4 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.