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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those contracts rescinded, its money back and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