4 CapitalPress.com Friday, May 13, 2022 Washington Fish and Wildlife a firm ‘no’ on solar proposal By DON JENKINS Capital Press The Washington Depart- ment of Fish and Wildlife has dug in against a pro- posal to build a 2,390-acre solar-power plant close to the state’s largest collection of greater sage grouse. More studies won’t change the department’s opposition to the Badger Mountain Solar Energy Proj- ect, as proposed by Avangrid Renewables, said Michael Ritter, Fish and Wildlife’s lead on solar and wind projects. Fish and Wildlife aired its concerns several months ago and recently reenforced them to the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. “We keep reiterating the same thing,” Ritter said. Avangrid proposes to build the 200-megawatt solar plant near East Wenatchee in north-central Washington on mostly agricultural land leased from private landown- ers and the Department of Natural Resources. A Spanish company, Iber- dola Group, owns Avan- grid. Iberdola describes itself as one of the three largest renewable energy companies in the world. Avangrid is currently doing an in-depth envi- ronmental study. The state Attorney General’s Office, assigned to be lawyer for the environment, warns that not building the solar plant could worsen climate change. Fish and Wildlife, sup- ported by environmental Getty Images Male sage grouse. groups, has spotlighted the threat to the greater sage grouse. The bird is not fed- erally protected, but Fish and Wildlife lists it as an endan- gered state species. An Avangrid spokesman said in an email Thursday that the company as commit- ted to working with stake- holders to address concerns. “In siting and designing the project, Avangrid Renew- ables has taken a thoughtful and transparent approach to avoid impacts to natural resources,” the spokesman said. Greater sage grouse assemble in two places in Washington. The largest gathering is about five miles from Avangrid’s proposed project. Sage grouse have been known to come closer. Fish and Wildlife suggests Avangrid find another site. A recent survey found 28 male greater sage grouse on Badger Mountain. Males are easier to count because of their showy style. A solar- power plant close to the lek could be the end of greater sage grouse in Washington, Ritter said. “It’s their last stronghold, and it ain’t much of one,” he said. “You don’t know how the disturbance will change the landscape.” Seattle-based Conserva- tion Northwest said Fish and Wildlife already has pre- sented enough evidence to block the project and warns breaking ground likely will cause the bird’s extinction in Washington. Assistant Attorney Gen- eral Megan Sallomi, counsel for the environment, said the environmental study should probe the project’s impact on greater sage grouse and other wildlife. She also said the site coun- cil should consider whether the project will reduce green- house gases by displacing energy from fossil fuels. As an alternative to approaching counties, energy developers can apply to the site council, which is made up mostly of Inslee administration officials. The council makes recommen- dations to Gov. Jay Inslee. East Wenatchee is the largest city in Douglas County. In a letter posted May 5 on the site council’s website, county commis- sioners said the solar proj- ect conflicts with local land- use laws. “The project represents a large-scale, industrial devel- opment in a rural area of Douglas County, which already exhibits a desired mix of residential and agri- cultural uses that is the foundation of our custom and culture,” the three com- missioners stated. Most of Idaho’s water supply still tight despite wet April By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press Idaho still faces tight water supplies and poten- tial shortages even after last month’s unusually wet, cool weather in much of the state. “Despite the welcome increases in snowpack and total precipitation since April 1, the water sup- ply likely will remain con- strained this irrigation sea- son,” the Natural Resources Conservation Service said in a May 1 report. Water users “should prepare for a short irrigation season and possible curtailments.” Total irrigation demand can reflect crop mixes, con- servation practices, weather at different stages of the growing season and other factors. Erin Whorton, hydrolo- gist and water supply spe- cialist with the NRCS Snow Survey in Idaho, said the start of irrigation deliv- LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2013 AUDI Q5 UT VIN = WA1LFAFP8DA051990 Amount due on lien $1455.00  Reputed owner(s) KELLY PITTAM & JESSICA HILL ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2020 MAZDA CX3 4D VIN = JM1DKFB70L1469970 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) CHRISTINE DENISON & KAYLA PATTULLO OREGON COMMUNITY C.U LEGAL STATE OF OREGON OREGON ALFALFA SEED COMMISSION P.O. BOX 688 ONTARIO, OREGON 97914 NOTICE OF ALFALFA GROWERS COMMISSION HEARING PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING TO: ALL OREGON ALFALFA SEED GROWERS Notice is hereby given that a public hear- ing will be held pursuant to ORS Chapter 604, Section 14, Oregon Laws 2003, on Tuesday June 7,2022 at 12:00 p.m. at the Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission Office, 168 Wellsprings Dr, Ontario, Oregon 97914. The hearing will be upon a proposed budget for operation of the Oregon Al- falfa Seed Commission during the fiscal year July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. At these hearings, any producer of alfalfa 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 Ore- gon. Interested persons may comment on the proposed budget in writing to the Com- mission business office, address above. Comments to be received by June 1, 2022. For further information, contact the Or- egon Alfalfa Seed Commission business office; P.O. Box 688, Ontario, Oregon 97914, telephone 541-881-1335. TDD 503-986-4762. Curt Sisson, Chairman Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission May 8,2022 George Plaven/Capital Press Brad Carlson/Capital Press Ridenbaugh Canal in southeast Meridian, Idaho. Most Idaho irrigation systems will be short water this year, the Natural Resources Conservation Service estimates. ery in April combined with reduced snowmelt runoff slowed reservoir fill rates. NRCS said peak snow- pack is either below normal or well below normal in all basins. Reservoir volume carried over from last irri- gation season is below nor- mal. Streamflow forecasts improved slightly from last month, when some snow fell at high elevations and cold weather slowed runoff. Streamflow through July is expected to be above nor- mal in the north and below normal in the rest of the state. But how much run- off makes it to streams and reservoirs depends on how quickly the remaining snowpack melts. NRCS said the Climate Prediction Center’s outlook LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2018 DODGE CVN VAN VIN = 2C4RDGBG4JR222885 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) TIZIA LEE ROBBINS ALLY FINANCIAL LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2013 TOYT PRIUS 4D VIN = JTDKN3DU2D5627428 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) KIRA MARIE PARAGON BOEING EMPLOYEES C.U LEGAL The Oregon Sweet Cherry Commission will hold a public hearing to approve the pro- posed 2022-2023 fiscal budget. The hearing starts at 2:00 p.m. June 1, 2022 and will be held via Zoom Video Conferencing. Any person wishing to comment on the budget is welcome to do so either orally or in writing. A copy of the proposed budget is available for public inspection at osweetcherry.org. Contact julie@osweetcherry.org by 5:00pm May 30, 2022 to request a link for the video meeting and/or to submit a written com- ment. Please include your name and farm/ industry in your emailed requests. though July calls for warmer and drier weather than usual. Drought is expected to persist. The U.S. Drought Monitor reports about 82% of Idaho land is experienc- ing moderate to extreme drought. Total precipitation from Oct. 1 to April 30 is above 90% in many basins. Those with the lowest include Weiser, Big Wood and Hen- rys Fork-Teton at 88%, Pay- ette at 89%, Boise at 91%, Snake River above Heise at 92%, and Salmon at 93%. Reservoir storage in southwest Idaho is 84% of normal in the three Boise River reservoirs, 95% in Cascade and 74% in Mann Creek. In the central mountains, storage is 32% of normal at Magic Reservoir, 85% at Mackay and 96% at Little Wood. LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 05/19/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  A-1 TRANSMISSION 3653 SILVERTON RD NE SALEM, OR 2001 FORD ST VIN = 1FDAF56F21ED68207 Amount due on lien $9125.00  Reputed owner(s) RAFAEL RANGEL LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2008 TOYT TUNDRA PK VIN = 5TFBV54108X039734 Amount due on lien $2135.00  Reputed owner(s) RYAN MALIN DOUGLASS INROADS FEDERAL C.U LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/23/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2016 HONDA CRV LL VIN = 5J6RM4H77GL015814 Amount due on lien $1435.00  Reputed owner(s) JAMES & TERUKO SHIRES FIRST TECH FEDERAL CREDIT UNION PUBLIC NOTICE Oregon Sheep Commission Budget Hearing In accordance with ORS 576.416, the Oregon Sheep Commission will hold the 2022- 2023 Budget Hearing via video conference on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Public comments on the proposed budget will be accepted beginning at 3:30 pm. Regular Commission meeting will follow comment period. Interested sheep producers may join the meeting by conference call: Call-in Number: 1-253-215-8782 Meeting ID 859 9441 1264 Passcode 808283 To access the meeting via Zoom, please contact the OSC office by phone 503.364-5462 or info@oregonsheepcommission.com and request a link. Copies of the proposed budget are available on the Commission website: https:// oregonsheepcommission.com/news/ or may be requested from the OSC office. Written comments may be submitted by e-mail or mailed to the OSC office: 1270 Chemeketa Street NE, Salem, OR, 97301. Please direct requests for accommodation of persons with disabilities to the OSC office at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. Each room at Wafla’s farmworker housing facility in Mt. Angel, Ore. has two beds, with 45 total beds available. Wafla unveils first farmworker housing facility in Oregon By GEORGE PLAVEN Capital Press MT. ANGEL, Ore. — A former dormitory on the campus of the Benedictine Sisters monastery in Mt. Angel, Ore., will provide housing for seasonal guest- workers as Willamette Val- ley orchards, vineyards, hop yards and nurseries grap- ple with mounting labor shortages. Wafla, formerly the Washington Farm Labor Association, began leasing the building earlier this year from the Catholic Commu- nity Services Foundation. It is the organization’s first housing project in Oregon, with three others in Wash- ington — Yakima, Mesa and Okanogan. Members of the commu- nity attended an open house on May 5, which also served as an introduction for new Wafla CEO Enrique “Rick” Gastelum, who was hired April 25. As domestic farm labor becomes more difficult to find, Gastelum said more producers are turning to the federal H-2A program, which provides temporary visas for agricultural work- ers from places like Mexico and Central America. The number of H-2A visas issued by the U.S. Labor Department has grown every year since 2013, reaching approxi- mately 258,000 in 2021. More than 90% of these seasonal guestworkers come from Mexico, with 3% from South Africa, 2% from Jamaica and 1% from Guatemala. Gastelum said 30,000 H-2A workers were brought into Washington last year to help cover the industry’s labor needs. While that num- ber was not nearly as high in Oregon, he said producers are starting to feel the pinch. “It’s creeping up,” he said. “They’ve got crops that need to get planted, and need to be produced. ... We want to keep food produc- tion here local.” However, to use the H-2A program farms must be able to provide hous- ing that meets strict health and safety requirements. Wafla estimates it costs farms $12,000 to $15,000 per person, per bed to build their own housing, making it unaffordable for many small to mid-size businesses. The dormitory in Mt. Angel was a perfect fit, Gastelum said, since it already had the space and facilities necessary to qual- ify for H-2A housing. There are currently 45 beds avail- able, with two beds per room, though Gastelum said occupancy could increase as Oregon’s COVID-19 rules for workplace housing are loosened. The building also has a communal kitchen, restrooms and enough show- ers to meet the minimum standard of one for every 10 workers. Javier Garcia, a fellow H-2A worker from Mex- ico, will serve as the “field ambassador” for Wafla, liv- ing at the dormitory. Field ambassadors provide sup- port to the other workers, Garcia said, explaining the rules and “what it means to live and work in the U.S.” If there is enough inter- est in the facility from local farms, Gastelum said Wafla may discuss long-term lease options or possibly buy- ing the building and mak- ing farmworker housing permanent. “We’re always looking for these types of facilities that are turn-key,” Gastelum said. “This is a great looking place.” LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2019 FORD FUSION 4DR VIN = 3FA6P0RU7KR259668 Amount due on lien $1435.00  Reputed owner(s) NICO BEARS WINSOR ALLY BANK LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2017 CHEV COL PU VIN = 1GCPTDE1XH1221464 Amount due on lien $1435.00  Reputed owner(s) MICHAEL D BENEDICT LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2017 FORD FUSION 4D VIN = 3FA6P0LU3HR287825 Amount due on lien $1455.00  Reputed owner(s) BEYA KALALA & GRACE G BEYA LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/23/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2015 NISS JUKE LL VIN = JN8AF5MVXFT561615 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) CYNTHIA MARGARET NEWMAN BAXTER CREDIT UNION LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/23/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2015 FORD XPL UT VIN = 1FM5K8D81FGA34796 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) VAUGHN & MARCEEN RAMSEY OREGON STATE CREDIT UNION LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/16/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2014 KIA OPTIMA 4DR VIN = 5XXGM4A77EG343626 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) > DALANA SUE SEWELL CAPITAL ONE NA LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/23/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2018 TOYT CAM 4D VIN = JTNB11HK0J3046408 Amount due on lien $1415.00  Reputed owner(s) KATHERINE & MICHAEL KELLY TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORP LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/23/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2015 ACURA RLX 4D VIN = JH4KC1F98FC000507 Amount due on lien $1455.00  Reputed owner(s) ZACHARY WAYNE SALISBURY CARVANA LLC LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 05/23/2022.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2021 TOYOTA SNA SV VIN = 5TDKRKEC2MS072141 Amount due on lien $1435.00  Reputed owner(s) JINGWEI ZHU