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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2005)
news briefs CALIFORNIA SUES EWEB The state of California has sued the Eugene Water and Electric Board for illegal price gouging during the electric crisis in 2001, according to an April bond prospectus filed by EWEB. Enron, the collapsed Texas electric trad- ing corporation, has been sued by many power users for creating an artificial electric- ity crisis in 2001 that dramatically drove up power prices. EWEB had to pay more for power during the crisis, but apparently was also able to sell some power contracts to California at the inflated prices. California sued EWEB in February to get those contracts rescinded, its money back and also payment for unspecified damages. EWEB states in the bond document that they believe they have a valid defense and will “vigorously contest” the allegation in court. But, EWEB states, “no prediction can be offered at this time of the amount or ranges of any potential loss.” — Alan Pittman BUCKS FOR SMALL TREES The U.S. Forest Service recently granted $1 million to fund forest projects in Oregon. The grant was made possible by a partnership between Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith, who supported a provision to the 2003 Healthy Forests Restoration Act that authorized $5 million annually through 2008 for projects to improve the commercial use of woody debris and small-diameter trees from public forests. Forrest Fleischman, policy advocate for Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics (FSEEE), views the provision as po- tentially positive for forest health — depend- ing on where it’s applied. Thinning small-diameter trees in dense forests allows larger trees to thrive, and de- veloping commercial uses for woody debris eases some of the pressure for logging old growth. “Developing markets for smaller-di- ameter wood is very important, because a lot of what we have in our national forests and on public lands is dense, small timber,” 8 JULY 7, 2005 Fleischman says. “There are forests around Eugene that are like Douglas fir plantations, where it makes sense to take some of the trees out and improve the health of those forests.” But Flieschman adds a note of caution: The provision could allow the Forest Service to cut small-diameter trees in places where they are critical to the ecosystem, such as re- moving slow-growing junipers from the high desert. “Location is important,” he says. “Just because a tree is small doesn’t mean it’s good to cut it. It depends on what conditions it’s growing in and the history of the location.” In another move to allocate federal dollars for Oregon’s environment, Wyden and Smith are pushing for more than $9 million for nat- ural resource projects across the state, includ- ing land acquisitions at the Columbia River Gorge and the Upper Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuge. On June 29, the U.S. Senate included the funding in its FY2006 interior appropriations bill, which will now head to a conference committee to work out differ- ences with the House version. — Kera Abraham regulations. The loophole allows the plant to bypass secondary water treatment for part of its flow and then blend the dirty water back into treated water for discharge into the river, according to a MWMC memo this month. In a rarity for the Bush administration, the EPA proposed closing that pol- People from all over the world lution loophole in 2003. But flock to the Oregon Country Fair in Veneta each July to soak up the MWMC, other sewage plants and Republicans art, music, entertainment, joined in successfully counterculture and ideas, lobbying against the and it all happens again this proposed rule change weekend. In recent years and it was withdrawn in the OCF has drawn a grow- ing number of noted speak- May. MWMC staff said closing the loophole could ers and this year’s line-up in- have cost the agency $89 cludes: million to add peak flow treat- • Friday: Dr. Andrew Weil, al- ment capacity. ternative health authority; Francisco Andrew Weil Letelier, Latin American poet and But while the muralist; Laura “Piece” Kelley, poet, arts ed- sewage plant is off the hook ucator and student of life. from EPA, it still could be sued • Saturday: Stephen Gaskin, ’60s counter- by a third party. The unwritten culture icon, on “What I Still Believe In;” loophole isn’t explicitly author- Middle East panel on “Refusing to be ized in the treatment plant’s dis- Enemies: Jewish and Muslim Men: Growing charge permit. up in the Middle East;” Jeff Golden on Who might sue? Corvallis “Politics for grown-ups;” gender equity panel draws most of it’s drinking on “Transgender and Gender Queer people: water from the Willamette Life, Issues and Identity.” downstream from Eugene. So, • Sunday: Winona LaDuke, Native after “blending” in Eugene and American spokesperson; panel discussion on treatment in Corvallis, what we the influence of the ’60s hippies on the 21st flush, they drink. — Alan century; Medea Benjamin, co-founder of Pittman Code Pink, who says “Raise hell and bring the troops home!” The list may be incomplete as of press time. An updated OCF performance schedule is available at www.oregoncountryfair.org The city of Eugene has raised its parking tickets from $10 to $12. The city issues about 70,000 tickets a year for meter and time zone violations. Eugene’s ticket cost will be higher than the $10 that Salem and Medford charge but lower than the $16 charge in Portland. The city last raised its parking fines 12 years ago. The local sewage plant flushes partially The additional revenue will help build treated sewage into the Willamette River dur- and operate parking garages downtown and ing heavy rains. The Metropolitan increase the city’s general fund. Violators can Wastewater Management Commission now pay by credit card at the city’s website, flushes the dirty water into the river through www.ci.eugene.or.us an unwritten loophole in federal clean water SPEAKERS AT COUNTRY FAIR $12 TICKETS SEWAGE ‘BLENDING’ GET NAKED Local residents have been celebrating in- dependence from the Brits this week, and some are celebrating independence from clothing. Nude Recreation Week runs July 4- 10 and local organizers are inviting first- timers to get naked and see how it feels. Members of the Willamettan nudists are observing the annual celebration at Terwilliger Hot Springs this week, though it might be difficult to tell them from independ- ent nudists. Terwilliger is managed by Hoodoo Recreational Services as a clothing optional facility. The Willamettans Family Nudist Resort located in Marcola is hosting an open house on July 16. Call 933-2809 for further information. The annual celebration is sponsored by the American Association for Nude Recreation, whose mission is to “promote, en- 5 hance and protect in appropriate set- tings, nude recre- ation and nude living in the Americas.” It is the oldest and largest organiza- tion of its kind, representing nearly 50,000 people who enjoy clothes-free recreation throughout North America. CORRECTIONS/ CLARIFICATIONS Our apologies to anyone who showed up early for a meeting on campaign finance re- form at Growers Market July 5. Our story last week should have had the meeting times from 7 to 8:30 pm. For information on future meetings and how to get involved in two Oregon ballot initiatives, e-mail brooke@demaction.com, call 684-4408 or visit www.fairelections.com
