Opinion
A4
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
OUR VIEW
New state rules
will have major
impact on Oregon
he Legislature was likely to have been
Gov. Kate Brown’s best friend. It was con-
trolled by her fellow Democrats.
But it wasn’t on climate legislation. Repub-
licans walked out to block what she and many
of her fellow Democrats had in mind. Brown
responded with an executive order. And next
week, key climate rules for transportation and
growth are expected to be adopted by the state.
They are powerful changes to how Oregonians
live and get from place to place. Some of them
build on trends that are already in state rules.
Some of it is new. If you like the proposal or
don’t, now may be your last chance to comment
on them.
The proposal changes how cities over 10,000
can grow. They must plan for what are called cli-
mate friendly zones to accommodate at least 30%
of their housing needs. What does that really
mean? It means more dense development. More
growing up than out.
You aren’t going to be yanked out of your car.
But there is a big shift coming in prioritization
away from passenger cars. Transportation will be
required to be more oriented toward pedestrians,
bikes and transit. It will be harder to fi nd a place
to park and easier to fi nd a charger for an electric
vehicle. Local streets will be narrow and slow.
New city plans for transportation will have to
have the goal of reducing car trips.
If you like to bike, the rules may make things
better for you. The bicycle system will have to
satisfy most travel needs under 3 miles. There
are more requirements for bicycle parking. Will
there be wide, protected bike lanes enabling bicy-
clists to get where they need to go without having
to worry about getting whacked by a car and
bike lanes that will be cleared of snow? The rules
don’t seem to go that far.
Another important priority is to ensure growth
or transportation plans are done equitably. Plans
have to be reviewed through an equity lens. The
question is if the more intense development may
spur gentrifi cation, despite any equity review.
Will these proposed rules lead to a more cli-
mate friendly Oregon? It would seem so.
Will it make housing more aff ordable? That’s
diffi cult to answer. Supporters would say yes in
the long run because the rules are aimed at being
climate friendly.
Will it make more housing of the kinds Ore-
gonians want available? Homebuilders are con-
cerned it will not create the housing mix people
look for and will put more pressure on prices for
single-family homes.
Will cities get enough fi nancial support
from the state to easily transition to all the new
requirements? We will see.
The state has tried to simplify the explanation
of the rules at tinyurl.com/Oregonclimatefriendly,
and more information about how to comment is
available at tinyurl.com/DLCDcomment.
T
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OTHER VIEWS
Wolf stories omit signifi cant facts
Recent coverage on the wolf/cattle situation in Wal-
lowa County omitted signifi cant facts.
It failed to mention that taxpayers compensate
ranchers for confi rmed and probable losses at full fall
market value, and for confi rmed and probable injuries.
It failed to mention that taxpayers pay ranchers for
extra work in protecting their stock. This year, some
ranchers will be paid directly to do their own range-
riding, but taxpayers also pay for hired range-riders. Last
year, one rancher received $11,713 from taxpayers for
extra work and was the primary benefi ciary of $5,000
paid by a conservation group for range-riders. Orego-
nians also pony up for nonlethal tools and equipment,
including ATVs.
Oregon wolves are not a nonnative species and were
not introduced to Oregon. They came on their own from
Idaho and are the same species as those exterminated in
Oregon.
There’s an ethical side to the wolf issue. Thousands
of wolves were shot, trapped, poisoned, strangled and
bludgeoned by livestock producers and their agents until
extinct in Oregon. This savagery lasted 100 years and
continues today. The landscape was denuded of an apex
predator and cattle proliferated at great cost to the envi-
ronment. The cattle are bred for weight and lack horns
and the physical agility for defense against predators.
They are wolf bait. Especially on public land, common
breeds should be replaced by horned, agile cattle such as
Corrientes, a successful commercial breed. Putting wolf
bait out on public land and then killing wolves for eating
it is a crime.
Wolves are due thousands of cows (and sheep) in
compensation for the thousands of slaughtered wolves.
In expiation of their sin, livestock producers should
themselves bear the cost of compensation. The Oregon
and national cattlemen’s associations should collect
funds from their own members for their own compensa-
tion fund. Taxpayers should not be responsible.
Wally Sykes
Joseph
The last state boundary change
The Red River is the boundary between the states of
Minnesota and North Dakota. In the late ’50s or early
’60s an Army Corps of Engineers fl ood control project
changed the course of the river stranding two parts of
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Protect bird migration by passing
River Democracy Act
A little good news during what feels like a perpetu-
ally grim news cycle: This weekend, North America cel-
ebrated World Migratory Bird Day. During this magical
time of year, nearly 4 million birds fl y through Oregon
during spring migration. At times, there are so many
birds fl ying over our state that the National Weather Ser-
vice is able to pick them up on radar! It’s truly an incred-
ible natural phenomenon to behold.
You may have heard of ways to help our feathered
friends as they complete their epic journeys, like turning
off any unnecessary outdoor lights at night. Another,
perhaps more important, way we can help is by ensuring
that birds have access to abundant healthy habitat across
Oregon.
Although some birds are extreme endurance athletes,
able to fl y thousands of miles in one push, many bird
species need to make occasional stops to rest and refuel.
This is one reason why I’m hoping to see Sen. Ron
Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley’s bill, the River Democ-
racy Act, passed this year. It will protect a wide variety
of public rivers and streams across Oregon that provide
habitat for birds and many other critters, large and small.
The land and forests along the water’s edge are some
of the highest “bang for your buck” areas for protection
— according to the Bureau of Land Management, some
80% of species will depend on these streamside habitats
at some point in their lifetime. Passing the River Democ-
racy Act will be great for birds, and people, too.
Jamie Dawson
Bend
STAFF
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Minnesota — a 12.76 acre parcel and a 9.78 acre parcel
— on the North Dakota side of the river.
In order to reestablish the Red River as the actual
state boundary, bills had to be approved by both the
House and Senate of North Dakota, the House and
Senate of Minnesota and fi nally by the House and Senate
of the United States. This occurred Aug. 24, 1961, and
was the last state boundary change in the U.S. All that
for 22.54 acres.
Can anyone really believe the Oregon House and
Senate would approve transferring virtually half of
the state to Idaho just to accommodate a pretty small
minority of Oregon voters?
Don McAlister
Enterprise
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