Alex Baumhardt writes in Oregon Capital Chronicle, “More than three dozen Congressional Democrats, led by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, are hoping to help revive a landmark lawsuit against the U.S. government by 21 young Americans – including 11 Oregonians – over continued federal support for fossil fuel production and a failure to urgently mitigate the worst effects of climate change, violating the plaintiffs’ right to a livable environment.”

Juliana v. United States, named after Julia Olson, Executive Director and Chief Legal Counsel at Our Children's Trust, is now the longest running suit first filed in the U.S. District Court in Eugene nearly 10 years ago. At the time, the youth behind the suit were between eight- and 18-years old. Olson filed a request in the Ninth Circuit to rehear the case, followed by the backing of Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, filing an “amicus brief” or “friend of the court brief” urging the court to grant it. The filing included 39 other signers including Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Oregon Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Val Hoyle, according to the Chronicle.

Fossil fuel companies, the U.S. Department of Justice, former President Donald Trump and Republican states attorneys general have filed court documents against the Juliana case. It was deemed effectively dead in May, when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice to dismiss the case.

It seems like the intent is to get the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Olson argued the decision to dismiss was hasty and wrongly denied oral arguments by the plaintiffs rather than issuing an opinion, effectively denying the plaintiffs their right to an appeal. The Ninth Circuit held that ordering the federal government to adopt “a comprehensive scheme to decrease fossil fuel emissions and combat climate change” would exceed a federal court’s remedial authority set in Article III.

Harvard Law Review suggests that Juliana, filed by Our Children’s Trust, is attempting to go where other environmental cases have failed by drawing on common law tort theories. The Juliana case contends the Constitution guarantees an unenumerated fundamental right to a “stable climate system.” They argued that the United States had “continued to permit, authorize, and subsidize fossil fuel extraction . . . [and] consumption” despite these activities’ contributions to global warming. This choice, it continued, had “infringed on” the Trust’s “constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property.”

Judge Hurwitz of the Ninth Circuit wrote, “To have standing under Article III, a plaintiff must have (1) a concrete and particularized injury that (2) is caused by . . . challenged conduct and (3) is likely redressable by a favorable judicial decision . . .Thus, the Trust’s standing turned on redressability: “whether the plaintiffs’ claimed injuries [were] redressable by an Article III court.” The judges found “such relief . . . beyond [its] constitutional power.”

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The amicus brief argues, “Since youth cannot vote, they depend upon each branch of government to act in their best interests when exercising authority. Sadly, at this time, each branch is betraying the intergenerational trust bestowed upon them for ‘our Posterity’ in the face of the climate crisis.” It seems that lawmakers have a vested interest in using children to further their political agenda.

The CDC defines child abuse and neglect as Adverse Childhood Experiences, which can dramatically impact a person’s life experience and health. To use children to front an agenda that isn’t feasible can only be identified as cruel. Studies show that around 30% of Oregon’s carbon drifts in from China, the largest emitter releasing 11.4 billion metric tons of carbon emissions in 2022. Their misguided direction is looming as pitiful when it could have been productive. What if they would have sued to stop chemtrails, which Tennessee has now done and residence are reporting good health benefits. What if they would have sued to stop poisonous fluoride additives to the water system, which is taking hold in some jurisdictions.

What have these children learned from this exercise? How to capitalize on your fears. Money is limitless if you can tie into a cause whether good or bad. Consequences don’t matter. That constitutional right means not having any fears. One thing they still seem to not understand is that the courts are limited in its power to create law.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-07-07 07:43:44

Last Update: 2024-07-05 20:11:33

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared a statewide extreme heat emergency in preparation for high temperatures, both day and night, forecasted through Tuesday. Temperatures across Oregon are expected to reach near record-breaking levels, with the Portland metro area, Willamette Valley, and parts of Southern Oregon expected to hit temperatures in the triple digits. The heat risk levels and what they mean for individuals can be found on the National Weather Service’s Heat Risk map.

“Extreme weather events are now the new normal for Oregon. Right now, state and local governments are on a path to strengthen our preparedness and response, not only this year but for the years to come,” Governor Kotek said. Oregonians are watching whether that will mean some modification in energy goal to meet the higher level of consumption.

Oregonians are encouraged to conserve energy and reduce consumption to the extent possible to avoid power disruptions and reduce the strain on our energy grid, such as avoiding the use of major appliances during peak morning and evening energy demand periods. In addition, high heat can also be a catalyst for wildfires, so Oregonians are encouraged to practice extreme caution and take preventive measures to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.

“The need for emergency declarations should decrease over time if we continue on this path – including ensuring more Oregonians have air conditioning in the summer months and heat in the winter months, that our electrical grid is modern and resilient, that communities have public spaces and green places that provide relief, and where families have a plan to stay safe and help others to do the same in severe weather."

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management has activated the state Emergency Coordination Center in response to the heatwave. Multiple partners including the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Department of Human Services office of Resilience and Emergency Management, the Oregon State Medical Examiner, the Oregon Public Utility Commission and the American Red Cross are working with local and tribal emergency managers as they prepare to open cooling centers. State agencies are providing support and resources where requested. The state Emergency Coordination Center will meet throughout the heatwave to monitor the situation and respond accordingly.

State, local and tribal agencies continue to respond to requests for emergency cooling shelters, transportation assistance, distribution of life-sustaining supplies including water and medical services. The extreme heat will also put a significant strain on Oregon’s energy grid and critical infrastructure, posing a risk to utility outages and equipment and transportation disruptions.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) will coordinate access to and use of personnel and equipment of all state agencies necessary to assess, alleviate, respond to, mitigate, or recover from conditions caused by this emergency. The agency will also coordinate all essential protective measures in support of identified disaster areas to protect lives, property, and the environment.

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If you believe you are being subjected to excessive prices for bottled water or other essential consumer goods, or lodging due to this emergency, you are encouraged to report violations to the Oregon Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Services, which has the authority to investigate unlawful trade practices.

The Oregon Health Authority is also encouraging people to take steps to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion as advisories predicting triple-digit temperatures are in effect through the weekend and early next week. Oregonians can find more information about local cooling centers from 211. Information about how to keep your animal safe in the heat can be found here.

Sign up for OR-alert and get lifesaving alerts and instructions during emergencies to help you and others stay safe in Oregon.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-07-05 19:11:00

Last Update: 2024-07-05 20:01:46

The Manulife Investment Management fund purchased 55,000 acres of timberland in Oregon’s Douglas, Coos, and Curry counties, stretching from Reedsport in the north to Gold Beach in the south. This acquisition is part of the company’s efforts to expand its presence in the region and provide sustainable working forests and farmlands.

The company already manages over 660,000 acres of working forest in Oregon, making it Oregon’s second-largest manager of private timberland. Out done only by Weyerhaeuser, which owns more than 1.5 million acres of western Oregon’s 6.5 million acres of private forestland. Manulife Forest Management Inc. will oversee the daily operations of the coastal range properties, with about 7,200 acres in Douglas County, located near Reedsport. The 55,000 acres of forests in Southwest Oregon will allow greater access for recreation, and investments in harvest carbon offsets.

The investment objective of Manulife’s strategy is to provide investors with an opportunity to invest in timberlands which will be managed to create carbon credits through enhanced sustainable forest management practices which is designed to add to the stored carbon in the forest. The fund intends to earn competitive returns for investors by selling carbon credits, charging for recreation use, and limited timber harvests to capture potential climate benefits.

The Fund is not registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction, and only sold to “qualified purchasers.” The Fund seeks to include investors from other than the U.S. such as the EU that want to invest in forest carbon credits or offsets.

The carbon credit market operates like a hidden tax that drives up the costs for companies that can’t reduce their unavoidable emissions and have to buy offsetting credits so they can operate, and so elite investors get a high rate of return. This racket is spreading as a worldwide investment option funded by consumers. Manulife wants their offsetting credits to represent actual changes in managing timber harvesting. However, offsetting credit does nothing to reduce emissions, and if sold outside of Oregon, it's a direct steel from consumers to fund investors.

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"The acquisition is part of the company’s efforts to manage sustainable working forests and farmlands, providing both economic and ecological benefits. From the 55,000 acres, approximately 85% of it will be harvested over the next 40-50 years. The other 15% is in regulatory and voluntary set-asides primarily buffers on streams and other features to protect water and conserve wildlife habitat," according to Jeff DeRoss, Manulife Forest Management Manager for Western Oregon.

As of October 2023, Manulife Investment Management’s $11.3 billion timberland investment portfolio spans 5.4 million acres in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Brazil. One hundred percent of its portfolio is certified as sustainable by independent third-party forest certification standards.

The College of Forestry at OSU plans to harvest 60 acres near Cronemiller Lake in the McDonald-Dunn Forest called the Woodpecker Harvest, but is being challenged by Corvallis residents. The harvest is on hold for review of the 2005 plan to challenge the classification of old-growth as 160 years and older.

In the meantime, public forests are under continuous attack from conservationist and environmentalist. The Elliott State Forest, about 82,500 acres, also near Reedsport, is back in the hands of the State Lands Commission trying to push through a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that will reduce harvesting to unmanageable levels.

The most impact to the forest industry remains the Endangered Species Act and the development of HCP. State Forester Cal Mukumoto recommended supporting the HCP draft to the Board of Forestry. Opposition groups are making a case for some revisions to revitalize the timber industry for the support of rural communities. The state still expects to finalize the HCP by the end of the year, then get federal input in 2025.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-07-05 01:53:30

Last Update: 2024-07-04 23:00:56

July 4th - the day of the Declaration of Independence. Remember, ‘taxation without representation’ was a cry then that may apply today as well. Nobody then would have dreamed of carbon taxes by executive order, but they did foresee taxation without representation. What grassroots and patriotism looked like in 1776:

• Five legislative signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
• Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
• Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
• Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

The Boston Tea Party and the Coercive Acts galvanized the colonists, leading to the First Continental Congress in 1774. The Boston Tea Party was a protest against British taxation and tyranny, and it helped to formulate a larger movement of the colonists in their fight for independence that culminated in the Declaration of Independence.

As with the Boston Tea Party, it seems the ‘prized’ tea is being thrown overboard, but does Oregon have an Independence Day coming?

The Oregonian reported that Oregon’s exports dropped by more than $6 billion last year, an astonishing 20% plunge that wiped out two years of historic gains. Even though 2023 saw a decrease, Oregon goods exports were $27.7 billion, it was an increase of 49 percent ($9.3 billion) from its export level in 2012. So why the decrease? “Consumers are pulling back. You see that translated into the export numbers, for sure,” said Damon Runberg, economist with Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency. Then how can Oregon’s revenue forecast for government spending be up if consumer spending is down?

Runberg says there is reason to be optimistic with the development of Oregon’s semiconductor industry. Intel is planning a multibillion-dollar expansion along with other chip companies also set to expand. But, will Oregon voters crush this industry with a proposed 3% gross receipts tax if IP 17 passes in November?

An indication the consumers are pulling back, the Oregonian reports that Nike shares fell 20% as the latest sign of severe turbulence at Oregon’s biggest company. Nike claims it has anticipated a drop in annual sales, thanks to competition from newer competitors, are now worrying investors. Nike stock had its worst day on record losing $28 billion. With a 20% drop in Oregon exports, and Nike losing $28 billion, just what does Oregon’s government revenue forecast interpretation by Democrat politicians mean by Oregonians are doing better than ever? Nike is projecting they will regain the market lose by 2030 based on the past 10 years of the stock’s average growth record. But should a state rely on a high risk forecast?

Oregon is also hit by the Biden Administration banning exports by an Oregon freight-forwarder, USGoBuy, as a warning shot to the industry. The Wall Street Journal reports that an Oregon freight-forwarder was hit with an export ban in what officials said was a warning to companies to heed restrictions on the shipment of sensitive technologies to countries the U.S. considers threats to national security. USGoBuy is placed under a three-year export ban after an audit turned up 176 violations to a settlement over riflescopes the company shipped to China and the emirates.

It isn't just exports dragging Oregon's economy down. The Biden administration has announced a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) that are carbon-reducing and net zero, as part of a broader effort to protect US manufacturers and jobs. This move is intended to prevent a flood of low-cost, heavily subsidized EVs from China from entering the US market. The tariff is expected to increase the cost of Chinese-made EVs in the US market, making U.S. EVs more competitive with foreign-made EVs. Have they not read that several major automakers, including General Motors, Ford, and Tesla, have announced plans to scale back or delay their EV production goals?

How will this affect Oregon? Tariffs are usually retaliatory and China is by far Oregon’s largest export partner, with sales in 2021 totaling $10.6 billion, a third of all the state’s exports.

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Senator Brian Boquist (R-Polk and Treasurer candidate) stated, "As young Oregon voters look at government inflation they know whom to blame. Young Oregonians know why they cannot afford a house. Young Oregonians know the definition of indentured servitude. If there is a November election, and if there is not a major change, then the economy will drive the Millennial Revelation into high speed collision with the debt ridden failing government police state and corporate oligarchs. This is a recipe for change none of us should want, let alone would a State Senator like myself even survive, as all of present government officials will be swept away, if history is a lesson."

America is still on its First Republic. On July 7th, the Fifth Republic of France will hold elections. Revisionists have repeated “Democracy” so many times that America is being pulled away from its Republic. Will millennials and younger voters bring us back to our first love or form the Second American Republic?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-07-04 08:46:41

Last Update: 2024-07-04 19:51:17

The 142nd Wing out of the Portland Air National Guard Base in Portland, Ore., will conduct Independence Day flyovers for ceremonies and parades at locations throughout Oregon.

The Portland Air National Guard Base employs 1,300 Airmen who provide an economic impact of nearly $500 million to the region. The 142nd Wing defends our homeland with F-15 Eagle fighter jets, guarding the Pacific Northwest skies from northern California to the Canadian border through their Aerospace Control Alert mission as part of Air Combat Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Their mission is to provide unequalled, mission-ready units to sustain combat aerospace superiority and peacetime tasking any time, any place in service to our nation, state and community.

Oregon Air National Guard F-15 Eagle fighter jets are scheduled to conduct flyovers at the following community locations at, or around, the designated times on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

• 10:35 a.m. Corbett, Ore.
• 10:39 a.m. Ridgefield, Wash.
• 10:43 a.m. Clatskanie, Ore.
• 10:47 a.m. Warrenton, Ore.
• 10:50 a.m. Manzanita, Ore.
• 10:51 a.m. Rockaway Beach, Ore.
• 10:55 a.m. Neskowin, Ore.
• 11:00 a.m. Turner, Ore.
• 11:01 a.m. Salem, Ore.
• 11:03 a.m. Mt. Angel, Ore.
• 11:05 a.m. St. Paul, Ore.
• 11:08 a.m. Lake Oswego, Ore.
• 11:09 a.m. Happy Valley, Ore.
• 11:12 a.m. Molalla, Ore.
• 11:14 a.m. Mill City, Ore.
• 11:26 a.m. Condon, Ore.
• 11:34 a.m. The Dalles, Ore.

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All passes will be approximately 1,000 feet above ground level and about 400 mph airspeed. Flights could be canceled or times changed due to inclement weather or operational contingencies.

The Oregon Air National Guard has been an integral part of the nation's air defense since 1941.


--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2024-07-02 11:43:06

Last Update: 2024-07-03 18:10:07

The U.S. Supreme Court released its ruling in the Grants Pass v. Johnson case, a decision that some say stands as a victory for the rule of law and the well-being of our communities. This decision recognizes the critical need for local governments to manage public spaces effectively, ensuring safety and order for all citizens.

The Court's ruling supports the City of Grants Pass's right to enforce ordinances that prevent public spaces from becoming unsafe and unsanitary. By upholding these regulations, the Court has validated the efforts of municipalities to protect their communities while safeguarding the safety and dignity of people experiencing homelessness.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, in a recent KGW interview, emphasized the need for legislative action: “Unless the legislature decides to revisit the law that HB 3115 enacted, no one in Portland is going to see sweeping policy changes after the Supreme Court issues its decision.”

HB 3115 (2021) was a reactionary piece of legislation by Democrats in response to a misguided court opinion by the Ninth Circuit. This law has suffocated local jurisdictions' efforts to keep their communities safe. It is essential that the Legislature acts promptly to ensure state laws align with the Supreme Court's decision, allowing for sensible, community-focused solutions that maintain public safety and health without infringing on individual rights.

“Despite the Supreme Court’s common sense ruling, Democrats’ 'Right to Camp' law will continue to hamper local governments' ability to address homelessness effectively,” said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). “The Legislature should immediately provide clarity to our local governments as they work to reduce homelessness in their communities by taking action on HB 3115. This time, cities and counties that are most affected should be at the table, leading the discussions on what is best for their local jurisdictions. We stand ready to pass legislation that balances the interests of all residents – whether they are in a home or seeking shelter, utilizing both compassion and pragmatism to ensure our public spaces are safe, clean, and accessible for everyone.”

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It doesn’t seem to matter that our sidewalks and parks are crowded with homeless tents. Democrats passed HB 3115 along partisan lines, and Democrat leaders continue to defend their right to litter our cities. The Supreme Court ruling did not address the housing and homelessness crisis, but limits the state in mandating how communities deal with their homeless.

Senator Kayse Jama (D - Portland), chair of the Senate Housing and Development Committee, and Representative Pam Marsh (D - Ashland), chair of the House Housing and Homelessness Committee, statement on how this decision will impact housing policy in Oregon: “Our goal remains making sure every Oregonian has access to safe, affordable housing so no one has to resort to sleeping on the streets. Homelessness will be solved by building more housing, supporting shelters and programs to get people on the path out of homelessness.

Jama continues, "Local jurisdictions have a duty to maintain livability for everyone in their communities – and, there needs to be a reasonable balance between those concerns and the reality that too many Oregonians don’t have anywhere safe to sleep. Today's Supreme Court ruling does nothing to solve the housing and homelessness crisis in Oregon. The legislature remains focused on addressing the root causes of homelessness, increasing the housing supply, and funding programs that help get people on a path out of houselessness.”

The Oregon legislature passed the Emergency Housing Stability and Production Package earlier this year, which made a $376 investment in expanding affordable housing and support for shelters. They enacted policies to distribute the $2 billion housing package passed in 2023. All that investment may have eliminated a few homeless encampments by building pod villages and subsidizing housing for the hundreds of homeless individuals. The pod villages are intended to provide temporary housing for the homeless that would otherwise occupy encampments. However, the placement of the pod villages in family neighborhoods, concerns local residents citing potential safety issues and disruptions to the community.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-06-29 21:02:06

Last Update: 2024-06-30 13:39:45

Escaping the notice of the local media, Portland has been running about 40 degrees F colder this year than three years ago. Portland reached 116 F on June 28, 2021, smashing the previous record high for any date of 107 F. The reason for the extreme heat was simple. Strong high pressure inland created a strong offshore flow, bringing hot air from Eastern Oregon and Washington into the Willamette Valley. As soon as that weather pattern broke down and cool Pacific Ocean air returned, we cooled way down. It was 116 F at Portland Airport at 5 pm on the 28th, but only 73 F at 11 pm that evening.

Climate alarmism ran rampant during those days. KOIN 6 Chief Meteorologist Natasha Stenbock called the high temperatures, “Portland’s new normal.” Former Oregon State Climatologist Kathie Dello said, “If we don’t do anything about climate change, 2021 will be one of Portland’s coolest summers.” Current Oregon State Climatologist Larry W. O'Neill added, “The fact that it was so strong, that is an indication I think, of climate change contributing to it.”

In contrast, here is what, a principal research scientist for the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Roy Spencer, had to say at the time. “Despite the near-normal global average temperatures, the USA Lower 48 temperature anomaly of +1.44 deg. C was the warmest in the [June] 43 year satellite record, ahead of +1.15 deg. C in 1988. In contrast, the Antarctic region (poleward of 60 S latitude) experienced its 2nd coldest June (-1.25 deg. C below the 30-year baseline), behind -1.34 deg. C in June, 2017.”

For Portland, it was all a matter of the wind speed and direction. When the wind normally blows off the ocean, we are cool in the summer and warm in the winter. But when the wind reverses direction, we can get spectacularly different weather.

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By the way, with a high temperature of 118 F, The Dalles, Oregon broke the all-time highest temperature record for Washington State on June 28th, 2021. How is that possible? The Dalles weather station is located across the Columbia River at their small airport in Washington State. Oregon did not break its all-time high of 119 F set on August 10, 1898 in Pendleton. And the hottest ever temperature for the USA is 134 F set in Death Valley on July 10, 1913. These very old records still stand.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-06-28 16:54:37

Last Update: 2024-06-28 19:18:53

NW Natural released a report from Business Wire that a new poll shows that about 3 in 4 voters believe natural gas is essential. In addition, a large majority of voters from counties including Multnomah, Clackamas, Lane, Marion, Washington and Clark are opposed to natural gas bans. The polling was conducted for NW Natural by DHM Research, an independent leading public opinion research firm, showing that 72% of voters oppose banning natural gas for new homes and buildings. The number of voters who share that opinion has increased by 9 percent since the first poll conducted in 2019.

The poll also shows voters are increasingly concerned about power outages, with 81% of respondents saying we need both electricity and natural gas to reliably meet our energy needs.

NW Natural recently released a report that details how important having two systems was during the massive winter storm that impacted the region in January. During the highest energy use hour on Jan. 13, 2024, NW Natural delivered 55% more energy than local electric providers, Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, combined.

Over the past five years, public opinion polls in NW Natural’s service territory have shown that voters overwhelmingly reject natural gas bans. It’s a consumer sentiment that has steadily grown as voters’ attention is more focused on what they believe are pressing concerns, such as homelessness.

DHM Research conducted polling from February 7 – March 10, 2024, with voters in NW Natural’s service territory, which includes the Willamette Valley, most of coastal Oregon, Clark County, Washington, and the Columbia Gorge. The service territory results are scientifically valid and have a margin of error of +/- 2.1%.

This polling came in time for NW Natural and Modern Hydrogen's unveiling of a new project that is producing clean hydrogen while capturing solid carbon. Innovative methane pyrolysis technology, which is online at NW Natural’s Central Portland facility, produces clean hydrogen and captures solid carbon in a process called methane pyrolysis, using equipment designed by Modern Hydrogen.

Solid carbon being captured from this process is collected and incorporated into Modern Hydrogen’s proprietary, performance-enhancing asphalt products. These are used in applications such as paving and road repair projects—including a section of asphalt surrounding the equipment installation at NW Natural’s facility.

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Hydrogen generated on site is blended with natural gas and delivered via existing energy infrastructure. This three-year pilot project is the latest effort by NW Natural to explore potential hydrogen applications. This includes extensive testing at our Sherwood Operations and Training facility, demonstrating the safety and performance of hydrogen blends ranging from 5 to 20 percent in natural gas systems and equipment.

NW Natural is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on multiple fronts, reimagining the role of the natural gas system and the fuel that they deliver. This includes pursuing a combination of decarbonization measures that include energy efficiency, renewable energy, carbon offsets, and carbon capture. Replacing conventional natural gas over time with alternatives like renewable natural gas and clean hydrogen is central to achieving that vision.

NW Natural CEO David Anderson said, “Today we’re looking to renewable natural gas, clean hydrogen, carbon capture and other ways to decarbonize our system. People are eager for solutions that can be put into action today, and we’re proud to play our part.”

In 2023, the Oregon legislature passed a bill called the "Climate Resilience Package," which prohibits the use of natural gas in new structures, including residential and commercial buildings, as well as new infrastructure projects. This means that new buildings and developments will be required to use alternative energy sources, such as electricity or renewable energy systems. The bill is expected to have a significant impact on the construction industry in Oregon, but will it reduce carbon emissions? By promoting the use of alternative energy sources, there is no debate it will increase the cost of energy for everyone while contributing to energy instability.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-06-28 05:38:11

Last Update: 2024-06-28 01:11:11

In 2023, Oregon Representative Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis) was chief sponsor of House Bill 3409, along with 28 other Democrats, which included 24 directives related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Among them the bill directs the Oregon Environmental Quality (DEQ) Commission to establish a rebate program for purchase or lease of qualifying medium or heavy duty zero-emission vehicles.

Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) account for just 5% of vehicles on the road in the United States, yet they are responsible for 21% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). They explored how the conversion of diesel MHDVs would evolve over time to result in a 65% reduction in emissions by 2050. Adding incentives, it can increase to a 70% reduction.

In Oregon, MHDVs are currently responsible for an estimated 9.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually—approximately 42% of all greenhouse gases from the on-road vehicle fleet. This new rebate program will provide critical support for Oregon's transportation fleets to transition to zero emissions technologies and reduce these emissions statewide.

HB 3409 provides $3 million in revenue for the new Zero-Emission MHDV Incentive Fund and authorizes DEQ to establish a program for providing rebates for the purchase or lease of qualifying vehicles for use in Oregon. That’s $3 million of taxpayer dollars for a 5% possible jump on emission reduction in 25 years. There is probably no chance of reaching even 50% as the probability grows that Mount St. Helens will erupt again.

DEQ proposes to complete rulemaking for the rebate program to specify details including application requirements, rebate allocation criteria, other requirements included in the statute, and program elements to alleviate disproportionate air pollution burdens among frontline communities.

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This rule will also incorporate 2024 Legislative changes that were made to the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. The changes include creating a new fund for dedicated Charge Ahead funding and removing the ability to stack the Standard and Charge Ahead Rebates. Instead, it creates a new rebate level for Charge Ahead applicants purchasing or leasing a new vehicle.

DEQ will consider comments received by 4 p.m., on July 22, 2024. A public hearing, will be held Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 1 p.m. For viewing details go here. Anyone can submit comments and questions about this rulemaking. Send comments by email to: MHDZEV.2024@DEQ.oregon.gov. By mail, send to Oregon DEQ, Attn: Gerik Kransky, 700 NE Multnomah St., Room 600, Portland, OR 97232-4100.

DEQ plans to present the final proposal, including any modifications made in response to public comments to the Environmental Quality Commission for a decision at its September 26-27 meeting.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-06-26 18:41:09

Last Update: 2024-06-26 19:20:00

The Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary (OOIDSS) is a 2.5 million-acre protected area in Lake County, Oregon, which is the largest Dark Sky Sanctuary in the world. Located in a remote and sparsely populated area of southeastern Oregon, this sanctuary is a haven for astronomers, photographers, and anyone eager to gaze upon the unspoiled beauty of the cosmos.

The area is known for its breathtaking night sky viewing experiences, with minimal light pollution allowing for unparalleled stargazing opportunities. The 2.5-million-acre sanctuary about one-half the size of New Jersey, and is part of a larger project aiming to encompass 11.4-million-acres of contiguous, protected night sky, making it over twice the size of New Jersey.

Within the OOIDSS are the unincorporated communities of Adel, Plush, and Summer Lake, the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, a portion of the Fremont-Winema National Forest, nearly 1.7 million acres of land managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Summer Lake Wildlife Area, nearly 80,000 acres of state-owned rangeland, and the Oregon Outback Scenic Byway.

The OOIDSS is the certification given by DarkSky International, a nonprofit organization that works to “protect the night” for the benefit of people and wildlife by advancing responsible outdoor lighting. The International Dark Sky Places Program was founded in 2001, as a non-regulatory and voluntary program to encourage communities, parks, and protected areas around the world to preserve and protect dark sites through effective lighting policies, environmentally responsible outdoor lighting, and public education.

As Oregon rural counties are looking for opportunities to replace the income from the cut in timber sales, the OOIDSS could partially fill-in by increasing tourism. Bob Hackett, Executive Director of Travel Southern Oregon said, “This four-year collaboration brings together so many of the elements we try to achieve in regenerative tourism. It not only elevates the destination experience for visitors to Lake County and opens up opportunities for local businesses, but it also helps agencies and residents steward their lands in ways that celebrate a legacy of starry night skies for generations to come.”

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It’s a high desert area characterized by sage scrub and abrupt changes in topography that alternates between narrow faulted mountain chains and flat, arid valleys and basins. Within this unique geography of geological wonders is priority habitat for an array of wildlife, including American pronghorn, bighorn sheep, sage grouse, white-tailed jack rabbit, and migratory birds navigating the Pacific Flyway. The region is also culturally significant and is home to a 13,000-year-old human occupation site. Dispersed within the OOIDSS are hot springs, wild horses, private rangelands, ranches, and cattle.

The DarkSky Oregon chapter has established a network of continuously recording Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) in Oregon to measure skyglow. Skyglow is literally the measurement of the glowing sky at night, due to both man-made artificial light and natural light. The project’s primary aim is to quantitatively measure, interpret, and share skyglow measurements in Oregon to better understand the current level of light pollution in comparison to other regions and to document any changes over a five-year period. The skyglow data will help to inform action toward healthier and safer communities with less light pollution.

Atmospheric conditions such as cloud cover, haze, and air pollution such as wildfires, chemtrails, and CO2 can also limit visibility in night skies. Some controllable and some are natures processing.


--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2024-06-26 16:29:33

Last Update: 2024-06-26 19:18:20

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released information of an emerging criminal tactic used to further defraud cryptocurrency scam victims.

Using social media or other messaging platforms, fraudsters posing as lawyers representing fictitious law firms may contact scam victims and offer their services, claiming to have the authorization to investigate fund recovery cases. To validate the contact, the “lawyers” claim they are working with, or have received information on, the scam victim’s case from the FBI, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), or other government agency. In some instances, scam victims have contacted fraudsters on fake websites, which appear legitimate, hoping to recover their funds.

To further the recovery scam, the “lawyers” may:

• Request victims verify their identities by providing personal identifying information or banking information to get their money back;
• Request victims provide a judgment amount they are seeking from the initial fraudster;
• Request victims pay a portion of initial fees up front with balance due when funds are recovered;
• Direct victims to make payments for back taxes and other fees to recover their funds; or
• Reference actual financial institutions and money exchanges, to build credibility and further their schemes.

Between February 2023 and February 2024, cryptocurrency scam victims who were further exploited by fictitious law firms reported losses totaling over $9.9 million, according to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Tips to Protect Yourself

• Be wary of advertisements for cryptocurrency recovery services. Research the advertised company and beware if the company uses vague language, has a minimal online presence, and makes promises regarding an ability to recover funds.
• If an unknown individual contacts you and claims to be able to recover stolen cryptocurrency, do not release any financial or personal identifying information and do not send money.
• Law enforcement does not charge victims a fee for investigating crimes. If someone claims an affiliation with the FBI, contact your local FBI field office to confirm.

For more information on cryptocurrency investment schemes, see PSA Alert I0100322-PSA: Cryptocurrency Investment Schemes.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

If you believe you have been a victim of a cryptocurrency scheme or other fraudulent scheme, file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. It is helpful to include:

• Information regarding how the individual initially contacted you and how they identified themselves. Include identifying information such as name, phone number, address, email address, and username.
• Financial transaction information such as date, type of payment, amount, account numbers involved (to include cryptocurrency address), name and address of the receiving financial institution, and receiving cryptocurrency addresses.

--Dollie Banner

Post Date: 2024-06-25 13:08:31

Last Update: 2024-06-25 13:40:27

Republican 4th District Congressional candidate Monique DeSpain has challenged scandal-plagued incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle to six debates, one in each of the major counties in the district with at least three televised and the rest streamed online live or broadcast on the radio, to provide all voters across OR-04 the radical transparency and accountability they deserve when selecting their next Member of Congress.

“I am challenging Congresswoman Val Hoyle to six debates between August and October,” said DeSpain. “Val Hoyle has been the least transparent, least accountable Representative this district has seen in a long time. Whether it is her radical voting record for open borders and skyrocketing inflation or hiding her public records from investigators looking into her unethical actions, it is time Val faces the voters and explains this atrocious record. These debates will give voters a chance to hear and compare Val’s disastrous record of corruption and shilling for DC special interests with my track record of bringing people together to solve tough problems and my bold vision for securing our border and communities, restoring economic prosperity, and holding government accountable - starting with Val Hoyle herself.”

In her first term as our Representative, Val Hoyle has voted against fully funding veterans’ health care and benefits and voted to block pay raises for active-duty military personnel in July 2023. Earlier this year, Val Hoyle went to El Paso, TX, and praised open borders while lecturing her constituents who asked her, “Why don’t you just shut down the border?” explaining that “We need to have movement through the border and how much we need the workforce.” Seven weeks later, Texas National Guard Troops at an El Paso, TX checkpoint were overrun and assaulted by foreign military-aged males forcing their way into our country. These are the people Val wants to allow access to our limited veteran resources. In a slap to law enforcement, Hoyle recently voted against H.R.7343, the Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act.

This past February, Willamette Week reported that Federal Investigators have expanded their current investigation into La Mota and ex-Secretary of State Shemia Fagan to include Congresswoman Val Hoyle’s $500,000 grant to La Mota’s non-profit while leading BOLI. A subpoena was issued just five days after Hoyle Challenger Monique DeSpain’s January 24th press conference announcing her letter to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Natalie K. Wight, calling on Ms. Wight to expand her investigation to include Hoyle and her activities described as a “demonstrated pattern of corruption.” In early April, a story published by the national news outlet The Daily Beast stated that the U.S. Attorney’s office has confirmed Val Hoyle’s BOLI activities are now under federal investigation and, according to the newly publicized emails, which was featured in local TV coverage on KEZI ABC News in Eugene. A full chronology of the media reports of the Hoyle-La Mota-BOLI scandal can be found at https://whatsvalhiding.com/. At the end of May, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee moved Val Hoyle to its “frontline” list of vulnerable incumbents.

“During her time so far in Congress, Career politician Val Hoyle has consistently rubberstamped every catastrophic policy and instance of bad behavior by the Biden Administration at great detriment to the hard-working families and businesses of our district,” added DeSpain. “Voters have had enough, leading her own party bosses to recently list her as one of the incumbents most in jeopardy of defeat in 2024. Now the voters get to deliver the final measure of accountability this November by retiring Val Hoyle and deploying me to Congress.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-06-21 10:06:27

Last Update: 2024-06-21 10:41:40