FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015
4 — THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS
Local / Opinion
— Letters to the Editor —
Editorial was incorrect
To the Editor:
I would like to address the concerns
submitted by “GDP” in the recent The
Record Courier editorial “Public Lands
Resolution 15-01 Presented to Commis-
sioners” dated May, 28, 2015.
The editorial addressed the May 20,
2015 County Commissioners Session
and titled it, “Is there an Agenda with the
Agenda?”
My reply is: there is no hidden
agenda!
All County Commission Sessions have
time set aside for “Citizen Participation”
and this is where anyone can come before
the Commissioners with anything they
would like to address or present. This
is not anything new to the Agenda and I
encourage anyone to use this opportunity!
This was the case with the Republi-
can Resolution 15-01 that Chuck Chase
presented to us during the Citizen Par-
ticipation. I was not aware that this was
why Mr. Chase was in attendance. The
Record Courier suggests that “there were
rumblings the Republican Resolution was
going to be presented at the Commissioner
meeting.”
I am not sure where The Record Cou-
rier’s source is for “rumblings” but they
may want to check it out a little more
closely next time.
With regard to Montana State Repre-
sentative Kerry White being present, I was
able to visit with him at the Forest Access
for All Banquet, and he hoped to attend
our meeting and listen to what we have
going on in Baker County. He was not
sure of what all he and his wife had going
on with friends while they were here, but I
said he was welcome if it worked out.
The Record Courier was again incorrect
in stating, “It is my understanding that all
three of the Commissioners were in at-
tendance of the May 16, Forest Access for
All Banquet.” Commissioner Kerns was
not in attendance, so again The Record
Courier was mistaken in their editorial
and their understanding of what is true.
Next time I would encourage GDP to
simply ask me about these issues prior to
printing an incorrect editorial.
Bill Harvey
Haines
Resolution isn’t as presented in
recent editorial
To the Editor:
The recent editorial from The Record
Courier titled “Public Lands resolution
15-01 Presented to Commissioners”
makes one wonder if the level of reporting
by their staff has degenerated into bias and
slanted editorials by their paper.
As a duly elected Republican Precinct
Committee Person, I was asked to head
or Chair the Republican Party Natural
Resource Committee. I was tasked to help
come up with a resolution to give state
and county control over our public lands.
It was put out for comment, additions or
subtractions before the final vote. Most
of the Western States have already taken
this step to take control over there public
lands. Several of them including Utah are
suing to take back control of their public
lands. Some states, including Hawaii,
have already demanded their public lands
and have gotten them back, as with all the
states East of Colorado.
As I read the slanted editorial on my
presenting the Commissioners with the
Resolution from the Baker County Repub-
lican Party, I became a little concerned.
The Resolution had been voted on by the
Republican Party and passed by a vote of
the majority of those present to be pre-
sented to the Commissioners in the Public
Session of the Commission meeting. If
the PCP members not at the meeting had
wanted a say in the passing of the Reso-
lution they should have attended our meet-
ings. It was not as The Record-Courier
alluded to in their editorial.
I am not sure The Record-Courier re-
porters understand the difference between
the public input portion of the Commis-
sioners meeting and the regular meeting.
Any member of the public can bring any
of their concerns to the Commissioners
during the public input portion of the
meeting. The regular Commissioners
meeting is where they do have a prede-
termined agenda to follow, which by the
way, is posted in the newspapers ahead of
time.
With increased Federal control, closing
roads, no timber to sell, disease killing our
forests, wild fires, EPA now claiming ju-
risdiction over all waters in Baker County
and the rest of the states, it kind of makes
one wonder just where The Record-Couri-
er stands. Is it with the County or the out-
of-control governmental agencies?
Chuck Chase
Baker City
Editor’s Note: Both letters/opinions above were
submitted to all local news media.
Couple purchases winning
lottery ticket in Baker City
Salem, Ore. - Driving
back to Boise from an Or-
egon vacation, Cole Jensen
asked his girlfriend if she
could hold on for another
30 miles so they could
make it to Baker City to
stop for food and fuel.
The couple had spent the
weekend in Pendleton and
were headed home.
They pulled into the
Jackson's in Baker City
and as he paid for gas, Jen-
sen went into the conve-
nience store and gas station
to get an energy drink for
the rest of the trip home.
While in line, he realized
he had an extra $10 in his
pocket and on a whim pur-
chased a Wild 10s Scratch-
it ticket. It turned out to be
a $100,000 winning ticket.
"It was the first time I ever
played the Oregon Lot-
tery," Jensen said. "We
sat in the car looking at
the ticket and we couldn't
believe it. I'm glad my girl-
friend waited those extra
30 miles!"
The couple drove the
rest of the way home,
and waited until after the
The lucky lottery winners.
Memorial Day weekend,
and then drove to Salem to
claim Jensen's prize.
"It was hard sitting on
that ticket for three days,"
Jensen said. "But it gave
me time to come up with a
plan on what to do with the
money."
Jensen said he was go-
ing to use the winnings to
go on a very nice vacation
with his girlfriend and he
also was going to buy all
of his buddies video game
systems, so they could play
online together. After that,
he plans on saving the bulk
of the winnings.
Lottery officials recom-
mend that you always sign
Letter to the Editor Policy: The Baker
County Press reserves the right not to pub-
lish letters containing factual falsehoods or
incoherent narrative. Letters promoting or
detracting from specific for-profit business-
es may not be published. Word limit is 375
words per letter. Letters are limited to one
every other week per author. Letters should
be submitted to Editor@TheBakerCounty-
Press.com.
Advertising and Opinion Page Dis-
claimer: Opinions submitted as Guest
Photo Courtesy of the Oregon Lottery.
the back of your tickets
with each Oregon Lottery
game you play, to ensure
you can claim any prize
you may win.
The Oregon Lottery
reminds players to always
sign the back of their Lot-
tery tickets, regardless of
the game. In the event of
winning a jackpot, they
should consult with a
trusted financial planner
or similar professional to
develop a plan for their
winnings.
Prize winners of more
than $50,000 should con-
tact the Lottery office to
schedule an appointment to
claim their prize.
Opinions or Letters to the Editor express
the opinions of their authors, and have not
been authored by and are not necessarily
the opinions of The Baker County Press, any
of our staff, management, independent
contractors or affiliates. Advertisements
placed by political groups, candidates,
businesses, etc., are printed as a paid
service, which does not constitute an
endorsement of or fulfillment obligation
by this newspaper for the products or
services advertised.
— Guest Opinion —
New EPA
rule muddies
the waters in
Eastern Ore.
By Rep. Greg Walden
Farmers, ranchers, and other property
owners in eastern Oregon have been
wondering: what will Washington,
D.C. try to unnecessarily regulate
next? Where will a federal agency
again attempt to curtail private prop-
erty rights? How will this uncertainty
affect already struggling rural econo-
mies?
This week we got that answer when
the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) finalized their rule to mas-
sively and unilaterally expand federal
jurisdiction over water and private
property. With the stroke of a pen, the
administration has pushed aside the
“navigable waters” limitations of the
Clean Water Act, leaving in its wake
vague definitions that potentially open
up intermittent streams, vernal pools,
irrigation ditches, or ponds to even
more federal regulations.
The EPA first proposed this rule
under the guise of “clarifying” the
scope of the Clean Water Act. But
I’ve heard throughout Oregon that the
vague language in their proposal actu-
ally creates more uncertainty, not less.
More red tape, not less. For farmers,
ranchers, Oregonians, and others that
utilize our water resources, it is a huge
threat.
Ranchers are wondering when the
EPA will come after their stock ponds.
Wheat growers worry about an inter-
mittent stream adjacent to a field. Fruit
and vegetable growers are concerned
about their irrigation ditches. As North
Powder rancher Curtis Martin told me
last year, the rule is “an overreach by
the federal government that threatens
to eliminate conservation practices
currently implemented by farmers and
ranchers across Oregon.”
I have long opposed expansion of
this authority, whether through legisla-
tion or administrative rulemaking.
This regulatory overreach by the
EPA blatantly ignores Congress’
repeated rejection of similar legisla-
tive efforts to expand jurisdiction of
the Clean Water Act in the past. Of
course, we shouldn’t be that surprised.
The EPA has tried this before, and
they have twice been rebuked by the
Supreme Court.
Even the Small Business Admin-
istration has said that the proposed
rule would have “direct, significant
effects” on small businesses, and
recommended that the EPA withdraw
Submitted Photo
Greg Walden represents Oregon’s
Second Congressional District,
which covers 20 counties in south-
ern, central, and eastern Oregon,
including Baker County.
their rule. But the agency went full
steam ahead this week.
The economies of rural Oregon and
other communities around the country
face enough obstacles already. Broken
federal land policies and unnecessary
red tape have strangled communities,
often leaving only agriculture to grow
jobs and combat unemployment rates
in the double digits. We don’t need
agencies in Washington D.C. erecting
more hurdles and creating more un-
certainty as our farmers and ranchers
work to feed the world and create jobs
in rural communities.
That’s why I worked hard to pass a
bill in the House to require the EPA
to withdraw the rule. The Regulatory
Integrity Protection Act (H.R. 1732)
passed the House on a bipartisan
vote in May. 24 House Democrats
(including my Oregon colleague Kurt
Schrader) joined every Republican in
supporting this common-sense mea-
sure.
As one Oregon farmer told me when
a similar bill passed the House last
year, “This attempt to control private
lands using the Clean Water Act must
be stopped. It is important that farms
be able to focus on raising fresh,
healthy, and necessary food and feed
for this world without unnecessary
regulations. Congress has taken an
important step to help ensure farm-
ers can continue to farm their land
without federal permission and allows
landowners to meaningfully improve
water quality through existing state
programs.”
The House has also passed legisla-
tion that would prohibit funding from
being used on this rule (this is on top
of our successful efforts to cut the
EPA’s budget by 21%--$2.2 billion—
over the past five years).
The Senate should take up and
pass these bills right away and send
the EPA back to the drawing board.
Baker County farmers, ranchers and
rural communities deserve better than
federal agencies strangling them with
more red tape. It’s time to ditch this
rule.
— Contact Us —
The Baker County Press
PO Box 567
Baker City, Ore. 97814
Open Monday-Thursday for calls
9 AM - 4 PM
Open 24/7 for emails
Office location: TBA
Phone: 541.519.0572
TheBakerCountyPress.com
Kerry McQuisten, Publisher
Editor@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Wendee Morrissey, Advertising and Sales
Wendee@TheBakerCountyPress.com
David Conn, Advertising and Sales
David@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Published weekly every Friday.
Subscription rates per year are $29.95 all areas,
e-mail delivery. $39.95 print issue, home delivery,
Baker City city limits only. $49.95 print issue,
mail delivery, outside Baker City city limits only.
Payment in advance.
A division of
Black Lyon Publishing, LLC
Copyright © 2014
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
President Barack Obama
202.456.1414
202.456.2461 fax
Whitehouse.gov/contact
US Sen. Jeff Merkley
503.326.3386
503.326.2900 fax
Merkley.Senate.gov
US Sen. Ron Wyden
541.962.7691
Wyden.Senate.gov
US Rep. Greg Walden
541.624.2400
541.624.2402 fax
Walden.House.gov
Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown
503.378.3111
Governor.Oregon.gov
State Rep. Cliff Bentz
503.986.1460
State Sen. Ted Ferrioli
541.490.6528
Baker County
Commissioners Bill Harvey;
Mark Bennett; Tim Kerns
541.523.8200
541.523.8201