THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015
Business & Ag
Lands access: Commissioners meet
with Forest Service management
• MAP ACCURACY
AT ISSUE
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners held a
work session on Wednes-
day, April 29, at 9 a.m., in
the Commission Chambers
of the Baker County Court-
house, the focus of which
was a discussion with
the United States Forest
Service (USFS), regard-
ing the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest (WWNF)
Travel Management Plan
(TMP) and other issues.
Present from the Board
were Chair Bill Harvey,
Commissioner Mark Ben-
nett, Commissioner Tim
Kerns, and Executive As-
sistant Heidi Martin.
Present representing
the USFS were WWNF
Supervisor Tom Montoya,
WWNF Natural Resource
Staff Officer Larry San-
doval, WWNF Environ-
mental Coordinator Cindy
Christensen, and WWNF
Whitman District Ranger
Jeff Tomac.
Attendees included
Wanda and Tork Ballard,
Ken Anderson, Ed Hardt,
Marshall McComb, Gary
Dielman, Lorrie Harvey,
Alice Knapp, Suzette and
Art Sappington, Jan Kerns,
Ron Edge, Brenda Holly
and Bobbie Danser.
The first part of the
informal session involved
a discussion between the
Board and the USFS team,
and Harvey explained this
process to the attendees.
The second part involved
a discussion between the
attendees, the team and the
Board.
Bennett discussed with
the team issues associated
with the Existing Condi-
tion Road Maps, related to
the TMP, and said much
work has been completed
by Anderson and Hardt,
compiling Revised Statute
2477 (RS 2477) maps, to
aid in the effort. RS 2477
was enacted in 1866 by
the U.S. Congress, which
granted to counties and
states a right-of-way across
federal land, when a high-
way was built.
The Board emphasized
the need for the USFS and
the County to have the
same base maps, with the
same scale, in the same
format, and with a high
level of accuracy. Bennett
said there is a lot of confu-
sion.
Christensen said the
focus of the current ef-
fort is what the existing
Friday, April 24, 2015 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to the
same quality last week. Trade activity and demand
picked up slightly this week. The continued good
weather in several areas of Oregon has slowed down
demand, as pasture grasses are growing causing end
users to be able to turn animals out on pasture rather
than purchase and feed additional hay. Export hay
business seems to slowly be picking up, however
continued issues with few containers available and
backup of containers needing to be loaded at the
shipping ports continues to slow down the ability to
export hay overseas. Most producers have sold all
that they plan to sell for this season.
Eastern Oregon: No new sales confirmed.
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Todd Arriola /The Baker County Press
Representatives from the WWNF at left met with the three County Commission-
ers (at right) Wednesday.
conditions of the roads are. alternatives Baker County
mation about what condi-
Montoya said the best way submitted, and she said
tions the roads are in.
to accomplish the accuracy that survey results had
Sappington discussed
desired is to sit down with
been placed on the Exist-
some issues with the team
the maps, and determine
ing Condition Road Maps.
and the Board, including
the conditions, road by
Ballard expressed concerns road closures, maintenance
road, in order to clear up
about using that informa-
of roads, and forest timber
some issues.
tion as-is, and Christensen
access. He explained
Harvey asked Montoya if said the input requested
that he sent a letter with
this idea could be imple-
was whether a road was
his concerns to Regional
mented, and Montoya said
still being used. Ballard
Forester Jim Peña, and
yes.
voiced concern again,
Montoya said that Sap-
Kerns asked Montoya
stating that with a large
pington should receive a
about his background
number of individuals
response to that letter soon.
working with communities surveying the roads, there
Harvey asked Sappington
and counties before, and
would be conflict with
to continue to follow up
Montoya began discuss-
opinions about what roads
with the USFS, and to send
ing his travel management
were still being used.
the Board a copy of that
plan experience in 2006, as
Harvey asked Chris-
letter.
a district ranger in Idaho,
tensen about opportunities
Anderson commented to
and then in Nevada, from
to go over the maps again
the team about the impor-
2008-2011. He said these
before a final decision,
tance of mining resources,
were positive experiences,
because having the public
access to those resources,
and in Nevada, 90% of the
gather information about
and granted mining rights.
roads were identified.
road use is a monumental
He talked about land
Hardt asked Montoya
task, and she responded
use legal issues, but also
whether a washed out
that there will be, to at-
discussed some solutions
road in the Jarbidge River
tempt to eliminate issues.
to those, which would
area was rebuilt, a major
Wanda Ballard asked
streamline processes and
concern of Hardt’s, and
Tomac why the Baker City improve the economy.
Montoya said that it had
watershed isn’t a high pri-
Bennett said that the
been completed to the
ority, stating it’s a disaster
roles and leadership of
camp ground in the area.
waiting to happen. Tomac
the Baker County Natural
Hardt discussed the 1872
responded that the City
Resource Advisory Com-
mining laws and RS 2477,
and County watersheds
mittee (NRAC) should be
and expressed concerns
are high priorities, but it’s
established by the com-
about road closures.
very difficult and costly to
mittee by the next regular
Hardt asked Tomac about complete projects in the ar- Commission session,
smaller logging operations
eas, considering the terrain which is next Wednesday,
opportunities associated
and other issues. He said
May 6.
with bug infestation, and
the officially designated
Jan Kerns commented
Tomac responded that
watershed for Baker City
that at the earliest public
there are difficulties with
is an area of 10,000 acres,
meeting (next session),
the amount of acreage and
with additional acreage.
she would like to discuss
whether to complete proj-
Ron Edge expressed criti- that topic with the Board.
ects of that type through
cisms to the Board about
Kerns, the current Chair
the U.S. Farm Bill, or via
the litigation between the
of NRAC, explained that
another method.
County and Columbia
there are 18 members of
Montoya was asked by
Basin Helicopters, Inc.,
that committee, and that
an attendee whether there’s initiated by the previ-
the newer and less experi-
a demand for logs from the ous Commission, but he
enced members need to be
regional timber industry,
said he’s pleased with the
brought up to speed con-
to which Montoya replied
efforts of the current Com- cerning laws, regulations,
there is. He explained that missioners.
and terminology.
there is a demand from
Danser asked Chris-
The next session is a reg-
industry in Oregon, Idaho
tensen about road condi-
ular, bi-monthly session,
and Washington.
tion surveys, and Chris-
scheduled for Wednesday,
Tork Ballard asked
tensen said that an accurate May 6, 2015, at 9 a.m.
Christensen about TMP
map is desired, and infor-
Wolf delisting
one option
The Oregon Fish and
Wildlife Commission
decided to direct staff to
develop two options for
delisting wolves from the
state Endangered Species
Act: one that would delist
wolves in eastern Oregon
(boundary Hwys 97-20-
395) and one that would
delist wolves statewide.
The state’s Wolf Plan calls
for initiating a process to
delist wolves from the state
Endangered Species Act
when Oregon reaches the
objective of four breeding
pairs for three consecutive
years in eastern Oregon.
This objective was met in
early 2015.
— Weekly Hay Report —
“This is a success
story,” said Russ Morgan,
ODFW Wolf Coordinator
in his presentation of the
Biological Status Review.
“Not very many years ago,
we had no known wolves
in Oregon. Now we not
only have wolves, but the
population is healthy and
growing.”
Much of the public testi-
mony was against a delist-
ing, and Commissioners
noted that the option of no
action also remained on
the table.
Commission Chair
Finley said a final proposal
may not be available until
the fall.
Firewood
permits on sale
Firewood permits for
the Wallowa-Whitman
National Forest will go on
sale May 1. Personal-use
firewood permits can be
purchased for $5 per cord,
with a four cord minimum
and a 10-cord maximum.
Personal-use firewood
permits will be available at
Forest Service offices and
at several local vendors be-
ginning May 1. Commer-
cial firewood permits are
only available at Ranger
District Offices.
Vendors will sell fire-
wood permits in 4-cord
packets. An additional
vendor fee, up to $2, will
be charged for each 4-cord,
$20 firewood permit pur-
chased at a local vendor.
Firewood cutters will
be required to keep a
record of the date, time,
and quantity of firewood
removed. There is a chart
on the front of the permit
called the “Product Quan-
tity Removal Record.”
This requirement will
be enforced. Additional
information can be found
in the Firewood Guide that
accompanies each permit.
Firewood cutters are
required to carry an axe, a
shovel, an 8 oz. capacity
or larger fire extinguisher,
and have their chainsaw
equipped with an approved
spark arrester.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 681
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 262.00-308.00 Top 310.00
400-500# Bulk 277.00-305.00 Top 310.00
500-600# Bulk 253.00-278.00 Top 281.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 247.00-263.00 Top 270.00
400-500# Bulk 233.00-257.00 Top 265.00
500-600# Bulk 214.00-249.00 Top 254.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 224.00-253.00 Top 258.00
700-800# Bulk 194.00-212.00 Top 217.00
800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Heifers
Bulk 204.00-231.00 Top 235.50
Bulk 184.00-212.00 Top 218.50
Bulk 166.00-181.00 Top 188.00
Bulk 154.00-169.00 Top 173.00
Thin Shelly Cows 82.00 - 93.00
Butcher Cows 95.00 - 107.00
Butcher Bulls 104.00 - 123.00
Stock Cows Yng. 1275.00 - 1900.00
Younger Hfrts. 114.00 - 146.00
Pairs B.M. - 1475.00 - 2200.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf
White fir is $365.00/mbf
Ponderosa Pine is brought sold
on diameter splits
6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF
12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF
18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF
24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF
DIB is diameter inside bark at
small end of log.
MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale.
People interested in selling logs
should call and get specific
quotes from saw mills.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1200.90
Silver: $16.57
Platinum: $1,155.63
Palladium: $776.85
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $363.25/bu/USD
Wheat: $477.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $979.25/bu/USD
Oats: $241.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $10.27/cwt/USD
Canola: $449.20 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $151.13/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $213.88/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $79.90/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com