Opinion
A4
Saturday, February 19, 2022
OUR VIEW
Fair project
deserves full
funding
unding for a sewer project at the Union
County Fairgrounds is thankfully a pri-
ority for local offi cials, but the region’s
state representatives at the Legislature need to
step up and fi nd a way to get the project funded.
Now, the Union County Fair Board and the
Union County Board of Commissioners are
searching for funds for the project that would
connect the sewage from the fairgrounds to the
city system.
Now, there are no working restrooms at the
fairgrounds and needed money is spent on por-
table toilets for events.
The situation is, frankly, deeply troubling and
should be unacceptable to every voter living in
Union County. That’s because the fairgrounds
represent more than just a patch of grass and
some barns and other buildings. The fairgrounds
should be a critical pillar in the county’s tourism
toolbelt. The yearly fair is, in many respects,
a big deal for 4H and FFA students and for the
public. The fair marks a fi nal celebration before
the advent of fall and the start of school and is a
time of celebration.
For this facility to be without proper restrooms
because of a lack of funding is not only tragic but
food for thought as to how this situation devel-
oped in the fi rst place and why the facility appar-
ently has had to beg for funding.
But those are questions for a later time. The
good news now is local offi cials see the problem
and are doing what they can to fi x it. Preliminary
estimates show the sewer line project will cost
approximately $2 million. There is the possibility
that the Oregon Legislature will distribute $10
million to fairs among all 36 Oregon counties.
Union County’s cut of that money would be about
$270,000.
Of course, that isn’t going to accomplish the
goal of getting the sewer system fi xed by itself,
and that is where our state representatives need
to step in. They can — and should — advo-
cate at the state level to fi nd more money for this
important project. There are no guarantees they
will be successful, but no one will know until
they try.
The sewer project at the fairgrounds needs to
be going as soon as possible. The voters of Union
County deserve to have a fairground that is func-
tional in all aspects.
F
EDITORIALS
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opinions of the authors and not
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OTHER VIEWS
Why winter matt ers to us
MARC
AUSTIN
EYE TO THE SKY
inter weather can be very
inconvenient. The intru-
sion of cold air, coupled
with either fog or low clouds, makes
for dreary outdoor weather, which
isn’t optimal for being outside.
When storm systems sweep in,
whether it’s cold enough for snow to
fall in the low elevations or not, there
are frequently major travel impacts
through the mountain passes, and if
snow happens to impact any of the air-
ports in the region, these travel impacts
can have a domino eff ect. No matter
how you slice it, winter weather can be
downright annoying at times.
It can also present some great rec-
reation opportunities if you happen to
enjoy winter sports like skiing, snow-
boarding or snowmobiling, but that’s
for another article. We often hear the
statement “keep the snow up in the
mountains where it belongs” for that
very reason.
As frustrating as it may be trying
to plan outdoor events or slipping and
sliding as you make your way through
town, winter is critical for the stability
of our climate in the Inland Northwest.
Unlike areas west of the Cascades that
W
regularly receive precipitation into the
spring and summer months, areas east
of the Cascades struggle to get much
benefi cial rainfall after mid-June,
leaving multiple consecutive months of
hot dry weather.
While this is a normal seasonal
cycle, if we don’t get enough precipi-
tation (rain, snow, ice, etc.) during the
winter, we fi nd ourselves experiencing
unusually hot dry summers and wors-
ening drought conditions. This can
also lead to longer, more active wildfi re
seasons.
The western U.S. has been in the
midst of a multi-year drought. Drought
is no stranger to the region, largely
due to the dry continental nature of
our climate and the rain shadow (area
that receives little rain due to blocking
by mountains) east of the Cascades.
Despite these infl uences, extreme to
exceptional drought year after year is
rare, and it has a number of negative
eff ects on the region.
For one, drought is profoundly
impactful on agriculture, including
crops, livestock and farmers and
ranchers and their families. These
directly impact the regional and
national economy, especially items
the Inland Northwest is known for,
such as wheat, peas, apples and pota-
toes. Another more short-term aspect
of lacking precipitation in the winter
months deals with wildfi res and their
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES
REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR
Bobby Levy, District 58
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1458
Rep.BobbyLevy@state.or.us
Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
503-378-4582
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frequency during the summer and
autumn months. With little soil mois-
ture, the vegetation that fuels wildfi res,
such as grasses, shrubs and even trees,
dry out and cure much more rapidly.
This leads to an earlier onset of con-
ditions favoring the spread and main-
tenance of wildfi res, meaning the
fi re season is longer than it otherwise
might be given a wetter winter. Those
who live in fi re-prone areas are at a
greater risk of experiencing fi re near
their homes. Even those who may not
be directly impacted by fi re are likely
to see indirect impacts to air quality
due to expansive smoke, as many in
the Pacifi c Northwest have experi-
enced over the last few years.
So the next time you’re itching to
head outside and catch some sun, but
instead fi nd yourself facing fog and
low clouds, or snowy icy conditions,
take a minute to appreciate the winter
weather. It really is our water-supply
lifeline, aiding our agricultural inter-
ests, alleviating or regulating drought
and preventing our fi re and smoke sea-
sons from becoming so severe.
———
Marc Austin is a warning coordi-
nation meteorologist for the National
Weather Service in Pendleton. He
leads outreach and weather prepared-
ness programs and engages the media,
emergency management and public
safety communities.
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