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CapitalPress.com
Friday, April 23, 2021
Washington bills could hike fuel prices 65 cents a gallon
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
OLYMPIA — House and Sen-
ate Democrats are considering cap-
and-trade, low-carbon fuels and a
gas tax increase, a trifecta that crit-
ics claim could push up gas prices
by 65 cents a gallon by 2028.
The state Department of Ecol-
ogy disputes some assumptions that
go into the forecast. The three poli-
cies, however, directly or indirectly
tax petroleum and natural gas, and
all are advancing in the Legislature.
Testifying April 14 against cap-
and-trade, Central Washington
wheat farmer Andy Juris told law-
makers that farmers and rural res-
idents who must drive long dis-
tances would be hurt the most.
“Agriculture is simply an ener-
gy-intensive industry,” said Juris,
speaking to the House Environment
Committee.
“Any higher cost we’re faced
with, like higher fuel prices caused
by cap-and-trade, is a direct finan-
cial hit to my farm that I’m expected
to absorb somehow,” he said.
With the legislative session set
to end April 25, majority Demo-
crats are finalizing budgets. Cli-
mate, transportation and “environ-
mental justice” are priorities that
drive the move to tax fossil fuels.
Don Jenkins/Capital Press
The Washington Legislature is considering bills to raise the gas tax and indirectly tax fossil fuels with
cap-and-trade and a low-carbon fuel mandate.
A 16-year plan passed by the
Senate Transportation Committee
on April 14 relies on raising the fuel
tax by 9.8 cents a gallon on July 1.
Pump taxes, including the federal
tax, would be 77.6 cents a gallon,
second-highest in the U.S. behind
California.
The transportation budget also
relies on a cap-and-trade setup,
which requires manufacturers to
bid for the right to emit greenhouse
gases.
Some climate activists scorn
cap-and-trade as a loophole-rid-
dled scheme to let “polluters” off
the hook, but the policy has support
from larger environmental organi-
zations. It also appeals to budget
writers.
The auctions would be a new
and huge revenue source for the
state as emitters, including fossil
fuel companies, bid for a dwindling
number of “allowances.”
The Washington Research Coun-
cil, a business-supported organiza-
tion, projected cap-and-trade will
increase gas prices by 18 cents a
gallon and diesel prices by 21 cents
a gallon in 2023.
By 2028, cap-and-trade would
push gas prices up by 26 cents and
diesel by 30 cents a gallon, accord-
ing to the research council.
The research council projected
that fuel prices will rise in lock-
step with allowance prices. Ecol-
NW potato stocks steady despite COVID-19
Oregon farm building code
exemption bill passes House
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
Keeping an old car or camper in the barn
wouldn’t disqualify Oregon farmers from the
agricultural building code exemption under a
bill the state House has passed.
Agricultural buildings aren’t currently
subject to building codes, but county code
enforcers have called into question whether
structures remain exempt if they’re used for
non-farm purposes.
House Bill 2611 was proposed to clar-
ify the problem and avoid potential litiga-
tion if farmers are eventually cited for code
violations.
Farmers use their barns like home garages
and shouldn’t face disqualification for stor-
ing common items in them, said Rep. Vikki
Breese-Iverson, R-Prineville.
“If that is the case, every farm in Ore-
gon will lose their building code exemp-
tion because the barns are almost always
used for farm uses and as a place for per-
sonal storage,” she said. “This bill will clear
up an ambiguous law and help Oregon farm
families.”
The House voted 48-8 in favor of HB
2611, which is supported by the Oregon
ogy accepts that allowance prices
will rise, but rejects the idea that
fuel prices will have a correspond-
ing increase.
An Ecology spokesman said in
an email April 15 that manufac-
turers could cut emissions, reduc-
ing their need to bid for emission
permits.
It’s also possible that alternatives
to gasoline, such as renewable die-
sel or electricity, would turn out to
be cheaper, he said.
“While the cost of allowances
may have an impact on retail gas
prices to some extent, a given
increase in the price of allowances
is unlikely to translate directly into
higher prices at the pump,” he said.
Forecasting fuel prices under a
low-carbon fuel standard requires
even more speculation. The gov-
ernment mandates more biofuels
and hopes the free-market will hold
down pump prices.
Stillwater Associates, a Cali-
fornia consultant to the petroleum
industry, projected in January that
a House low-carbon fuel bill would
raise gasoline prices by 29 cents
a gallon by 2028 and 58 cents by
2035.
Oregon already has a low-carbon
fuel standard. The goal is to reduce
greenhouse gases from transporta-
tion fuels by 10% by 2025. At about
the halfway point, the standard had
added 3.7 cents to the cost of a gal-
lon of gasoline in 2020, the Ore-
gon Department of Environmental
Quality reported April 15.
Ecology resists the idea that a
low-carbon fuel standard pushes up
fuel prices. The forecasts assume
refineries won’t cut their costs of
complying with the standard and
will then pass on the full cost to cus-
tomers in Washington, according to
Ecology.
Farm groups are among the
staunchest opponents of a low-car-
bon fuel standard and cap-and-
trade. Juris told lawmakers that
any increase in petroleum and nat-
ural gas prices will hurt.
By BRAD CARLSON
Capital Press
Northwest potato stocks
April 1 remained near
year-earlier levels despite
COVID-19 disruptions in
2020.
USDA’s National Agricul-
tural Statistics Service pegged
Northwest stocks at 87.7 mil-
lion hundredweight, up by
0.3% compared to a year
earlier.
Year-to-year
changes
included bigger crops in
Idaho and Oregon, and
reduced disappearance —
or movement from storage
— of the processing-focused
Washington crop. Oregon
saw stocks drop and disap-
pearance increase.
COVID-19 restrictions last
year caused a plunge in food-
service business and higher
retail demand.
The Idaho Potato Com-
mission since early in the pan-
demic worked with retailers
to move potatoes originally
intended for foodservice,
which is about 60% of IPC’s
Farm Bureau and the Oregon Property Own-
ers Association.
The bill was amended by the House Agri-
culture and Natural Resources Committee to
clarify that farm buildings can have “inciden-
tal and accessory” uses in addition to housing
livestock, storing machinery and other agri-
cultural uses.
The items must be “personal” to the farm’s
owners or their immediate family and cannot
pose a greater hazard than regular farm uses.
However, HB 2611 may encounter fur-
ther revisions now that it’s being considered
by the Senate.
Rep. Susan McLain, R-Hillsboro, said
she’d voted the bill out of committee despite
concerns of building code enforcers who
wanted to specify that non-farm uses be
“temporary.”
That requirement wasn’t ultimately
included in the version of HB 2611 passed
by the House.
The Oregon Farm Bureau preferred not
to include the “temporary” requirement
because it could have arbitrarily limited stor-
age to six months, while some items might
need to be stored for seven or eight months,
said Samantha Bayer, the organization’s pol-
icy counsel.
market, to retail stores. The
commission has run retail bin
promotions, developed new
types of in-store displays and
provided storage and prepara-
tion tips to consumers.
President and CEO Frank
Muir said the programs
helped boost shipments, “and
we have not let off the throttle
in the current year. We are still
pedal-to-the-metal in mak-
ing sure we move this year’s
crop.”
He expects Idaho potato
disappearance
to
keep
increasing from year-earlier
levels.
Muir said the potato indus-
try in Idaho is recovering
more quickly than the U.S. as
a whole in the fresh and pro-
cessing segments. Anecdot-
ally, reports from IPC per-
sonnel who travel the country
indicate the foodservice sec-
tor is starting to improve.
In Washington, more than
90% of the crop is for pro-
cessing into fries and other
frozen products, which lim-
ited the opportunity to pursue
increased retail demand for
fresh potatoes as the pandemic
unfolded, Potato Growers of
Washington Executive Direc-
tor Dale Lathim said.
Contracted acreage last
year dropped by about 20%,
he said. Potato processing for
domestic and international
markets also dropped substan-
tially as production downtime
affected Washington’s 13 pro-
cessing plants.
Lathim said drive-thru and
take-out delivery at quick-ser-
vice restaurants helped the
market for frozen potatoes
improve, particularly in the
U.S. That impact was lower
in other countries, which used
those modes of delivery less.
“Exports are rebound-
ing, but they are rebounding
slower than domestic sales,”
he said. Washington and Ore-
gon export a higher percent-
age of their crops than does
Idaho, primarily due to port
proximity.
Lathim said Washington
potato volume is “very man-
ageable” given the smaller
crop and some promising
demand.
Biden nominates USDA climate adviser to oversee farm programs
NOTICE OF RYEGRASS GROWERS SEED
COMMISSION BUDGET HEARING
Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held pursuant
to ORS 576.416 (5), on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at 7:30 a.m., via
ZOOM Meeting or Call, upon a proposed budget for operation
of the Ryegrass Growers Seed Commission during the fiscal year
July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. At this hearing any produc-
er of Oregon-grown Ryegrass seed has a right to be heard with
respect to the proposed budget, a copy of which is available for
public inspection, under reasonable circumstances, in the office of
each County Extension Agent in Oregon. For further information,
contact the Oregon Ryegrass Growers Seed Commission business
office, P.O. Box 3366, Salem, Oregon 97302, telephone 503-364-
2944. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabili-
ties. Please make any request for an interpreter for the hearing
impaired or for other accommodations for persons with disabili-
ties at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting the Com-
S240074-1
mission office at 503-364-2944.
All persons whose rights may be
effected by the proceedings in
this estate may obtain additional
information from the records of
the Court, the Personal Represen-
tative, or the attorney for the Per-
sonal Representative.
DATED and first published April
16th, 2021
Personal Representative
NHUNG LE
14388 NW Lilium Drive
Portland, OR 97229
Attorney
DAVID B. BECKHAM
319 Sixth Ave SW
Albany, OR 97321
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2018 FORD ESCAPE UT
VIN = 1FMCU0F78JUA86623
Amount due on lien $2,515.00
Reputed owner(s)
BRENDON SCOTT LAMBRIGHT
FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
04/26/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2006 MERZ ML350 UT
VIN = 4JGBB86E56A076249
Amount due on lien $1,535.00
Reputed owner(s)
YOLANDA THI HYUNH
JP MORGAN CHASE BANK NA
put climate front-and-center
among USDA’s priorities.
Recently, Bonnie was
part of a think tank project
that recommended USDA
create a “carbon bank” that
would pay farmers to store
carbon in their soil.
At recent farm confer-
ences, Bonnie has told pro-
ducers to expect “a suite of
tools” — generally incen-
tive-based — to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions,
capture carbon and otherwise
combat climate change.
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2018 KIA OPTIMA 4DR
VIN = 5XXGT4L30JG260496
Amount due on lien $2,715.00
Reputed owner(s)
DAWNIELLE M & GEORGE R JR POST
OREGON COMM CU
S240459-1
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2017 HUYNDAI SONATA 4DR
VIN = 5NPE34AF5HH473298
Amount due on lien $1,435.00
Reputed owner(s)
LINDA MARIE DAVIS
FIFTH THIRD BANK NATIONAL ASSOC
S240454-1
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2017 CHRYS PACIFICA VAN
VIN = 2C4RC1BG4HR795523
Amount due on lien $2,515.00
Reputed owner(s)
CYNTHIA J & GLEN T SHARP
ONPOINT COMMUNITY C.U
S240448-1
NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS
NOTICE IS HERBY GIVEN that the
undersigned has been appointed
Personal Representative of the
above estate. All persons having
claims against the estate are re-
quired to present them to the un-
dersigned attorney at: 319 Sixth
Street SW, Albany, OR 97321 with-
in four months after the date of
the first publication of this notice,
as stated below, or such claims
may be barred.
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2015 TOYOTA SCION 2DR
VIN = JTKJF5C72FJ006080
Amount due on lien $2,395.00
Reputed owner(s)
MARTIN JONATHON NOYOLA
TOYO MOTOR CREDIT CORP
S239650-1
S240445-1
S240450-1
S240452-1
LEGAL
IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE
OF CUONG MANH NGUYEN,
deceased.
Case No.: 21PB02974
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2017 NISSAN PATHFINDER UT
VIN = 5N1DR2MM1HC902825
Amount due on lien $1,515.00
Reputed owner(s)
ERNESTO M NUNEZ & ROSALINDA
MEDINA
SANTANDER CONSUMER USA
S240455-1
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2011 CHEV TAHOE UT
VIN = 1GNS2E0XBR282077
Amount due on lien $2,515.00
Reputed owner(s)
JUSTIN TIMOTHY WILLIS
SUNSET SCIENCE PARK FCU
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF
THE STATE OF OREGON FOR
THE COUNTY OF MARION
PROBATE DEPARTMENT
world in climate-smart agri-
cultural practices.”
If confirmed, this would
be Bonnie’s second stint at
USDA. During the Obama
administration, Bonnie was
under secretary for natu-
ral resources and the envi-
ronment. During that time,
he also oversaw the Natu-
ral Resources Conservation
Service and the Forest Ser-
vice, and was one of Vil-
sack’s top advisers.
Experts say Bonnie’s his-
tory shows he’s ready to
S240449-1
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2017 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 4DR
VIN = KMHD84LF8HU384742
Amount due on lien $1,455.00
Reputed owner(s)
SPEEDWAY MOTORS LLC
LEGAL
ture Secretary Tom Vilsack
showed his support of the
nomination.
“I am grateful to Pres-
ident Biden for announc-
ing his intent to nomi-
nate Robert Bonnie,” said
Vilsack. “Under Robert’s
steady hand, America’s
farmers, ranchers, produc-
ers and landowners will see
renewed focus on building
and maintaining markets at
home and abroad and pre-
paring our food and agricul-
tural community to lead the
S240444-1
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2019 VW JETTA 4DR
VIN = 3VWE57BU7KM194460
Amount due on lien $2,515.00
Reputed owner(s)
TIGER R & ALONDRA PINEDA
METLIFE
Service, Risk Management
Agency and the Farm Ser-
vice Agency. This means
Bonnie would manage pro-
grams related to climate
change, land stewardship,
crop insurance and farm
subsidies.
As under secretary,
Bonnie would also over-
see about $10 billion to
$15 billion a year in direct
payments to farmers and
ranchers.
In a statement, Agricul-
S240005-1
LEGAL
PURSUANT TO ORS
CHAPTER 87
Notice is hereby given that the
following vehicle will be sold,
for cash to the highest bidder, on
05/03/2021. The sale will be held
at 10:00am by
COPART OF WASHINGTON INC
2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR
2017 HUYN ELANTRA 4DR
VIN = 5NPD84LF4HH083187
Amount due on lien $1,415.00
Reputed owner(s)
PATRICIA ANN BILLERBECK
S240447-1
WASHINGTON, D.C.
— President Biden has
nominated Robert Bon-
nie, a member of the Biden
transition team and cur-
rent USDA climate adviser,
for the role of under secre-
tary of farm production and
conservation.
The posi-
tion is one
of the high-
est-pro-
file roles at
USDA.
If con-
firmed by
Robert
the
Sen-
Bonnie
ate, Bonnie
would oversee the Natu-
ral Resources Conservation
By SIERRA DAWN McCLAIN
Capital Press
LEGAL
S240230-1
PUBLIC NOTICE
OREGON WHEAT COMMISSION
BUDGET HEARING
MAY 10, 2021 • 10:00 AM
VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE
As required by ORS 578.151, the
Oregon Wheat Commission will
accept public comments on its fiscal
year 2021-22 budget at the above
date and time. In light of COVID-19,
an electronic meeting will take
place via video conference. Access
the meeting via videoconference at
http://www.zoom.us/join or phone
at 1-253-215-8782 with Meeting ID
83211156924 and Passcode 699401.
Copies of the Commission’s Proposed
2020-21 budget are available online
at https://www.owgl.org/p/about-us/
oregon-wheat-commission.
Public
comment related to the proposed
budget may also be submitted via
email to tsimpson@oregonwheat.
org. Please email comments at least
two working days before the date of
the hearing.
For accommodations for persons
with disabilities, make a request
at least 48 hours (Monday-Friday)
before the meeting by contacting the
Commission at (503) 467-2161.
