Survival center fights dams, mining
By Brian Bubak
Of ttw Emerald
The University has long been reput
ed to be a bastion for people interested
in social change, alternative lifestyles
and the environment. The Survival
Center, a political/environmental
student group, perhaps has been the
mainstay of that reputation.
Currently, two issues in particular are
taking up the majority of the staff's
time, according to director Steve
Kramer One is the proposed open-pit
pumice mine in the Three Sisters
wilderness area
The site, located just south of South
Sister at Rock Mesa, would produce
block pumice for the U S. Pumice
Company of Burbank, Calif Block
pumice, according to Kramer, is used
for such things as scouring blocks for
grills, toilet bowls, swimming pools,
cosmetic aids and cat litter.
Hydro, pumice activity targeted
Mining in wilderness areas is possi
ble because of a loophole in the
Wilderness Act of 1964, Kramer says
Claims can be filed until Jan 1, 1984,
under the act.
Rock Mesa is not lost yet, Kramer
says. He hopes the efforts of the
Survival Center and other environmen
tal groups will stop U S Pumice from
mining in the area
The Center, in conjunction with other
groups, is currently appealing the In
terior Department’s decision that the
area contains a valuable mineral base
"I think we ll beat them — I hope."
Kramer says.
But the most urgent problem, in his
eyes, is the current rush to build hy
dro-electric dams in the Pacific North
west, he says
According to figures he has
compiled from Federal Energy Regula
tory Commission documents, the
number of preliminary permits for new
hydro-electric facilities is growing at an
astronomical rate
About 40 applications for hydro
projects were filed in 1979, Kramer
says. That number grew to over 500 in
1980, and an estimated 1,800 in 1981,
he says
This “dam rush" has been aided by
the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy
Act, according to Kramer
The act requires utilities to purchase
power at their “avoided cost" from
anyone who can generate it. he says
The avoided cost is the amount it costs
the utility to generate additional elec
tric power at its facilities, Kramer says
This provides small hydro developers
with a high-profit incentive, since most
new generation by the utilities is done
at a much higher cost at thermal (coal
or nuclear) plants, he says
“You've got a guaranteed market
you’ve got a guaranteed profit,'
Kramer says
No more dams are necessary, he
says, adding that all hydro power in the
region is unnecessary
“I don't think we need to damn one of
them," Kramer say6 The Survival
Center is not sitting still for the current
“dam rush" either, he says
The center is presently calling for a
moratorium on all future hydro
development, Kramer says In addition,
center members are appealing several
dam proposals and setting up informa
tion programs for the public, he says
The goal of the Survival Center,
according to Kramer, is to help people
get involved in environmental issues
It tries to help students "plug in and
make a difference," he says
Group wants trucks
to pay higher taxes
Heavy trucks cause 90 percent of the damage to
Oregon’s highways, and truck owners should be taxed
heavily because of that, says Ken Warren, president of
Oregonians for Fair Truck Taxes
OFTT opposes ballot measure 4 and urges people
to sign an initiative petition which, if passed, would raise
truck taxes but not gas taxes
“The debate over measure 4 is simply a question of
whether car owners wish to keep paying for repair of
road damage they don't cause," Warren says, adding
that measure 4 calls for 36 percent increases in both
gas and truck taxes The measure, placed on the May
ballot by the 1981 Legislature, continues "the public
subsidy of the trucking industry "
An axle of a heavy car can pass over the same spot
2,500 times before the same damage is caused as by
one pass by an axle of a fully-loaded truck, Warren says,
citing a report by state highway officials Vehicles
weighing over 6000 pounds cause 90 percent of high
way damage, he says
"Oregon's highways need more repair than the
state can afford and a multi-billion dollar investment is
being lost ”
Caribbean tax plan
may hurt US island
Washington (AP) — President Reagan’s plan to
help the economies of Caribbean nations could wipe
out some of the trade advantages that Puerto Rico now
enjoys, the head of the island’s Economic Development
Administration says
“Puerto Rico is exempt from federal taxes, which is
intended to offset the lower labor costs in other Carib
bean islands as well as to offset the added expense of
following various U S. regulations," Jose R Madera
said in a copyrighted interview in U S News and World
Report
“But members of the administration seem to be
interested in eliminating tariffs on goods from all the
other Caribbean islands," he added "That would be
very harmful to Puerto Rico because it would be
tantamount to giving them the same treatment that
Puerto Rico now has in the mainland market "
Madera said Puerto Rico can play an important role
in the administration s Caribbean development “as a
conduit between the 200 million Spanish-speaking
people in Central and South America Yet to date,
Puerto Rico has not been asked to play the role it
could ”
On another matter, Madera said Puerto Rico would
like federal loan guarantees for the financing of con
version work on oil refineries “The removal of restric
tions on exports of petroleum and petrochemical
products also would be helpful," he said
Alliance to discuss
immigration policy
The Oregon Coalition for Immigrant and
Refugee Rights, concerned about Salvadoran
refugees and current legislation, meets this week
in Eugene.
Amit Pandya. the National Immigration and
Refugee Network’s general counsel whose
Oregon visit a week ago was sponsored by the
coalition, claims the U.S. government is unlaw
fully reluming 200 to 400 refugees to El Salvador
each week Bi-partisan support of current immi
gration and refugee legislation also threatens
immigrant rights, he said
“There's some urgency on ail these issues,"
Pandya said The coalition agrees, and will meet
Wednesday. March 17 from 5 to 6 p.m in the
Koinonia Center, 1414 Kincaid St.
Convicted rapist
draws sentence
Thomas Brown, the 42-year-old elder of the Christ
Brotherhood religious commune was sentenced to five
years in prison Friday for rape and sodomy charges
involving a 14-year-old female member of the com
mune
Lane County Ciricuit Judge Edwin Allen accused
Brown of "blasphemy" in response to Brown's repeat
ed insistance that his lifestyle follows the example of
Jesus Christ
"Many have spoken in the defendant s behalf
Allen said "Now is the time for the court to speak on
behalf of those small girls that the defendant has seen fit
to molest, sodomize and rape
Allen ordered that Brown serve half of his term
before being eligible for parole and added a five-year
probation with the stipulation that Brown refrains from
any contact with females under the age of 18 " The
judge said Brown has had sexual contact with at least
three other young girls
The judge read court testimony that quoted Brown
as saying age limits should not be set on sexual
intercourse and “I am not being accused of anything
which is wrong in God's eyes "
Brown was convicted of third-degree rape and
sodomy charge at an uncontested hearing in
December
Brown, a former Philosophy professor, organized the
Christ Brotherhood commune in Eugene in the late
1960s and then led its members to New Mexico, Color
ado and Montana before returning to Eugene last
spring
The rape and sodomy charges were filed against
Brown on Oct 19 after an investigation by the state
Children's Services and Eugene police that was
prompted by complaints by former members
Fourteen children were taken from the group s two
communal homes in October and were placed in
protective custody At least two have since been re
turned to their mothers
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