THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2016
Business & Ag
Huntington gets new smoke shop
BY EILEEN DRIVER
Eileen@TheBakerCountyPress.com
High Mountain Smoke
Shop of Baker City has
opened a second store in
Huntington adding yet
another new business to
the small town.
Darleen and Jody Hallett,
the owners of High
Mountain, have set up a
shop full of fun and inter-
esting items from which
the residents and visitors of
Huntington to choose.
When a customer walks
into the store, they are
immediately drawn to
the sparkle and shine of
the unusual and stunning
jewelry on display, then
onto the beautiful display
of hanging and tabletop
air plants and the brightly
colored tie-dyed clothing.
If unusual is what you
crave, check out the dragon
chess set or the mystical
section. High Mountain
also carries piercing kits,
tattoo supplies, incense
burners and incense, to-
bacco and marijuana pipes,
vape supplies and even a
small section in the back of
adult only items.
High Mountain has
been open for business
about three weeks now in
Huntington and accord-
ing to Darleen Hallett,
“The community has been
really welcoming and we
are starting to get a lot of
repeat customers.”
If you live in Huntington
and visit the Huntington
store, let them know you
are a resident and receive a
10 to 20-percent discount
on your purchase.
Friday, June 10, 2016 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to week-
ago prices in a very limited test. Many hay produc-
ers are sold out for the year. New crop hay is grow-
ing and will be harvested in the upcoming weeks.
No new sales reported this week. Last week:
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa/Ochard Mix —Small Square Premium
20 165.00-165.00 165.00
Two weeks ago:
Alfalfa — Mid Square Good
150 190.00-190.00 190.00
Alfalfa — Small Square Premium
23 170.00-170.00 170.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
Eileen Driver / The Baker County Press
Darleen and Jody Hallett, owners of High Mountain.
High Mountain Smoke
Shop is located at 205 W.
Adams Street in Hunting-
ton behind 420Ville, and at
2658 10th Street in Baker
City.
They are open from 10
a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday
through Friday and 11
a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Those interested can reach
Darleen at (541) 519-0750
or Jody at (541) 403-2928.
County meets USFS over BMFPR
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Board
of Commissioners met
with representatives of the
United States Forest Ser-
vice (USFS) on Thursday,
June 2, 2016, 1:30 p.m., in
the Commission Chambers
of the Baker County Court-
house, for a Blue Moun-
tains Forest Plan Revision
(BMFPR) update. Neither
the Commissioners, nor
the attendees, fell short on
displaying strong concerns
about the USFS’s manage-
ment of National Forests.
Present from the Board
were Chair Bill Harvey,
Commissioners Mark Ben-
nett, and Tim Kerns, and
Executive Assistant Heidi
Martin. Present from the
USFS were Wallowa-
Whitman Forest Supervi-
sor Tom Montoya, BMFPR
Team Leader Sabrina
Stadler, Planner Josh Mul-
ligan, and Public Affairs
Officer Peter Fargo.
Attendance also included
Baker County Natural Re-
source Advisory Commit-
tee (NRAC) Coordinator
Eric Wuntz, Baker County
Justice of the Peace Don
Williams, Tork and Wanda
Ballard, Chuck Chase,
Arvid Andersen, Craig
and Doni Bruland, Bobbie
Danser, John and Ramona
Creighton, and Cynthia
Long.
Montoya began the
informational meeting by
reviewing the history of
agency-to-agency coop-
eration and coordination,
between the USFS, and
Baker County, when the
USFS started working with
counties, to develop a Pro-
posed Action and public
engagement process, in
2003, seeking input from
the counties regarding that
process.
In 2004, he said, the
Forest Revision Plan
process was initiated, in
the USFS’s Schedule of
Proposed Actions (SOPA),
under the National En-
vironmental Policy Act
(NEPA). Alternatives were
developed, using scoping
workshops, including Al-
ternative D, which he said
resulted from major input
from the cooperating coun-
ties in Washington, and
Oregon at that time, and
alternatives were analyzed
by the USFS for the Draft
EIS (Environmental Im-
pact Statement). Montoya
said there were changes to
the Forest Planning Rules
in 2001, 2005, 2008, and
2012, and delays were
caused by those changes,
and lawsuits, among other
details. In 2009, he said,
Baker County had become
a coopering agency with
the USFS, through an
MOU (Memorandum of
Understanding), which
expired in 2011.
In 2014, the Draft EIS,
and the Draft Forest Plans
were released, and this
process included 14 public
meetings and presentations
(14 different communi-
ties), with over 1,000 par-
ticipants, and an extended
public comment period
(by request), which totaled
150 days, he said. In 2015,
the USFS reengaged with
the public, after receiving
input from members of
communities regarding that
process, for a total of 24
public meetings, involving
over 700 participants, the
result of which is a collec-
tion of published meet-
ing notes, on the project
website, fs.usda.gov/goto/
BlueMountainsPlanRevi-
sion.
Now in 2016, the USFS
is reviewing public input,
formal and informal, and
the decision was made to
analyze two new Alter-
natives, with a focus on
forest restoration, he said.
Continuing work includes
consulting with federal
agencies (primarily, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service), regarding the
Endangered Species Act
(ESA); meeting obligations
to coordinate with Baker
County, as well as other
counties, as requested;
cooperating with some
counties, as requested;
consulting with the Treaty
Tribes associated with the
Blue Mountains National
Forests, primarily the
Nez Perce, the Federated
Tribes of the Umatilla, the
Federated Tribes of Warm
Springs, and the Burns
Pauite Tribe, in order to
continue to meet obliga-
tions; and continuing com-
munication with the public,
and stakeholders, regard-
ing ongoing revisions, via
newsletters, conference
calls, to address concerns
(this will continue until a
Final EIS is developed, he
said).
Other efforts includes de-
veloping responses to the
formal comments, which
will be published (by
requirement) in the Final
EIS; publishing a single
EIS, three Revised Forest
Plans (one for Malheur,
one for Wallowa-Whitman,
and one for Umatilla),
and three, separate Draft
Records of Decision
(ROD, to be signed by the
Regional Forester), for
each of the Forests; and
— Weekly Hay Report —
the objection process will
be overseen by the USFS
Washington, D.C. Office,
which includes a 60-day
review and objection
period, and a resolution
period of 90 days.
Montoya discussed
how the USFS is address-
ing concerns, as stated
in Baker County’s 2014
formal comment letter. He
said the County com-
mented that the USFS, via
the Forest Plan, isn’t going
far enough in improv-
ing social, and economic
conditions, and that the
County seeks recognition
of the social, and economic
importance of the National
Forest in Baker County.
Montoya responded that
the USFS has been trying
to update its social, and
economic analysis (an
economist has worked on
it, he said), and it has been
updated, using 2014 data,
to be included in the Final
EIS, to better address these
concerns, which were also
echoed by other counties.
He said that this process
also includes comment
letters, and other regional,
eastern Oregon-specific
analysis.
Montoya said the County
commented that the USFS
should coordinate with
the County, and the Forest
Plan should be consistent
with the County’s Natural
Resource Plan (NRP). He
said that he understands
that the National Forest
Management Act requires
the USFS to coordinate
with the County, which
is the USFS’s plan, and
also why Montoya and
the others were present
for this meeting, to begin
that process. He said that
the USFS is looking at the
NRP, in order to determine
how the Forest Plan can be
more consistent, regard-
ing any differences with
the Forest Plan, and the
NRP, though the ultimate
decision will be made by
the USFS, as far as adher-
ing to policies, rules, and
regulations, as required
by federal law, primarily.
This will all be part of the
documentation of the Final
EIS, he said.
He said the County
commented that the Forest
Plan focuses on ecological
principles, and protections
over other uses, such as
mining, timber harvest,
roads, and grazing. Some
of the comments Montoya
noted were: more of the
Forest should be suit-
able for economic uses,
such as timber produc-
tion, grazing, and mining;
few lands are suitable for
timber removal, or lands
are in Management Areas,
where timber produc-
tion is not allowed; there
are enough wilderness,
and species protections
already; and the threat of
wildfires to the residents of
Baker County is too high.
He said he understands
the County’s interest, in
terms of the economic
benefits, and the USFS is
trying to balance that with
ecological requirements,
under federal law. The
USFS is also trying to
find a suitable balance, in
terms of harvest levels, and
looking at those areas, of
the highest quality only, to
be suitably designated as
Management Areas. The
USFS is trying to address
the threat of wildfires,
partly through the two Al-
ternatives, he said, and he
discussed details of those
new Alternatives.
The first Alternative fo-
cuses on forest restoration,
and the second Alternative,
more of a long-term one,
focuses more on the life of
the Forest Plan (15 years),
and meeting the Plan’s
conditions.
Montoya said the
County commented that
the Forest Plan should not
influence Travel Manage-
ment in any way, and that
the three Forest Plans
should be developed
independently, to account
for their unique social,
economic, and environ-
mental concerns. His
message, he said, is that
the Forest Plan, and the
Travel Management Plan
are two separate docu-
ments, and that the Forest
Plan is more of a guide as
far as moving forward with
management, while the
Travel Management Plan
is more site-specific. In
response to concerns about
combined Forest Plans, he
said that it comes down
to boundaries, and how
commonalities are shared,
with neighboring Forests,
and that there are overlaps.
He emphasized that, at the
end of the process, there
will be different Plans, and
RODs.
Montoya said that there
were negative comments
about the term “designated
routes,” and the USFS
decided to remove that lan-
guage from the documen-
tation, however, he said
that Travel Management
would be a focus, once the
Forest Plan was completed.
SEE BMFPR
PAGE 7
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 369
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 171.00 - 184.00 Top 187.50
400-500# Bulk 163.00 - 178.00 Top 185.00
500-600# Bulk 154.00 - 171.00 Top 175.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 135.00 - 164.00 Top 167.00
400-500# Bulk 149.00 - 159.00 Top 166.00
500-600# Bulk 134.00 - 141.00 Top 142.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 144.00 - 153.00 Top 158.00
700-800# Bulk 131.00 - 141.00 Top 143.00
800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 127.00 - 135.00 Top 138.00
700-800# Bulk 119.00 - 128.00 Top 131.00
800-900# Bulk 113.00 - 124.00 Top 126.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 53.00 - 63.00
Butcher Cows 66.00 - 74.00
Butcher Bulls 71.00 - 87.00
Pairs Yng. 1250.00 - 1525.00
Hfretts. 81.00 - 94.00
Stock Cows Young - N/A
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Currently the local log market is flooded with
fire salvage logs. The log buyer for Malheur
Lumber Co. stated they have all the logs they
need under contract and are not accepting any
new purchases. BCC/LLC of La Grande has
receive so many burned fire salvage logs they
are no longer accepting logs at the La Grande
log yard. Any additional pine logs have to be
delivered to the Elgin Log yard cut in plywood
lengths and to a 8 inch top. For these pine
logs cut in plywood lengths, BCC is offering
$280.00/mbf. They are also paying $420.00/
mbf for Doug Fir & Western Larch. For White
Fir they are offing $325.00/mbf. At the Pilot
Rock Saw Mill BCC is offing $360.00/mbf for a
12 to 15 inch top, for 16 to 19 inch top $400.00/
mbf & offing $425.00/mbf for 20 inch plus top
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,288.80
Silver: $17.40
Platinum: $974.65
Palladium: $533.65
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $436.50/bu/USD
Wheat: $485.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1149.25/bu/USD
Oats: $206.50 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $11.50/cwt/USD
Canola: $530.20 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $115.00/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $142.15/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $89.33/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com