including the towering I-5 bridge, and
attracted about 19,000 people last Sunday.
For the last three years, Portland also has
closed miles of city streets connecting parks
in five annual “Sunday Parkways” events
that now attract about 91,000 people.
More than 40 cities in the U.S. now have
car-free street events, many inspired by
Bogotá, Colombia, where 70 miles of
roadway are closed to cars every Sunday
for hugely popular “Ciclovias.”
Eugene had a similar “Human Powered
Parade” downtown 15 years ago, but the
event died with volunteer organizers
complaining of a lack of city support. Three
years ago, bike advocates pushed for
closing a stretch of south Willamette Street
for a walking and biking event, but nothing
happened.
But now the city appears fully behind
opening the people’s streets to people. But
the event will need lots of people to
volunteer to help pull it off. The city is
looking for about 200 volunteers.
About 120 volunteers will help control
intersections and others will help promote,
set-up and clean-up the event. To volunteer
or for information call 501-0390, email
SundayStreets@ci.eugene.or.us or visit the
http://bit.ly/qQ9dlR website.
— Alan Pittman
(A version of this story fi rst appeared at Eugenecycles.com)
DORENA DAM
DISTURBS
RESIDENTS
Maybe it takes a bringing a frozen
summer steelhead to a meeting to really get
a point across — at least that’s what some
Cottage Grove residents who are taking on
a major corporation and the government to
fight the installment of hydroelectric
turbines at Dorena Dam are thinking.
The turbines and new construction on
the dam, which is being built by Riverbank
Power, formerly Symbiotics Energy
Corporation, with approval from the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife and other
organizations, is expected to be a
powerhouse. But this power won’t come
without a price.
For area residents like John Steele, a
math instructor at Lane Community
College, the dam project will cost the
surrounding ecosystem.
The current Dorena Dam is operated by
the Army Corps of Engineers, and the
project must be approved by Oregon’s
Department of Environmental Quality and
by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. Despite being regulated by
the government, Steele says the dam and
the area are still in danger, and the agencies
regulating the project are not doing their
jobs.
“With regard to this project, the amount
of flawed scientific data and the level of
neglect or remiss within state and federal
agencies is incredible,” Steele says, adding
that studies on the area have not
demonstrated the correct mercury content
of the sediment at the lake’s bottom and
have not produced an accurate measure of
the number and types of migratory fish in
the area.
But Erik Steimle, director of
environmental compliance at Riverbank
Power, says the Canada-based company
will do everything within its power to
comply with government regulations. He
explains that Oregon DEQ is closely
monitoring the environmental effects of the
project. He is positive the project will be
beneficial because it will be a new source of
renewable energy and will use the same
flow regime and infrastructure of the
existing dam.
For Steele, however, this is not reassuring
at all, as he says the flawed scientific data
makes it difficult for the government to
properly regulate the area.
Steele and other residents are concerned
the dam will increase turbidity in the river
and stir up mercury into the water and
surrounding ecosystems.
They are also worried about the lack of
a fish passage in the new project plan,
explaining that without one, the migratory
fish in the area are doomed.
Steele says on his website, Friends of
Dorena Dam, that Riverbank Power has
responded that a fish passage is not
financially feasible for this project and has
even gone so far as to deny the existence of
fish in the area.
However, studies from ODFW have
shown — and fishermen’s pictures have
documented — the existence of spring
Chinook salmon, rainbow and cutthroat
happening people
BY PAUL NEEVEL
JIM THOMAS
“I came out of high school in the middle of World War II,” says retired
professor Jim Thomas, who grew up on the Kansas prairie, then worked in a
lab at Cal Tech. “I was part of the Manhattan Project and didn’t know it.
When I found out, in the fall of ’45, I was appalled.” He became a Quaker,
switched his major from chemistry to philosophy, earned a Ph.D .at
Claremont and taught at Mt. San Antonio College. “Being Quaker, I did
service abroad and in the U.S.,” says Thomas, who served with the Peace
Corps in Tanzania in 1966-68. “My wife and three boys were there.” Visiting
Japan, he saw the area in Nagasaki hit by the bomb. “I worked on the
detonator,” he says. “I was weeping, and Japanese people came over to
comfort me.” In 1987, five years after the death of his wife, Thomas met
Susan Chute at Pendle Hill Quaker retreat center near Philadelphia. “I had
just retired,” he says. “We sang together, and we’ve been in cahoots ever
since.” They spent four years at the center, then eight years on a farm
outside Myrtle Creek. “Susan is a horse person,” he notes. After they moved
to Eugene in 1998, the Thomases started a Quaker group called Alternative
Responses to Military Service (ARMS) that for seven years put on a monthly
Peace Pizza Party for kids ages 14-18.
ACTIVIST ALERT
• The Back to Back program has an ongoing free film series dedicated to
education, dialogue and discussion. The next showing is at 9 pm Thursday,
Aug. 18, of The Celluloid Closet, featuring the history of gays’ and lesbians’
influence on Hollywood. The film will be shown on the lawn of the Leslie
Brockelbank Peace and Justice Center at 458 Blair Blvd. As always,
popcorn will be provided.
• Lane County Democrats are hosting an information booth at the Lane
County Fair this weekend, selling buttons and registering voters. Elected
officials are expected to spend time in the booth talking to constituents,
says organizer Matt Davis. Local Americans for Prosperity/Tea Party
leader Jeff Lozar says his group has nothing planned for the Fair. No word
back from Lane County Republicans.
• Eugene’s annual Summer Garden Party to benefit Basic Rights Oregon
is from 2 to 4 pm Saturday, Aug. 20. Suggested donation is $25. To RSVP,
visit http://bit.ly/eugene2011 or email Juan@basicrights.org for details.
• A “Stop the Pipeline” sit-in at the White House is planned between
Aug. 20 and Sept. 3 and a Eugene contingency is planning to be there. See
www.tarsandsaction.org for details. More than 2,000 people have signed
up to join the protest against the proposed Keystone XL pipeline to carry
tar sands oil down from Canada.
• A free event, “Going Local in a Globalized Economy,” dealing with the
Lane County Fair Trade Campaign, local bean and grain farmers, and local
WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
food advocacy, will be from 6 to 8 pm Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Cozmic Pizza.
Speakers including Karen Edmonds, Mary Ann Jasper and Krishna Khalsa
will discuss solutions for farmers, our local food economy, and community
food security. Area groups involved in localizing food will give short talks.
Contact Samantha Chirillo at 543-1253.
• More cuts to the Lane County budget for FY 2011-12 is expected to be
on the County Commission agenda Wednesday, Aug. 24, and conservatives
are planning to show up to advocate for prioritizing law enforcement
funding. See www.lanecounty.org for updated information. Agendas and
documents are usually posted two days in advance of meetings.
• About 50 people showed up for a Eugene meeting Aug. 11 on proposals
for a state and national Alzheimer’s plan. “It was good that representatives
from Sen. Wyden’s office and Rep. DeFazio’s office were in attendance,”
says Jon Bartholomew of the Alzheimer’s Association. People can still
submit comments online at http://action.kintera.org/alzplan
• Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is coming the Matthew
Knight Arena 7:30 pm Aug. 26, 2 pm & 6 pm Aug. 27 and 1 pm Aug. 28.
Peaceful protesters will be objecting to “an hour’s worth of entertainment
that results in lifetime of suffering” for the animals. Signs and leaflets will
be provided or bring your own. Meet an hour prior to the shows at sidewalk
on the corner of Franklin and Garden Ave. For more info contact Misha
English misha.law@gmail.com
LANE AREA
SPRAY SCHEDULE
• Seneca Jones (541-689-1011) will begin
a hack and squirt operation using Polaris AC
and Chopper on a tributary of Fish Creek, 16S
07W Section 30, notice 2011-781-00606
• Giustina Land & Timber (541) 345-2301
is hiring Oregon Forest Management Services
(541) 896-3757 to apply Arsenal, Garlon 3A,
Garlon 4, Chopper, Forester’s and Escort
using hack and squirt on 79 acres along
tributaries of Long Tom River and 109 acres
along Swartz Creek beginning Aug. 19. Garlon
4 must have a 60 foot buffer on the west side
of the Coast Range to protect Coho salmon.
Compiled by Jan Wroncy, Forestland Dwellers:
342-8332, www.forestlanddwellers.org
EUGENE WEEKLY AUGUST 18, 2011 7