to move SB 83 to Rules instead of moving it to the floor. He now says, “It saddens me to see a group of representatives, who are so beholden to their liberal bosses committed to stealing our kicker, not care at all about the will of the people they represent. We have had almost 40 years to reform wildfire funding and House Democrats are now using these flawed wildfire maps as leverage to take away money from the same people that voted for them. These wildfire maps have cost people property values, insurance increases, and many heartaches.”

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Rather than allowing a floor vote on a bill that has already earned overwhelming support, including from Senate Democrats, House Democrats—under pressure from Governor Tina Kotek and Speaker Julie Fahey—are delaying SB 83 in an effort to extort Republican votes for their latest attempt to raid over $1 billion from Oregon taxpayers’ kicker refund.

“Oregonians were promised relief. Now they’re being told that relief is contingent on agreeing to a massive tax grab,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). “It’s political gamesmanship at its worst—and it’s coming at the expense of rural property owners and families across the state.”

House Republicans tried to force a vote on the House Floor on SB 83, to give relief to burdensome regulations imposed on communities by the Statewide Wildfire Hazard Map. The motion to withdraw the bill from the Rules Committee failed despite receiving bipartisan votes. Only seven House Democrats were allowed to break party lines by Democrat Leadership, resulting in a 29-22 vote. Where is the will of the people?

Senate Republicans urge House leadership to stop playing politics with wildfire relief and represent constituents fairly and honestly. If Democrat leadership continues to use SB 83 against the kicker, it won't be viewed favorably by voters.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-06-05 11:18:41

Last Update: 2025-06-05 23:07:18